High-Risk Merchant Accounts · By Zach Schleien · · · 11 min read
Firearms Merchant Account: Where Gun Stores and FFL Dealers Should Apply
Three specialist providers take firearms businesses. Here is which to apply to first, what it costs, what the mainstream processors allow, and what to get in writing.
Part of the series on High risk payment processing. Categories mainstream processors decline, and the accounts that approve them.
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Your gun store needs more than a checkout that accepts a test payment. It needs a payment provider that has reviewed and approved what you actually sell, at the counter and online.
The mainstream options are narrower than they look. PayPal and Shopify Payments prohibit firearms, Square's published terms prohibit them, and Stripe reviews them case by case. That is why most gun stores end up with a specialist merchant account.
Our approach is simple: confirm fit first, inspect the contract next, compare price last. This guide covers the three specialists we recommend, what each costs, and the questions that protect your cash flow.
Affiliate disclosure: Processor Verdict may earn a commission if you use a sponsored link in this article. Our recommendations reflect each provider's documented category support, not a promise of approval.
What is a firearms merchant account, and who needs one?
A firearms merchant account lets an approved business accept card payments for its disclosed activities. The key word is disclosed. The application should match the business that customers will see.
A retail gun store, an online seller, and a business that sells accessories may present different payment needs. Do not assume that approval for one activity covers every other activity you might add.
A gateway is not the same as an approved merchant account
A gateway connects your checkout to payment processing. It does not, by itself, establish that the bank behind your account accepts your products.
Likewise, a shopping cart integration is not proof of firearms approval. Ask which company provides the merchant account and which terms govern your sales.
Our guide to payment aggregators versus merchant accounts explains why account structure matters.
Payment approval does not replace legal compliance
A processor's acceptance does not authorize a firearm sale or transfer. Your business remains responsible for the laws and licensing rules that apply to its activities.
A federally licensed firearms dealer holds a Federal Firearms License, often called an FFL, issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The exact license and obligations depend on the business activity.
Use ATF's federal firearms license resources for licensing guidance. A payment sales representative should not be your source of legal advice.
Describe the whole business
When you apply, explain what you sell, where customers place orders, and how orders are fulfilled. Include any separate activities that will use the same payment account.
Our rule: if a product or sales channel could change the underwriting decision, disclose it before processing that sale.
Which payment processors accept firearms businesses?
Apply to Easy Pay Direct first, then Payline, and add Durango if your shop is established. All three take firearms businesses and review yours before you process a sale. Payline's list says properly licensed firearms businesses, and Durango's FFL dealer page sets volume and history minimums. A listing means the provider will consider your category. It does not mean your store will be approved.
| Easy Pay Direct | Payline | |
|---|---|---|
| Firearms on its industry list | Yes | Yes, for properly licensed businesses |
| Account type | Dedicated merchant account, underwritten before processing | Merchant account placed through several banks and processors |
| Countries | Lists US, Canadian and EU merchants | US and Canada only (Payline told us) |
| Counter and online | Gateway with 500+ integrations, according to Easy Pay Direct | Terminals and POS plus online payments in one account |
| Routing | Load balancing and failover across multiple merchant accounts | Not offered as routing; a second merchant account is possible for established businesses |
| Pricing | Gun-friendly page lists 2.69% + $0.36 online, $99 setup (waived if documents are in within 24 hours), typically $25 a month | High-risk pricing not published |
| Underwriting time | 1 to 4 business days on clean files, according to Easy Pay Direct | No fixed timeline |
| Payouts | Set in your agreement | Next day for most accounts, two days for some high-risk accounts (Payline told us) |
Which one first?
Start with Easy Pay Direct. It is the only one of the three that publishes firearms pricing, it names ammunition retailers, ranges, gunsmiths and NFA dealers, and it can route payments across more than one merchant account so one closure does not stop every sale. Apply to Payline as well if you run a licensed store with a counter in the US or Canada and want card terminals and your website on one account.
Where Durango fits
Durango Merchant Services says on its FFL dealer page that it can only place firearms merchants with more than $10K to $15K a month in volume and 6 months of processing history, and that they need good credit and financials. If that is you, it is a solid third quote. If you are newer or smaller, start with the other two.
Applying to both is reasonable. A decline from one bank does not mean the next will say no, and two written offers let you compare reserves, fees and payout terms.
