Updated September 13, 2023
An Ohio gun bill of sale is a legal document that assists in providing evidence that a firearm has been legally sold and purchased in the State of Ohio. It contains specific information with regard to the buyer, the seller, the change of ownership, and the identification of any weapon being purchased or sold. This document will require a notary.
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Privately Selling a Firearm
Any person who can legally purchase and own a firearm in Ohio can also sell or transfer a firearm in a private transaction.
Prohibited from Buying
A person is ineligible to purchase or own a firearm in Ohio if:[1]
- The person is a fugitive from justice;
- The person is under indictment for or has been convicted of any felony offense of violence or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for the commission of an offense that, if committed by an adult, would have been a felony offense of violence;
- The person is under indictment for or has been convicted of any felony offense involving the illegal possession, use, sale, administration, distribution, or trafficking in any drug of abuse or has been adjudicated a delinquent child for the commission of an offense that, if committed by an adult, would have been a felony offense involving the illegal possession, use, sale, administration, distribution, or trafficking in any drug of abuse;
- The person has a drug dependency, is in danger of drug dependence, or has chronic alcoholism; or
- The person is under adjudication of mental incompetence, has been committed to a mental institution, has been found by a court to be a person with a mental illness subject to court order, or is an involuntary patient other than one who is a patient only for purposes of observation.
Registering a Firearm
Any formal state registry of privately owned firearms is prohibited in Ohio.[2]
Concealed Carry
An Ohio resident is required to have a License to Carry a Concealed Handgun in order to carry a concealed firearm in the state.[3]
How to Apply
An individual has to be at least twenty-one (21) years old to apply for a License to Carry a Concealed Handgun.
Step 1 – Complete a State of Ohio Application for License to Carry a Concealed Handgun.
Step 2 – Attach the following items:
- A color passport-style photo of the applicant taken no more than thirty (30) days prior to submitting the application;
- Proof of competency with a firearm;[4]
- A set of fingerprints;[5]
- Proof of Alien Registration Number (if not a U.S. citizen);
- Proof of employment in Ohio (if not a resident of Ohio).
Step 3 – Submit the application to the applicant’s local county sheriff department, or the sheriff department of a county adjacent to the applicant’s county of residence or employment.
Step 4 – Pay the application fee.[6]
Step 5 – Pass a federal criminal background check.
Step 6 – The sheriff will approve or deny the application within 45 days of receiving it.[7]
Reciprocity
Ohio recognizes the concealed carry licenses of any state that has one.[8]