The firearms section of the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit is responsible for overseeing and regulating all retail firearm transactions and all private handgun transfers taking place within the State of Connecticut.

According to Connecticut law, a person, firm nor corporation can sell, deliver or otherwise transfer a pistol or revolver to another, only upon the submission of a written application on a form prescribed and furnished by the Commissioner of Public Safety by the intented purchaser.[i]  The person, firm or corporation should also ensure that all questions on the application are answered properly prior to releasing the pistol or revolver.  The application should be retained and it should be attached to the federal sale or transfer document, for at least twenty years or until such vendor goes out of business.

The seller has under law, the duty to make available this application for inspection during normal business hours by law enforcement officials.  Sale of the pistol or revolver shall be made only if the person making the purchase is personally known to the person selling such pistol or revolver.  In case he/she is not known personally to the seller then the sale can be conducted only if the buyer provides evidence of his identity in the form of a motor vehicle operator’s license, identity card issued pursuant to section 1-1h or valid passport.[ii]

Before carrying out a sale of any pistol or revolver the person, firm or corporation making such transfer should obtains an authorization number from the Commissioner of Public Safety.  The Commissioner will conduct the national instant criminal background check and make a reasonable effort to determine whether there is any reason that would prohibit such applicant from possessing a pistol or revolver. If the commissioner determines the existence of such a reason, the commissioner shall deny the sale and no pistol or revolver shall be sold, delivered or otherwise transferred by such person, firm or corporation to such applicant.[iii]
At the time of sale of a pistol or revolver, the person making the purchase should sign a receipt for such pistol or revolver.[iv]  This receipt should contain the name and address of the purchaser, the date of sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer’s number and a general description of such pistol or revolver, the identification number of such person’s permit to carry pistols or revolvers, permit to sell at retail pistols or revolvers, or eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver, if any, and the authorization number designated for the transfer by the Department of Public Safety.[v]

The person, firm or corporation selling such pistol or revolver or making delivery or transfer should give one copy of the receipt to the person making the purchase of such pistol or revolver.  The seller should also retain one copy of the receipt for at least five years, and send another copy of the receipt within forty-eight hours to the Commissioner of Public Safety and one copy of the receipt to the chief of police or, where there is no chief of police, the warden of the borough or the first selectman of the town, as the case may be, of the town in which the transferee resides.

[i] Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-33 (c)

[ii] Id.

[iii] Id.

[iv] Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-33 (e)

[v] Id.