Illinois law requires anyone who transfers a firearm or causes a firearm to be transferred to retain records of the transfer for a minimum of 10 years using standard forms developed by the Department of State Police¹ Under legislation enacted in 2021, any person who receives a firearm from an unlicensed seller must also provide a record of the transfer within 10 days to a federally licensed firearm dealer, who is in turn required to retain the transfer record in either electronic or paper format for 20 years.² These transfer records must contain specified information, including the date of the application for transfer (background check) and the date of transfer, and the description, serial number or other information identifying the firearm. If the transfer was completed within Illinois, the record must also include the transferee’s FOID Card number and any approval number or documentation provided by the Department of State Police pursuant to the background check process; if the transfer was not completed within Illinois the record shall contain the name and address of the transferee.³

Upon demand by a peace officer, the firearm transferor is required to produce for inspection their record of transfer, and upon demand by a peace officer, the transferee is required to identify the licensed firearm dealer maintaining their transfer record.⁴

Sellers of handguns (or other firearms small enough to be concealed upon the person) are also generally required to keep a register of all firearms they sell or transfer.⁵ The register must contain the date of the sale or gift, the name, address, age and occupation of the person to whom the gun was sold or given, the price of the gun, the kind, description and number of the weapon, and the purpose for which it was obtained.⁶ Such sellers are required to produce the register for inspection, upon the demand of a peace officer, and allow the officer to inspect the register and all stock on hand.⁷

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

Contact

1. 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. 65/3(b).[↩]
2. Id.[↩]
3. Id.[↩]
4. Id.[↩]
5. 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-4(a).[↩]
6. 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-4(b).[↩]
7. 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-4(c).[↩]