For licensed firearms dealers · FFL / SOT
Firearm payment processing that won't shut you down.
Get a firearm-approved merchant account through Elavon, with the Authorize.Net gateway for your online store. Works with Shopify, WooCommerce and BigCommerce. Most dealers are approved in 1-5 business days.
- Underwritten as a firearms business from the start
- Keep your Shopify store and swap the processor
- No termination fees, no annual fees
- Online, in-store and at gun shows
- In business
- 20+ yrs
- Authorize.Net accounts
- 60,000+
- Processed monthly
- $160M+
- Registered ISO/MSP
- Elavon
Get your firearm approval quote
Takes about 60 seconds. A specialist calls you within 1 business day.
You're on the list.
A firearms processing specialist will call you within 1 business day, usually much sooner.
Speed things up: have these ready
- Your FFL (and state license, if your state requires one)
- Driver's license and a voided business check
- Last 3 months of bank or processing statements
Can't wait? Call 888-573-7587 (M-F, 9-5 MST).
Sound familiar?
"Your account was closed for a policy violation."
No warning, no appeal, and sometimes your customers are told to file chargebacks. Square, Stripe, PayPal, Clover and others prohibit firearm sales.
"Your payouts are frozen for 90+ days."
Your money is held while payroll, rent and inventory orders don't wait. A shutdown doesn't just stop sales. It stops cash flow.
"Shopify Payments said no."
Firearms, ammunition, even holsters are on Shopify Payments' prohibited list. That doesn't mean you have to leave Shopify.
Your business isn't the problem. You're on a processor that never wanted firearms in the first place. We underwrite you as a firearms business up front, so there's nothing to "discover" later.
For Shopify stores
Keep your Shopify store. Swap the processor.
Shopify lets you bring your own payment provider. Authorize.Net is one of them. Pair it with a firearm-approved START merchant account and your checkout keeps working.
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1
Get approved
Firearm-approved merchant account, most in 1-5 business days.
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2
We build your gateway
Your Authorize.Net account is set up, usually within 24 business hours.
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3
Connect it in Shopify
Settings → Payments → Authorize.Net. We'll walk you through it on the phone.
Straight talk on costs
Shopify charges an extra 0.2-2% on orders paid through a third-party processor, depending on your plan. We'll include it in your quote so you see the full cost before you decide. Your store also still needs to follow Shopify's own product rules.
Not on Shopify? Authorize.Net also connects to WooCommerce, BigCommerce and 1,000+ other carts and billing systems.
Check if your store qualifiesProcessing that treats you like the licensed business you are.
One partner for your merchant account and your gateway, with no juggling vendors and no fine print.
Approved for firearms from day one
You're underwritten as a firearms business up front, not flagged by an algorithm six months in.
Fast approval
Most accounts approved in 1-5 business days, with the Authorize.Net gateway live within 24 business hours.
Clear, fair pricing
Interchange-plus pricing you can actually read. No termination fees, no annual fees, no address-verification fees.
Sell everywhere you sell
Online checkout, a virtual terminal for phone orders, and card readers for the counter and gun shows.
State rules handled
California, Colorado and New York require a firearms merchant code; many other states ban it. We set your account up correctly for your state.
A real person who knows your industry
A Salt Lake City team you can call, not a ticket queue. We've been doing this for 20+ years.
Who we work with
Licensed, compliant firearms businesses of every size, from a new home-based FFL to a multi-location retailer.
- FFL dealers (01)
- Pawnbrokers (02)
- Manufacturers (07)
- Online gun stores
- Ammunition & reloading
- Parts & accessories
- Optics
- Holsters & carry gear
- Ranges & training
- Gunsmiths
- Gun show vendors
- Tactical gear
Selling suppressors or other NFA items? Mention it on the form and we'll confirm fit before you apply.
From form to first sale
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Step 1 · 60 seconds
Request your quote
Tell us about your business on the short form above.
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Step 2 · Within 1 business day
Talk to a specialist
We review your setup, pricing and documents together.
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Step 3 · Most in 1-5 business days
Get approved
Digital application. No printing or faxing.
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Step 4 · Within 24 business hours
Start taking payments
Gateway live and connected to your store, terminal or both.
What you'll need
- ✓ Current FFL (01, 02, 07 or SOT)
- ✓ State dealer license, if required
- ✓ Driver's license and EIN
- ✓ Voided business check
- ✓ 3 months of bank statements
- ✓ Processing statements, if you have them
"We needed a provider that had our best interests in hand without simply filling their own back pockets. START did a consultation with us to see how to best accept payments in our industry, educating us along the way. I would recommend them in a heartbeat."
Steve
EurosportsAutomotive.com
Questions dealers ask us
Will my account get shut down like it did with Square or Stripe?
Those platforms prohibit firearms in their terms, so dealers get closed when it's "discovered." We underwrite you as a firearms business from the start, with banking partners who approve licensed dealers. As long as you operate within the terms you were approved for, your business type isn't a surprise to anyone.
Didn't Authorize.Net drop a gun store a few years ago?
In 2018, yes. They later changed course. Authorize.Net now works with firearms merchants whose underlying merchant account is approved for firearms. That's exactly the account we set up for you.
Can I really keep my Shopify store?
Shopify Payments won't accept firearms, but Shopify supports Authorize.Net as a third-party payment provider. Shopify adds a 0.2-2% fee for third-party processing depending on your plan, and your store must follow Shopify's product rules. We'll go over both on your call. Note that Authorize.Net on Shopify doesn't include recurring billing, so subscriptions need a separate app.
Will you hold a reserve on my account?
It depends on your processing history, volume and sales mix. If a reserve applies, we'll tell you before you sign, not after your first payout.
I'm a new FFL with no processing history. Can I apply?
Yes. New businesses are a big part of what we do. We'll use your FFL, business documents and bank statements in place of processing history.
I'm in California, Colorado or New York. Does that change anything?
Those states require firearms merchants to be assigned a specific firearms merchant category code. Many other states prohibit it. We set your account up to match your state's law.
What are your rates?
We use interchange-plus pricing: the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed markup, itemized on your statement. Your exact rate depends on your mix of online and in-store sales, so we quote it after a short call. No termination fees and no annual fees.
Get back to selling. Get approved this week.
Free quote, no obligation, and a real person on the phone within 1 business day.
Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM MST