skip to content
Primary navigation

Donation of Federal Firearms

Eligible law enforcement agencies may receive surplus federal firearms through the Federal Surplus Property Program (FSP) in conjunction with the United States General Services Administration (GSA).

Donation Transfer Guidelines

The following operational guidance applies to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the MN State Agency for Surplus Property for the transfer of firearms under the Federal Donation Program.

  • Generations: Only handguns, rifles, shotguns, individual light automatic firearms all less than .50 caliber in FSC 1005, and rifle and shoulder-fired grenade launchers in FSC 1010, assigned a disposal code of 4 or better that can be used by the Donee upon receipt without repair may be transferred for donation purposes. The firearm(s) must be surplus to Federal use and may not be seized or forfeited firearm(s).
  • Property Restriction: The period of restriction on all donated firearm(s) begins the day a Donee takes possession of the firearm(s) and is in perpetuity.
  • Eligibility Requirements: Only law enforcement entities whose primary function is the enforcement of applicable federal, state, and/or local laws may receive donated surplus firearm(s), and the firearm(s) may only be issued to those compensated law enforcement officers having powers to apprehend and to arrest.
  • Documentation Requirements: The requesting State Agency for Surplus Property (SASP) shall prepare a list of firearm(s) desired by eligible Donees, in the attached format, and obtain letters of intent from the eligible Donees which identify the Donee, the number of compensated officers with the power to apprehend and to arrest, and that the Donee's intent is to use the firearm(s) solely for authorized law enforcement activities. If the requesting Donee has received donated firearm(s) through any other Federal program, the letter of intent must include the number and types of firearm(s) received during the previous 12 months from such program(s). The SASP must forward the list of desired firearm(s) and letters of intent to:

    • General Services Administration (7FB-8)
      Property Management Division - Donation Section
      Bldg. 41, Room 253, Denver Federal Center
      Denver, CO 80225

  • Transfer Processing: Upon review of the requirements and determination of allocation, the GSA regional office (7FB-8) will notify the applicable SASP of the allocation(s).

The SASP shall prepare a separate "Transfer Order Surplus Personal Property" (SF-123) for each eligible Donee for which donation of firearm(s) is/are approved. The SF-123(s) with property executed "Firearm(s) Conditional Transfer Document(s)" attached will be forwarded to the above GSA address for processing.

Upon receipt of an approved SF-123 the GSA regional office, the SASP will notify the Donee and will ask the Donee whether it prefers shipment of the firearm(s) or direct pickup of the firearm(s) from the holding Federal agency. The Donee is responsible for all shipment and pickup costs.

At no time is the SASP authorized to take possession of or store any firearm(s) transferred under the Federal Donation Program.

Disposal of Firearms

The terms and conditions of the firearm(s) conditional transfer document specify the disposal actions required when the firearm(s) are no longer required by the Donee. The authorized methods of disposal are as follows:

  • If the firearm(s) is/are no longer required, the Donee shall contact the SASP and make the firearm(s) available for transfer to another donee within the state with prior written approval of the local GSA regional office.
  • If the firearm(s) is/are no longer required within the state, the SASP will make the firearm(s) available for transfer to another SASP in accordance with FPMR 101-44.205(f), with the prior written approval of GSA (7FP-8).
  • If the firearm(s) is/are no longer required, destruction of the firearm(s) must be such that each complete firearm is rendered completely inoperable and incapable of being made operable for any purpose except recovery of basic material content.

Authorized methods of destruction are: (1) melting of the firearm(s); (2) cutting the firearm(s) in accordance with Department of Defense (DOD) DEMIL guidelines, or (3) shredding of the firearm(s).

  • The donee and SASP representative must both state in writing that the firearm(s) was/were so destroyed. The signed statement(s) must include the date and location of destruction, and the SASP must maintain the original signed statement(s) for a period of five (5) years.

Firearm Donation Forms

back to top