An Alabama gun bill of sale is a written record of a private firearm transfer that identifies the buyer, the seller, the firearm, the price, and the date of the sale. Alabama does not require private sellers to run background checks or file paperwork with any state agency, so this document is the only proof either side has that the transaction happened and who was involved. Done right, it protects the seller from being tied to whatever the buyer does with the gun later and gives the buyer evidence of lawful ownership.
What to Put on the Form
Gather everything before you sit down with the form. Blank fields and guesses weaken the document if ownership is ever questioned.
Buyer and Seller Information
Each person should give their full legal name as it appears on a government-issued ID, along with a current mailing address. Adding a driver’s license number ties the document to a verifiable state record, which makes it harder for either party to later deny involvement. Date of birth is worth including for the same reason.
Firearm Description
Describe the gun specifically enough that no one could confuse it with a different firearm. The standard fields are:
- Make: the manufacturer, such as Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or Glock.
- Model: the specific model name or number.
- Caliber or gauge: the ammunition size the firearm uses.
- Serial number: the unique identifier stamped on the frame or receiver.
Copy the serial number exactly. One transposed digit and the document describes the wrong gun, and this is the single most common error on private sale paperwork. Note distinguishing features too, like custom grips, an optic, or visible modifications. The more specific the description, the stronger the proof of what actually changed hands.
Price and Date
State the purchase price in permanent ink. If you’re trading, describe the trade and assign a dollar value to it. The seller gets proof they received fair consideration, and the buyer has a record of what they paid. Write in the exact date of the transaction; that date marks when possession and responsibility shifted from the seller to the buyer. A pencil-written bill of sale invites allegations of tampering, so use pen throughout.
Signing, Witnessing, and Storing Copies
Both the buyer and the seller sign the completed form. Alabama does not require notarization, but having a notary witness the signatures adds a layer of verification, because the notary confirms each person’s identity and that they signed voluntarily. If a notary isn’t convenient, an uninvolved third party who watches both signatures and adds their own name and date serves a similar purpose.
Print at least two copies so each party keeps one. The seller’s copy is proof they no longer possess the firearm, which matters if the gun later turns up at a crime scene or is reported stolen. The buyer’s copy proves lawful acquisition, which helps with insurance claims and any future resale. Keep your copy somewhere secure, ideally in a fireproof home safe or a safe deposit box.
Who You Cannot Legally Sell To
Alabama law bars certain people from possessing firearms at all, which means you cannot legally transfer a gun to them. Under Alabama Code 13A-11-72, a person is forbidden from owning or possessing a firearm if they have been convicted of a violent crime, a domestic violence misdemeanor, or, depending on the timeline, one or more felonies.1Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-72 – Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess Firearm Delivering a pistol to someone you have reasonable cause to believe is under 18, a drug addict, a person of unsound mind, or someone subject to a domestic abuse protection order is separately illegal.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-76 – Delivery to Minors, Habitual Drunkards, Drug Addicts, or Persons of Unsound Mind
Selling to a prohibited person is a Class C felony in Alabama.3Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-5-6 – Sentences of Imprisonment for Felonies You’re not expected to run a background check, because Alabama doesn’t require one for private sales, but you are expected not to sell to someone you know or reasonably suspect falls into a prohibited category. If the buyer says something that raises a red flag, walk away.
Watch for signs of a straw purchase too, where the buyer in front of you is really acting on behalf of someone else who cannot legally own a gun. A third party coaching the buyer, unfamiliarity with basic details about the firearm, or payment with someone else’s cash are all warnings. A bill of sale naming the person in front of you is worthless if the real recipient is someone else, and straw purchases carry serious federal penalties.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 932 – Straw Purchasing of Firearms
Age Limits
Federal law prohibits an unlicensed person from transferring a handgun to anyone under 18.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts Alabama matches that floor by separately prohibiting delivery of a pistol to a minor.2Alabama Legislature. Alabama Code 13A-11-76 – Delivery to Minors, Habitual Drunkards, Drug Addicts, or Persons of Unsound Mind For long guns sold by unlicensed sellers, there is no federal minimum age.6Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers The 21-year-old minimum you may have heard about applies to handgun purchases from licensed dealers, not private sales.
If the Buyer Lives Out of State
You cannot hand the firearm directly to someone from another state. Federal law makes it illegal for an unlicensed person to transfer a firearm to someone they know or have reasonable cause to believe lives in a different state.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts The lawful route is to ship the gun to a federally licensed dealer in the buyer’s home state. The buyer picks it up there, fills out ATF Form 4473, and passes a background check before taking possession.
Two narrow exceptions exist: a firearm inherited through a will or intestate succession, and a temporary loan for lawful sporting purposes. Outside those situations, an interstate private deal needs a licensed dealer on the receiving end.
NFA Items Need Federal Paperwork
A bill of sale by itself is not enough for firearms covered by the National Firearms Act, including short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors, and destructive devices. These transfers require an ATF transfer application (Form 4) and federal approval before the buyer can legally take possession. As of January 2026, the $200 NFA transfer tax has been reduced to $0 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but ATF approval is still required. Both parties should confirm the buyer’s eligibility and complete the federal paperwork before the transfer takes place.
Taxes on a Private Firearm Sale
The IRS treats firearms like any other personal property. If you sell a gun for more than you paid for it, the profit is a capital gain that you report on Schedule D. If you sell it for less than you paid, as most used guns do, you cannot deduct the loss.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 544, Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets
If the buyer pays you through a platform like Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle, the platform may report the payment to the IRS on Form 1099-K once annual activity crosses the current threshold.8Internal Revenue Service. IRS Issues FAQs on Form 1099-K Threshold Under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Receiving a 1099-K doesn’t automatically mean you owe tax. It means the IRS knows about the payment and expects you to account for it on your return.