U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- UPS has released strict new rules for shipping firearms just months after canceling some gun dealers’ accounts and destroying packages in transit.
The new rules came in response to a letter sent by five anti-gun senators, which blamed UPS and 27 other carriers for escalating violent crime rates.
The rules are contained in three documents: A shipping agreement between UPS and a licensed firearm dealer, the new 2022 UPS Tariff/Terms & Conditions of Service, and UPS’ How to Ship Firearms” webpage.
Terms of Service
According to the 2022 UPS Tariff/Terms & Conditions of Service, which went into effect Monday, only licensed dealers, importers, manufacturers and collectors may ship firearms or firearm products or parts via UPS.
3.7.1 Firearms
Packages containing firearms (as defined by Title 18, Chapter 44, and Title 26, Chapter 53 of the United States Code) and firearm parts that do not constitute firearms as defined by federal law (together, “Firearm Products”) are accepted for transportation only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors (as defined in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the United States Code). To transport Packages containing Firearm Products, the Shipper must enter into an approved UPS agreement for the transportation of Firearm Products.
The Shipper shall comply with and shall ensure that each Shipment containing Firearm Products complies with all federal, state, and local laws applicable to the Shipper, recipient, and Package, including, without limitation, age restrictions.
- The Shipper must use Adult Signature Required and Direct Delivery Only services for each Package containing a firearm (including handguns) and affix a label requesting an adult signature upon delivery.
- The labeling and outer box markings on all Firearm Products shipments must not identify the contents as containing Firearm Products.
- Additional terms and restrictions on the shipment of Firearm Products are contained in the UPS agreement for the
shipment of Firearm Products and at ups.com/firearms, which is incorporated here by reference.
How to Ship Firearms
According to UPS’ “How to Ship Firearms” webpage, nearly everything must have a serial number.
Any item that meets the definition of a firearm (including firearm mufflers or silencers) or a “frame” or “receiver” under federal law (including any partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver as defined by 27 CFR § 478.12) must be identified and bear a serial number in satisfaction of the requirements for identifying such items under federal law, including 27 CFR § 478.92 and/or 27 CFR § 479.102, regardless of whether any such items are otherwise exempt from or not subject to identification requirements under applicable law. This prohibition applies even before the effective date of 27 CFR § 478.12.
In addition, the carrier is making homemade gun parts more difficult to ship as well as requiring serial numbers on the parts.
UPS does not accept Firearm Products for shipment domestically unless (1) such shipments are in full compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including, without limitation, age restrictions; (2) such firearms, including any partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver (as defined by 27 CFR § 478.12), have been identified and bear a serial number in a manner that complies with federal law; and (3) such firearm parts within a package cannot be assembled to form a firearm.
Shipping agreement
By far, the strictest document is the shipping agreement between UPS and a licensed firearm dealer.
Before making any Firearm Products Shipment under this Agreement, Shipper must submit to UPS, by email to [email protected] complete, current and accurate licensing documentation of Shipper’s federal firearms license, as well as satisfactory completion of, and compliance with, any other applicable licensing requirements, including any applicable state requirements. Shipper may not tender Firearm Products Shipments to UPS unless and until UPS has confirmed receipt in writing of Shipper’s licensing documentation.
The agreement holds the dealer responsible for complying with all applicable laws, as well as developing their own “shipper compliance program.”
The compliance program must “include: (1) training for sales and marketing employees regarding lawful recipients, possessors, and purchasers of Firearm Products; (2) due diligence regarding customer licensure or authorization to receive, possess, and purchase Firearm Products under applicable federal, state, or local law; and (3) self-assessments of the Shipper Compliance Program to guarantee its effectiveness.”
Click here to see a blank copy of the shipping agreement.
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.
Anyone who had a firearm that was “destroyed” en route that was already paid for should file a class action lawsuit against UPS and sue the snot out of them. They should sue for their civil right being violated because there is nothing illegal about shipping a firearm from one dealer to another dealer. Sue, sue, sue!
Eff Brown and their brownshirts.
brown shirts missing jack boots and there is another part of goon squad
It’s too bad company heads aren’t smart enough to see the issue which is a people issue. Politicians will point the finger at literally anyone or anything to not put the blame on the scum who commit the crimes.
The anti gun politicians don’t want to just make guns bad they want to make anyone who is associated with guns look bad and “the problem”. Its time to play by the rules that the left uses, all gun folks stop using anyone who shows the slightest sign of jumping on the gun bashing bandwagon and tell them why they aren’t using their services anymore. They are money driven and do not want to give up any of their market share. Hit them where it hurts!
Sounds like it is time to financially destroy UPS
Flush that brown on down.
All of the companies I do business with have already stopped using UPS
Sounds like its time ditch UPS and only ship via FedEx or DHL. And i won’t be using UPS for any shipping if possible.
I’ll be laughing the next time a ups truck is hijacked by someone with a gun. Ups will be wondering why the perps weren’t following the rules.
