As a gun seller, you know how important it is to contact the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) before the transfer of a firearm. Failing to comply carries serious consequences, and you want to ensure you’re always 100% above board. That said, NICS data entry can be tedious for gun store owners in point of contact (POC) states and slow down daily operations.
In this post, we’ll discuss the details of the POC process and how the FastBound Browser Extension can automate it to make NICS data entry far more efficient.
A Quick Overview
First, let’s discuss why this is such a critical part of selling firearms.
“On November 30, 1998, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act) was signed into law,” explains the Nevada State Police. Under the Act, FFLs must contact the NICS prior to the transfer of a firearm to an unlicensed individual in order to receive information on whether the individual is disqualified by federal or state law from possessing a firearm. FFLs will contact the NICS via either a POC established within their respective state or through the NICS Operation Center at the FBI depending upon whether the state is a POC for the NICS. The POC Firearms Program staff will proceed with the sale or delay it pending further investigation.”
As of mid-2021, there were 13 full POC states including:
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
And there were six partial POC states including:
- Maryland
- New Hampshire
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
Here’s what that looks like on a map.
So, if you’re selling firearms out of one of the POC states, full or partial, you’re required to contact the NICS through a POC. This ensures transactions are legal and firearms don’t wind up in the wrong hands.
A Time-Consuming Process
Although filling out a firearm transfer application is fairly straightforward, it can still be time-consuming. This is problematic for larger firearms dealers selling at volume, completing the process multiple times per day. Not only is it an administrative burden where you get bogged down in paperwork, it can potentially hurt the customer experience.
Say, for example, you’ve got a line of customers in your store that have questions and need to be served. However, you’re wrapped up with one customer filling out a firearm transfer application, trying to ensure you gather all the necessary information and put it through correctly to a POC. This can quickly create friction if customers are left waiting for an extended period of time. It can even harm your reputation if this happens consistently because enraged customers may feel inclined to leave negative comments about your business online.
That’s why you need an effective means of streamlining NICS data entry and contacting your state’s POC Firearms Program so that you’re fully compliant but without it disrupting normal operations. In the past, gun sellers had to do data entry the old-fashioned way with manual entry. But fortunately, there’s a new technology that can accelerate this process dramatically while still ensuring full compliance.
How the FastBound Browser Extension Can Help
The FastBound Browser Extension is an innovative solution for automating NICS data entry for all POC states — full and partial.
Rather than going through the painstaking process of manually entering information by hand, FastBound automatically fills out license numbers, expiration dates, addresses, and more, allowing you to quickly move through the process with ease. It will even suggest the current license number if you put in an expired one by accident. If there’s an issue, you’ll receive a compliance warning for prohibited users, incorrect entries, and more. This makes entering details into state portals far more simple, streamlined, and most importantly, compliant.
Laws and regulations are always changing. It can be a struggle for dealers to stay up-to-date. One of the main advantages of using the FastBound Browser Extension is that it’s continually updated with the most current laws and regulations in all 50 states. So besides being able to swiftly move through the NICS data entry process, you know you’re in full compliance regardless of what the latest regulatory changes may be. The end result is dramatically quicker data entry for gun sellers in POC states, which means you can save time on every sale and move on to the next one. If paperwork is getting in the way of running your business and providing great customer service, this tool can be a tremendous help.
Additional Benefits
Besides streamlining data entry, there are other advantages of using this tool.
First, FastBound makes searching for information much easier. Say, for example, you need to quickly find the record of a particular transaction. Rather than having to sift through piles of forms in cardboard boxes, there’s a Smart Search feature that allows you to search by specific criteria so you can find what you need in a hurry. And with Smart Lists, you can organize your data so that you see the information you use most frequently.
Next, FastBound is completely cloud-based, which is a highly effective way to store transaction records these days. That means you can access records 24/7 without being tethered to a single location. With automated backups, you don’t have to deal with the hassle of continually saving your records. Instead, everything you need is at your fingertips so you can focus wholeheartedly on running your business.
Finally, FastBound is the only company in the industry that’s backed by guaranteed legal defense. So if there’s ever a problem when using our product, you have peace of mind that we’ve got your back. Given that the ATF performed over 5,800 firearm compliance inspections in 2020 fiscal year, this is a great feature to have.
How to Install the FastBound Browser Extension
Getting set up is simple. You can find the FastBound Browser Extension in the Google Chrome store here.
Once you’re there, just click the “Add to Chrome” button.
Then, click the “Add Extension” button that pops up.
You’ll then see this message letting you know that the FastBound Browser Extension has been successfully added to Chrome.
That’s it! You’re all set and can start using this powerful tool to automate NICS data entry in your POC state. If you run into any trouble, you can find full installation details here, along with troubleshooting tips.
Streamlining Data Entry with the FastBound Browser Extension
Contacting NICS through a POC within your state prior to the transfer of a firearm is a mandatory part of the gun selling process. And it’s crucial for ensuring public safety. But as many dealers will agree, entering the details into state portals can be meticulous and time-consuming. Even worse, it can hinder your ability to run your business and serve other customers.
But with innovative tools like the FastBound Browser Extension, you can automate this process to dramatically streamline data entry so you can move on to the next sale. The end result is less frustration on your end and a better overall customer experience.
You can learn more about this tool along with the other range of features it offers here.
