2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 7 - Human Health Care and Safety › Chapter 25 - Firearms Control › Subchapter V - Sale and Transfer of Firearms, Destructive Devices, and Ammunition › § 7–2505.02. Permissible sales and transfers

§ 7–2505.02. Permissible sales and transfers.
(a) Any person or organization eligible to register a firearm may sell or otherwise transfer ammunition or any firearm, except those which are unregisterable under § 7-2502.02, to a licensed dealer.
(b) Any licensed dealer may sell or otherwise transfer:
(1) Ammunition, excluding one or more restricted pistol bullets, and any firearm or destructive device which is lawfully a part of such licensee’s inventory, to any nonresident person or business licensed under the acts of Congress and the jurisdiction where such person resides or conducts such business;
(2) Ammunition, including one or more restricted pistol bullets, and any firearm or destructive device which is lawfully a part of such licensee’s inventory to:
(A) Any other licensed dealer;
(B) Any law enforcement officer or agent of the District or the United States of America when such officer or agent is on duty, and acting within the scope of his duties when acquiring such firearm, ammunition, or destructive device, if the officer or agent has in his possession a statement from the head of his agency stating that the item is to be used in such officer’s or agent’s official duties.
(c) Any licensed dealer may sell or otherwise transfer a firearm except those which are unregisterable under § 7-2502.02, to any person or organization possessing a registration certificate for such firearm; provided, that if the Chief denies a registration certificate, he shall so advise the licensee who shall thereupon: (1) withhold delivery until such time as a registration certificate is issued, or, at the option of the purchaser; (2) declare the contract null and void, in which case consideration paid to the licensee shall be returned to the purchaser; provided further, that this subsection shall not apply to persons covered by subsection (b) of this section.
(d) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (e) of this section, no licensed dealer shall sell or otherwise transfer ammunition unless:
(1) The sale or transfer is made in person; and
(2) The purchaser exhibits, at the time of sale or other transfer, a valid registration certificate, or in the case of a nonresident, proof that the weapon is lawfully possessed in the jurisdiction where such person resides;
(3) The ammunition to be sold or transferred is of the same caliber or gauge as the firearm described in the registration certificate, or other proof in the case of nonresident; and
(4) The purchaser signs a receipt for the ammunition which (in addition to the other records required under this unit) shall be maintained by the licensed dealer for a period of 1 year from the date of sale.
(e) Any licensed dealer may sell ammunition to any person holding an ammunition collector’s certificate on September 24, 1976; provided, that the collector’s certificate shall be exhibited to the licensed dealer whenever the collector purchases ammunition for his collection; provided further, that the collector shall sign a receipt for the ammunition, which shall be treated in the same manner as that required under paragraph (4) of subsection (d) of this section.
(Sept. 24, 1976, D.C. Law 1-85, title V, § 502, 23 DCR 2464; Mar. 16, 1978, D.C. Law 2-62, § 2, 24 DCR 5780; Aug. 2, 1983, D.C. Law 5-19, § 3, 30 DCR 3328; Apr. 27, 2013, D.C. Law 19-295, § 2(b), 60 DCR 2623.)
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 6-2352.
1973 Ed., § 6-1852.
Section References
This section is referenced in § 7-2505.01.
Effect of Amendments
The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 19-295 substituted “one or more restricted pistol bullets” for “restricted pistol bullets” in (b)(1) and (b)(2).
Emergency Legislation
For temporary provisions prohibiting the transfer by the Metropolitan Police Department of ammunition feeding devices, see § 2 of the Prohibition on the Transfer of Firearms Emergency Act of 1995 (D.C. Act 11-58, May 18, 1995, 42 DCR 2574).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 day) provisions prohibiting the transfer by the Metropolitan Police Department of ammunition feeding devices, see § 2 of Prohibition on the Transfer of Firearms Temporary Act of 1995 (D.C. Law 11-35, September 8, 1995, law notification 42 DCR 5304).
Editor's Notes
Prohibition on transfer of ammunition feeding devices: For provisions prohibiting the transfer by the Metropolitan Police Department of ammunition feeding devices, see § 4-191.