Frequently Asked Questions

Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit). A modern CPU (anything from 2015 or newer runs it fine), 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended), and 2 GB of disk space for the application and database. Internet access is required for cloud backup and the website module, but the core app — inventory, A&D, 4473, POS — works fully offline.

You receive a download link and license key after purchase. Extract the ZIP, double-click the installer, and you're at your login screen in minutes, with no command line and no technical setup. A printed Quick Start card and a built-in Getting Started checklist walk you through the rest, and most dealers are operational the same day. There's no weeks-long onboarding project. Prefer hands-on help? The $250 Remote Setup add-on (included with the Deluxe Package) adds a screen-share session where we configure your store, import your data, and verify everything before you go live.

Yes. The importer accepts CSV exports from most inventory systems. We ask that you export a sample file first so we can map the columns correctly — column names vary widely between systems. Bound book and 4473 history migration depends on what format your current system can export; email us a sample and we'll assess it, or we'll handle it live during your Remote Setup session if you've chosen that add-on or the Deluxe Package.

Yes. It supports both dealer-held and customer-custody (listing-only) consignments, with a public intake form, a manager review queue, website listing, and the ATF acquisition and disposition recordkeeping built in. The bound-book entry is keyed to physical possession, with guardrails: a possession checklist, the consignor's name and address, the true receipt date, and a hard block on NFA items. You still make the compliance calls; the software keeps the record straight.

No. FFL Command Center is a Windows-only application. It runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Mac users can run it inside a Windows virtual machine (Parallels, VMware Fusion), but we don't officially support that configuration.

The software runs on a single Windows PC and multiple employees can use it by logging in with their own credentials on that machine. For a small shop where staff share a register PC, this works well. It is not a multi-PC networked system — all data lives on one machine's local database.

No software is ATF-approved. The ATF does not endorse, certify, or approve any commercial software product. FFL Command Center is designed to help support organized recordkeeping and operational efficiency for licensed dealers — it captures all fields required under 27 CFR Part 478, but compliance determinations remain your responsibility as the licensee.

Electronic records are permitted under 27 CFR §478.125(e) provided they include all required fields and can produce a printout available for ATF inspection within 24 hours. FFL Command Center captures all required A&D fields and can print them in ATF-format layout. However, consult with your ATF Industry Operations Inspector about your specific electronic recordkeeping setup — requirements can vary. See our plain-English guide to the ATF rulings behind electronic recordkeeping for the specific rulings involved.

Yes. A firearm taken in for repair is customer property held in custody, not a transfer, so no Form 4473 or NICS check applies. FFL Command Center tracks each repair as a ticket from intake to return and records it in a separate Repair Bound Book (a widely recommended best practice) so repair firearms never mix with your sales A&D, stock, or profit-and-loss. Accepting a repair automatically writes the acquisition entry and releasing it back to the owner writes the disposition, both requiring a manager. It also handles firearms sent to another FFL for outside work and flags privately made firearms for serialization.

No. NICS background checks must be called in by the dealer or submitted through ATF's E-Check system (where available). FFL Command Center records the result you receive — Proceed, Delay, or Deny — and the NTN for your records. It does not automate or interface with the NICS system.

Your data is stored in a standard SQLite database file on your local PC. You can export any data to CSV at any time. Even the uninstaller protects your records: it never deletes your bound book, 4473s, or backups, and reminds you of the ATF retention requirements before you remove anything. We also include an out-of-business record package that generates the ATF-required format for record preservation per §478.127. You own your data — there is no lock-in and no cloud-only storage.

Yes, through an optional Cerakote module (a paid add-on, see Pricing) that ships off by default, so you turn it on only if you offer coating. It tracks each coating job as a send-out and return that stays out of your repair bound book, gives customers an online color-and-pattern configurator that drops their choices into your quote queue, and can show finished work on a public portfolio page on your website. Dealers who don't do coating never see it.

Yes. Text alerts are an optional feature that stays off until you switch it on. You connect your own Twilio account, then FFL Command Center can text customers when a transfer arrives, when a repair is ready, or when a firearm they wanted comes back in stock, plus automatic layaway payment reminders. Every number is opt-in and a reply of STOP unsubscribes automatically, which keeps you on the right side of TCPA rules. Automatic post-sale email follow-ups work the same way: off until you enable them.

Yes. Customers earn points on paid sales that redeem as store credit at the register, and you can run an FFL-transfer punch card that gives a free transfer at a threshold you set. Each customer also carries a simple standing badge (New, Repeat, or VIP) based on purchase history, using counts only and never any bound-book detail. On your website, shoppers can sign up to be notified when a matching firearm comes back in stock, which feeds your want list.

The license includes: permanent use of the software with all core modules, installation on one PC, and critical security updates for as long as you use the software. The optional Remote Setup add-on ($250, included with the Deluxe Package) covers guided installation, store configuration, and data migration (CSV import) via TeamViewer screen share. New feature releases are covered by the optional Annual Updates add-on ($250/yr).

Reinstalls and PC transfers are handled at no charge. Contact us, we'll send you the current installer and help you transfer your database file to the new machine. We don't charge per-seat fees for the same dealer moving to new hardware.

We offer a live demo instead of a self-serve trial — it's a 30-minute screen-share walkthrough of the full software with your questions answered in real time. This works better for most dealers than a trial version because you see the exact workflows you'll use, not a stripped-down demo environment. And the Lifetime and Deluxe licenses carry a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the first month is effectively risk-free. Request a demo above.

No. We don't offer financing or a payment plan. There are two separate ways to buy: a one-time lifetime license ($1,700) that you own permanently, or a monthly plan ($175/month) with no long-term commitment that you can cancel anytime. The monthly plan is a subscription for ongoing access, so the payments don't build toward ownership or turn into the lifetime license. If you cancel, your access ends. Many dealers start on the monthly plan and later buy the lifetime license outright when they're ready.

Yes. The Lifetime and Deluxe licenses carry a 30-day money-back guarantee: if the software isn't the right fit within 30 days of your license being issued, email or call us and we refund the license price. You uninstall, we deactivate the key, and your records stay on your machine — they were always yours. Two exclusions: setup fees are not refundable (that work has already been delivered), and Deluxe refunds deduct $500 for the custom website domain — which is registered in your name and stays yours to keep. On the Monthly Plan, your first invoice is refunded if you cancel within 7 days.

Email and phone support during business hours (Eastern time). Screen-share support is now built right into the software, so you can start a secure live screen-share session with us straight from the app, with no separate program to download. We see exactly what you see and walk you through it in real time. Most questions are answered same-day, and we don't use a ticket queue with 3-day response times, so you're dealing directly with the people who built and run the software.

Call or email and we address it as a priority. If there's a software bug affecting your ability to process sales, we treat it as urgent. The application runs locally, so there's no cloud outage scenario — most issues are configuration or user error and are resolved within the hour.

Yes. The installer sets up NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) as a Windows service watchdog. If the application process crashes, it restarts automatically within seconds — no manual intervention needed. This is included in the standard installation.