You can buy ammo online in NY, but the shipment cannot come to your door. Every online ammunition order has to be sent to a licensed firearms dealer or a registered ammunition seller inside New York, where you pick it up in person after an identity check and a background check run through the State Police. The online part of the sale is really just the order and payment; the transfer itself happens at the counter.
How the Ship-to-Dealer Process Works
There are three steps. You place the order with an online vendor and give them the name and address of a New York licensed firearms dealer (FFL) or registered ammunition seller who has agreed to receive it. The vendor ships to that dealer. You then go to the dealer in person to complete the transfer, which includes a background check through the New York State Police statewide license and record database.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Law PEN 400.03 – Sellers of Ammunition
Not every online vendor will ship to New York. Some decline because of the state’s rules, so confirm before you check out. Call the dealer first too. Ask whether they accept third-party ammunition transfers and what they charge for the service.
Who Can Legally Pick It Up
Federal law sets the age floors at licensed dealers: 21 for handgun ammunition, 18 for rifle or shotgun ammunition.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
New York adds a permit requirement for handgun rounds. A dealer cannot sell ammunition designed exclusively for a pistol or revolver to anyone not authorized to possess a handgun, which in practice means you need a valid New York pistol permit to buy handgun ammunition.3New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 270.00
Federal law also bars several categories of people from possessing any ammunition at all: anyone convicted of a felony, anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, anyone involuntarily committed to a mental institution, anyone dishonorably discharged, unlawful users of controlled substances, and others.4ATF. Identify Prohibited Persons These apply whether you walk into a store or order online.
Ammunition and Magazines You Cannot Order
Two categories of ammunition are off-limits. Armor-piercing handgun rounds, defined by projectiles made entirely from metals like tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or uranium, are illegal to possess with intent to use unlawfully against another person. Bullets containing an explosive substance designed to detonate on impact are flatly illegal to possess.5New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 265.00 – Definitions Standard hollow-point, full metal jacket, and soft-point rounds are fine.
Magazines that hold more than ten rounds are illegal in New York, with narrow exceptions for certain .22 caliber tubular devices and registered curios or relics manufactured at least fifty years ago.5New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 265.00 – Definitions Possession of a large-capacity magazine is a class D felony as criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree.6New York State Senate. New York Penal Law 265.02 – Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree
You may see references to a seven-round loading limit. That SAFE Act provision was struck down by a federal court and is not enforced. Ten rounds in a ten-round magazine is legal.
The Pickup and Background Check
Bring a valid state-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license. Out-of-state buyers can use a photo ID from their home state or country.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Law PEN 400.03 – Sellers of Ammunition
The dealer contacts the New York State Police database, submitting your identifying information along with the ammunition details. If the system clears you, it assigns a unique identification number to the transaction and the dealer hands over the ammunition.1New York State Senate. New York Penal Law PEN 400.03 – Sellers of Ammunition
The dealer keeps a record of every ammunition transaction, including your name, age, occupation, and address along with the caliber, quantity, manufacturer, and any serial or lot numbers. Those records are available to law enforcement but are not public.7New York State Police. Frequently Asked Questions for Firearm Dealers Regarding Recent Changes to New York Firearm Laws
Fees on Top of the Ammunition Price
Expect two extra charges. The state imposes a background check fee of a few dollars per transaction. The dealer typically charges a separate transfer fee for handling a third-party shipment, commonly around $25 or more depending on the shop. Ask about both before you order so the total doesn’t surprise you.
If the Background Check Denies You
A denial means the dealer cannot release the ammunition, and it usually goes back to the online vendor. The State Police will provide a reason. You can appeal through the Office of the New York State Attorney General by emailing Background.Check@ag.ny.gov.8Office of the New York State Attorney General. Appeal a Gun or Ammunition Background Check If the denial came from an error, such as a mistaken criminal history match, the appeal is how you get it corrected.
Extra Rules if You’re Picking Up in NYC
New York City goes further than state law. For rifle or shotgun ammunition inside the five boroughs, you need a valid NYC rifle and shotgun permit plus a certificate of registration for the specific firearm, and the dealer can only sell you ammunition matching the caliber on that registration.9American Legal Publishing. NYC Administrative Code 10-306 – Disposition, Purchase and Possession of Ammunition and Ammunition Feeding Devices
The city also caps rifle and shotgun magazine capacity at five rounds, tighter than the ten-round statewide limit.9American Legal Publishing. NYC Administrative Code 10-306 – Disposition, Purchase and Possession of Ammunition and Ammunition Feeding Devices If you’re routing an online order to a dealer in NYC, confirm you meet the city’s permitting requirements first.
A Note on Transporting Ammunition Through New York
If you bought ammunition legally elsewhere and are only passing through, the federal Firearm Owners Protection Act allows transport as long as possession is legal at both your origin and destination. The ammunition cannot be readily accessible from the passenger compartment; in a vehicle without a trunk, it has to be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or center console.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms
This safe-passage protection covers passing through only. Stop in New York for anything beyond a brief, travel-related break and you lose that federal shield and become subject to full state law.