Buying ammo online by state: official sources
This page quotes and links official sources as of 2026-10-09. It is not legal advice and does not say what the law means for you. Laws change and some are in litigation. Read the linked source and, if unsure, ask the state agency or a lawyer before ordering.
Federal sources
- ATF's Firearms Questions and Answers: "A license is not required for a dealer in ammunition only. However a license is required to manufacture or import ammunition."
- ATF's minimum age page: "Under federal law, unlicensed persons may not sell, deliver or otherwise transfer a handgun or handgun ammunition to any person the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 18, except under certain exceptions." For long gun ammunition it states that FFLs may not transfer to a person under 18.
- ATF's Q&A page also lists categories of persons who cannot legally receive or possess firearms or ammunition. Read the page for the categories.
Federal sources do not replace state or local rules. The sections below link each state guide on this site.
State sources
For each state we have compiled, the guide quotes the official page and each retailer's own published policy, with the date we checked. Open the state to read them.
Texas, where this site is based: which online retailers ship ammo to Texas. The full retailer-by-state grid is on shipping by state.
A state missing from the table has not been compiled here. For those states, start with the state police or attorney general website and the retailer's shipping policy page.
Carrier rules
Separate from state law, carriers set their own rules. UPS states that small arms ammunition qualifies for its Limited Quantity exception only "via UPS Ground only within the 48 contiguous United States" with a package that "may not exceed 66 lb. (30 kg)." USPS Publication 52 states that ammunition regulated as a Class 1 explosive and designed to be fired from a pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun "is prohibited from mailing."
Sources
Where this comes from.
Sources were opened and read on or before . Quotes are the publisher's own words; the page may have changed since.
- ATF: Firearms Questions and Answers (license for ammunition dealers)
- ATF: Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers
- UPS: How To Ship Ammunition (limited quantity criteria, 66 lb package limit)
- USPS Publication 52, section 34: Mailability by Hazard Class (small arms ammunition)
- California DOJ: Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program (California)
- California DOJ: Regulations on ammunition purchases or transfers (California)
- California Penal Code section 30312 (Legislative Information) (California)
- NYS NICS: Frequently asked questions (dealers) (New York)
- New York State Gun Safety: Resources for gun dealers (New York)
- Illinois State Police: Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) (Illinois)
- Mass.gov: Hunting with a firearm in Massachusetts (firearms license summary) (Massachusetts)
- Mass.gov: Firearms Services (Firearms Records Bureau) (Massachusetts)
- N.J.A.C. 13:54 (Firearms and Weapons), section 13:54-3.14, hosted by NJ State Police (New Jersey)
- NJ State Police: Apply to purchase a firearm / FARS forms (New Jersey)
- NJ State Police: Firearms FAQs (New Jersey)
- Connecticut General Assembly: Chapter 529, Division of State Police (sections 29-38m to 29-38p) (Connecticut)
- Connecticut DESPP: Firearms and permit related forms and information (Connecticut)
- DC MPD: Possession and sale of ammunition (District of Columbia)
- DC MPD: Firearms registration portal (District of Columbia)
- Hawaii County Police Department: Firearm services (Hawaii)
- Hawaii Revised Statutes section 134-2, Permits to acquire (State Legislature) (Hawaii)
- Alaska Department of Public Safety: Frequently asked firearms questions (PDF) (Alaska)
- Alaska Department of Public Safety (Alaska)
Buyer's guides