What Can Woke Do For You??? Nothing, Hopefully UPS Goes Broke!!! Just Another Company To Not Do Business With!!! #FJB
I like it. We all must think of ways to resist their new and ever growing demands. Thanks for sharing!
UPS? Screw ’em, they don’t want my business anyway…
We have communist Lee Harvey Oswald to blame for this mess, but leave it to politicians to run twenty miles out of bounds when handed the ball. Elected officials using private companies against those Americans they disagree with? Doesn’t get anymore “red” than that.
More BS in response to inappropriate pressure from politicians. UPS needs to grow a pair.
Couple of mt friends bought some spotter scopes for their boat one went with ups the other went with fedex both times the driver thought they were rifle scopes and refuse to deliver them, my friends actually had to call the police as well as the company to get the telescopes. When you have to go through all that to get products you order that is just wrong. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY.
Is there a list of pro-constitution shippers in the US? If I can use an alternative I will.
Yes, that scanning license is bad as almost any organization can be hacked. They usually say “we need to see your license”. What they really mean today is we need you to “deliver over your license to us” then they take it out of your site and scan the bar code information along with your picture and all the items they purchased from the state that is in your bar code. A few years ago I questioned New York State as to what is in the bar code; it took a while but an official answer was 21 items in… Read more »
Tennessee dropped the SSN from their DL/HCL information.
Your state, NY did you say, sucks.
I am truly sorry that your politicians are such myopic hacks.
Without doubt; the NYS Governor, Assembly and Senate are up there with the Anti-American/Anti-Constitutional worst of the Left. Yes, I hear a lot of good things about Tennessee. Just sold a pick-up Truck to a guy from Tennessee (still not sure why he is living here, his family sold a farm and he said his girl friend lives here) he registered the truck in Tennessee…one plate in the back and no “Corrupt Inspection Station Sticker” needed (the guy that fails you on the NYS Inspection has a monetary interest in failing you. He tells you you need things you don’t… Read more »
they are spraying malathion and it does cause birth defects and I am sure cancers destroys ground water
Yes, about 2 years ago an article here stated they had 2 police cars equipped with these to get wanted criminals; it stated they may purchase and set up more police cars with these. It’s been quit as the media is on the side of the Left Democrats running the failed county but a few people I know that work in Department of Public Works as Mechanics/Forman (mechanics on on police cars and plow/highway trucks, police boats, park ranger SUV’s, police motor cycles, district attorney cars, narco-cars, etc) who have the inside dope told me they have quietly expanded the… Read more »
Yes, those tactics kept many US towns alive during the depression.
Yes, its no longer about keeping the public safe it is all about revenue gathering. IMHO.
I worked for S&W for a number of years as an LE rep. I would receive armorer’s school guns and sales samples via UPS on a fairly regular basis. We started having thefts from shipments so often by UPS handlers and drivers that the company switched over to FedEx. Problem pretty much went away. UPS drivers were forging signatures and their own internal investigators never found any wrong doing on their part. Got to be a really big joke. We would sometimes find shipments where the box had been cut open and one “blue box” would be gone and replaced… Read more »
Interesting report. Would love to hear more about your experience as a rep. for S&W.
I have used UPS for years, for firearm shipping. Always been a reasonable price, also. Went down Monday and was told the service counter was no longer able to accept firearms. I was to call for a pick-up at my house. After 4 days of hassle, I used USPS, for three times the cost. I have a feeling that this is just the start and any shipper is going to be substantially raising his costs when selling a firearm…
under the Real ID Act, obtaining any new DL is not what you think. a certified Birth Certificate, US Passport, Social Security or Green Card AND proof of physical residency must be presented under oath.
Regrettably, FedEx has changed since I worked for the corporation. Drivers were not allowed to stop delivery for legal productions that were shipped legally. Personally, I had to put my preferences aside and properly/professionally deal with these items with FedEx SOP and legal requirements. Since that time, rogue managers within FedEx have implemented illegal and unethical rules for firearms shipping. FedEx also changed their standards after the ATF released their slew of new “Laws”. I hate to see this with UPS and FedEx. I am not an FFL and take my firearms to FFLs for shipping. I will consider obtaining… Read more »
All I see mentioned in the article is dealers. Can individuals still ship firearms sold through GunBroker for example? To my knowledge FedEx will not ship a firearm. Whats the story on DHL?
Yes-indeed Fed Ex does in fact ship firearms-I have used them a few times
When I wanted to ship my worn-out bullseye gun back to the gunsmith for refurbishment, UPS gave me such grief that I went to FedEx. “Screw you and your ugly brown truck” was my reaction. The FedEx guys were so helpful that I joined the company as a courier.
On occasion, I still see the guy that helped me at the FedEx desk. Still a good guy.
This is so illegal! Constitutionally protected products can not be shipped? Serial number documented and saved is illegal! Registration!
Just waiting for a 100 Trillion dollar lawsuit!