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Home Credit Cards Can You Buy a Gun with a Credit Card?

Can You Buy a Gun with a Credit Card?

Gun being bought with a credit card

At a glance

You can use a credit card to purchase a gun, but not in every store. There are also a few drawbacks you should consider first.

Written by Victoria Scanlon and Robert Jellison

Nov 10, 2022

Fresh advice you can trust

We promise to always deliver the best financial advice that we can. Our writers and editors follow strict editorial standards and operate independently from our advertisers and affiliates. Learn more about how we make money.

Credit cards can be found in more than 75% of US households, and they’ve become central to American society. 1 These days, you can use a credit card to buy nearly anything—including a gun.

However, in response to the call for increased gun regulation, buying firearms with credit cards has become harder. Gun purchases made with credit cards can be tracked, and there are other downsides you need to be aware of before you swipe or tap your card to buy a gun.

Table of Contents

  1. Why you can’t always use a credit card to buy a gun
  2. What you need to know about buying a gun by credit card
  3. Should you buy a gun with a credit card?

Why you can’t always use a credit card to buy a gun

In order to accept credit card payments, retailers (gun stores) need to use a credit card processor. Many processors have service agreements that forbid transactions involving weapons (including guns, ammunition, and firearm accessories) because they’re considered “high-risk purchases.”

That’s not because they think guns themselves are too dangerous, but rather because transactions involving guns have a high risk of being disputed later (e.g., due to fraud) and because the laws that govern gun purchases vary by state and change frequently.

If you’ve tried to buy a gun by credit card and the transaction was declined, then the company or person selling you the gun isn’t the one to blame—instead, it’s the payment processor.

You won’t be allowed to buy a gun by credit card using any of the payment processors listed below:

Payment Processors That Prohibit or Restrict Gun Transactions

Payment Platform Gun Sale Policy
PayPal Prohibited
Apple Pay Prohibited
Amazon Pay Prohibited
Google Pay Prohibited
Venmo Prohibited
Zelle Prohibited
Coinbase Prohibited
Paystand Prohibited
Stripe Prohibited
Square Prohibited
Facebook/Meta Prohibited
Ayden Prohibited
Braintree Prohibited
Helcim Prohibited
Skrill Prohibited
Intuit Restrictions apply
WePay Restrictions apply

With that said, there are several payment processors that do allow credit card transactions related to the sale of firearms, including Maverick. 2

For obvious reasons, specialized firearm retailers and gun show merchants tend to use these processors. General-purpose merchants (such as Walmart) are less likely to use them, so it’s harder to buy a gun with a credit card at stores like that.

What you need to know about buying a gun by credit card

As long as your preferred retailer works with a payment processor that allows it, you can buy a gun with a credit card. However, there are several important caveats that you should know about before you go through with the purchase.

1. Credit card companies can now track gun purchases

In September 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) agreed to establish a new merchant category code for gun retailers, which allows banks and credit card companies to track the sale and purchase of firearms by credit card. 3

Merchant category codes are nothing new—they’re simple, four-digit numbers that allow financial institutions to categorize purchases. Previously, guns were classed under generic merchant codes for “miscellaneous retail stores” or “sporting goods stores.”

Now, banks and credit card companies have the option to assign a gun-specific code to companies that sell firearms. They can then use these records to track your gun purchases and even report your credit card activity to the authorities if it seems suspicious.

2. You may have to pay extra fees

Many merchants and retailers charge a small fee for credit card transactions to cover the credit card processing fee they’ll have to pay when you use your card.

This also isn’t unique to guns—stores may require you to pay a card transaction fee for any purchase you make with them. However, if the fee is a percentage of the transaction amount (e.g., 2–3%), you could end up having to pay a lot more for a higher-cost item like a firearm.

You can sometimes get a discount when you buy a gun with cash

Gun retailers are sometimes open to negotiating on price, particularly at smaller stores and gun shows. They’re more likely to be willing to do this if you’re paying in cash than with a credit card (or even a debit card).

