Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Maintaining Records of Gun Sales in Alabama.’ Gun Sales. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 25 April

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[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]

Retention of Sales and Background Check Records in Alabama

Alabama law requires all handgun dealers to create a record in triplicate for every handgun sold. The record must include the date of sale, serial number or other identification marks, manufacturer's name, caliber and type of firearm, the name, address, "color", occupation, and place of birth of the purchaser, the signature of both the seller and the purchaser, and a statement signed by the purchaser that he or she has never been convicted in this state or elsewhere of a crime of violence.

The dealer must send one copy within six hours by registered or certified mail to the local chief of police of the municipality or the sheriff of the county; the dealer must within seven days send the duplicate to the Secretary of State and retain the triplicate for six years. The dealer must maintain certain elements of the record, including the name and address of the purchaser and the date of sale, serial number or other identification marks, manufacturer's name, caliber and type of the firearm, permanently.

The record must always be open for inspection by any peace officer of the State of Alabama or any municipality thereof. The failure to keep such record subjects the person to having his or her handgun dealer license revoked…

Last accessed at:
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/maintaining-records-of-gun-sales-in-alabama/