Double Check Fees/Costs on Online Ammo Purchase

[Seeed]

I just want to be sure I understand this right. If you order ammo online a vendor might only charge you for the ammo and shipping costs. But when it's received, the FFL is obligated by law to collect the 11% excise tax and sales tax as well as likley a fee, which may be optional, at the time of pickup correct?

 

[PlinkyDinky]

Correct. If the vendor charges CA sales tax, the FFL won't, as long as you can prove it, but they'll tack on the 11%, charge a fee (usually a scale, like $25 for the 1st 1,000 rounds, then higher,) and don't forget the $5 background-check fee.

Even then, it's still usually cheaper to buy online! And if you plan on buying a lot of ammo, you'll get to skip the excise tax, FFL fee, and background check if you get an FFL03/COE, and ship straight to your door!

 

[BeAuMaN]

Even then, it's still usually cheaper to buy online! And if you plan on buying a lot of ammo, you'll get to skip the excise tax, FFL fee, and background check if you get an FFL03/COE, and ship straight to your door!

Technically speaking, you're still liable for the Use Tax if you do that and the out of state vendor doesn't charge Sales Tax. However, California has something known as the Estimate Use Tax Lookup Table for all personal purchases under $1000 (That is, each line item on a receipt less than $1000): https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/use-tax-table.htm

Your liability is covered under a single fee based on your income that you file with your taxes, so if you make $65k, then your single Use Tax fee that covers all of your personal purchases less than $1000 that you didn't pay taxes on is $6. Tax software like Turbotax often will ask about this.

 

[lactoast]

Technically speaking, you're still liable for the Use Tax if you do that and the out of state vendor doesn't charge Sales Tax. However, California has something known as the Estimate Use Tax Lookup Table for all personal purchases under $1000 (That is, each line item on a receipt less than $1000): https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/use-tax-table.htm

Your liability is covered under a single fee based on your income that you file with your taxes, so if you make $65k, then your single Use Tax fee that covers all of your personal purchases less than $1000 that you didn't pay taxes on is $6. Tax software like Turbotax often will ask about this.

A very handy table for those who just can’t quite remember if they paid sales tax on all their out of state purchases

 

[lopez1171]

I made the mistake of listening to an FFL dodge my actual question and thought they weren’t going to charge extra fees. I ended up having to pay transfer fees, sales tax and the excise tax.