3. Guns may be excluded from your credit card’s purchase protection

Many credit cards come with basic purchase protection or extended warranties for items you buy using your credit card. However, some card agreements exclude guns from these benefits (for instance, Wells Fargo’s cardholder agreements specifically exclude “firearms, weapons, and ammunition”). 4 5

This means if your gun turns out to be faulty or unsatisfactory, you won’t necessarily be able to file a credit card claim to get your money back if the retailer won’t accept your return request.

To find out if your card has restrictions like this, check your credit card terms and conditions or call your card issuer’s customer service line.

4. Gun laws and regulations still apply to online purchases

Using a credit card to buy a gun online isn’t a way to get around federal or state gun regulations. Online gun transactions are subject to the same regulations that apply to brick-and-mortar stores that sell firearms. 6

This means you’ll still need to fill out paperwork and undergo a background check to buy a gun from an online retailer who holds a federal firearm license (FFL). The same is true if you’re buying the gun from a private dealer who’s planning on shipping the gun to you from out of state.

Under federal law, a private gun dealer can’t ship a gun directly to you from another state. 7 They’ll need to first send it to a federal firearms licensee in your state. Then you’ll need to go through a background check and fill out relevant paperwork before you can receive it.

Should you buy a gun with a credit card?

Gun enthusiasts and collectors have conflicting opinions on whether it’s a good idea to buy a gun by credit card. Many people may say that paying for a gun in cash is better than paying by card since you’ll have more privacy and negotiating power (and can avoid those added fees).

However, buying a gun on credit can sometimes come with benefits as well. Depending on the type of credit card you have, you may even be able to get 0% APR financing for your gun (equivalent to an interest-free payment plan) or even earn credit card rewards on your purchase.

We’ve summarized the pros and cons of buying a gun on credit below.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Gun with a Credit Card

Pros:

  • You can pay off large gun purchases over time
  • Some cards offer 0% financing
  • You may be eligible for credit card rewards

Cons:

  • Usually comes with added fees
  • Credit card companies can track your purchase
  • May be excluded from your card’s refund policy
  • Not possible at many general-purpose retailers

Ultimately, it’s up to you. Whatever you choose to do, carefully weigh up the pros and cons. Make sure to check whether your card will even be accepted at your chosen store, and come up with a budget so you don’t get stuck with more credit card debt than you can handle.

Takeaway: Not all gun sellers can process credit card payments.

  • You may be able to charge a gun transaction to your credit card. However, it depends on what credit card processor the seller uses.
  • Many payment processing companies include restrictions in their service agreements that prohibit or limit the use of their services for gun transactions.
  • The ISO has developed a new merchant code that banks and credit card companies can use to track gun purchases and report suspicious transactions to the authorities.
  • When buying a gun by credit card, you may have to pay a credit card processing fee. The gun also may not be covered by your card’s purchase protection policy.
  • Online purchases must abide by the same gun laws and regulations as in-store purchases, and you may not be able to have a new gun shipped directly to your house.

Article Sources

  1. Federal Reserve. "Credit Card Profitability" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. Maverick. "Sign Up Page" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  3. Reuters. "Global standards body approves new merchant code for gun sellers" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  4. Wells Fargo. "Wells Fargo Visa Signature® Card Guide to Benefits" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. Wells Fargo. "Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card Guide to Benefits" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  6. U.S. Department of Justice. "Do I Need A License To Buy and Sell Firearms?" Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  7. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives . "Most Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers" Retrieved November 10, 2022.

Victoria Scanlon

Credit & Finance Editor

View Author

Victoria Scanlon is a professional writer, editor, and researcher for FinanceJar. She has experience editing research for publication in academic journals and writing educational content. Her goal is to help non-experts better understand topics related to personal finance and credit repair so that they can make more-informed financial decisions.

Robert Jellison

Managing Editor

View Author

Robert Jellison is a Managing Editor and writer specializing in the intersection of insurance, finance, and tech. In the past, he's written and edited work for several SaaS companies, and created work for various investing and trading websites.

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