Neither provider can promise approval. Payline says plainly that it cannot guarantee merchant account approval, and Easy Pay Direct prices and approves case by case.
Read our Easy Pay Direct review, Payline review and Durango review for the full picture.
Can a gun store use Stripe, PayPal, Square or Shopify Payments?
Mostly no, with one change worth knowing. Stripe moved firearms from prohibited to restricted in November 2025, so it now reviews firearms businesses case by case. PayPal and Shopify Payments still prohibit firearms, and Square's published terms do too.
| Processor | Firearms | What its own policy says |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Restricted (review required) | Lists rifles, shotguns, pistols and regulated parts such as suppressors as restricted. Illegal weapons are prohibited. Ammunition is not mentioned. |
| PayPal | Prohibited | Prohibits ammunition, firearms and certain firearm parts or accessories, with no approval route |
| Shopify Payments | Prohibited | Prohibits firearms, holsters, ammunition and weapons, but lets you add a third-party payment provider |
| Square | Prohibited in its published terms | Its annotated US terms prohibit selling firearms, parts and ammunition; check the current terms |
| Helcim | Partly prohibited, partly restricted | Prohibits wholesale firearms and ammunition; online, mail and phone firearm sales need approval |
Restricted is not the same as approved. Stripe told firearm businesses the change "will require a few extra paperwork steps with our risk team," as quoted by NSSF. Read our full answer to does Stripe allow firearms before you rely on it.
A specialist merchant account also gives you something the shared platforms do not: your own merchant ID, underwritten for firearms before your first sale.
How do you open a firearms merchant account?
Start with a clear picture of your business, then request the provider's application checklist. Do not buy hardware or rebuild your website before you know whether your model can be considered.
The items below are a preparation list, not a claim that every provider requires the same documents.
Prepare a business and product summary
- Business details: legal name, ownership, contact information, and operating address.
- Licensing: applicable firearms licenses and other documents requested during review.
- Product scope: the categories you sell and any products you plan to add.
- Sales channels: in-store, website, or other channels you want the account to support.
- Fulfillment: a clear explanation of delivery, collection, and applicable transfer arrangements.
Keep this summary consistent with your website, application, and customer policies. Gaps create questions that could have been answered upfront.
Prepare the financial picture
Have your processing statements ready if you already accept cards. For a new store, explain your expected sales pattern and the basis for those expectations.
Be ready to discuss normal order values, larger orders, refunds, disputes, and the time between taking payment and completing an order.
Disclose prior account closures or processing problems when asked. Do not try to solve an eligibility issue by describing firearms sales as a different business.
Make customer policies easy to find
Review your contact details, refund policy, cancellation terms, and order process. These should explain what a customer can expect before paying.
For online sales, ask the underwriter what website content and transaction flow it needs to inspect. The legal requirements for the underlying sale remain separate.
Get the approval scope in writing
Before launch, request written confirmation of the approved business activities and channels. Ask how to obtain consent before adding products or changing your model.
Do not treat a verbal statement that a provider is “gun-friendly” as a substitute for the actual agreement.
Our high-risk merchant account application guide covers broader preparation steps.
How much does a firearms merchant account cost?
Easy Pay Direct is the only one of the three that publishes firearms pricing. Easy Pay Direct's gun-friendly page lists an online card rate of 2.69% + $0.36 per transaction, a $99 setup fee waived if documents are submitted within 24 hours, and a monthly fee of typically $25 that varies by business type and volume. It also says custom pricing is available for higher-volume merchants. Durango prices by quote. Payline publishes interchange-plus markups for standard accounts, starting at interchange + 0.35% + $0.10 under $50K a month, but firearms sits in its high-risk program, and Payline told us high-risk rates depend on the business, the vertical and the account terms. Do not assume the standard schedule applies to a gun store.
The useful comparison is the written proposal for your business. Ask each provider to price the same sales pattern, and keep in-store and online volume separate.
| Cost or contract item | What to request | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Processing charges | The pricing model and every markup | Shows how your cost is calculated |
| Gateway and account fees | Monthly, PCI, gateway and per-transaction charges | Easy Pay Direct lists its setup and typical monthly fee; Payline and Durango do not |
| Disputes | Chargeback fees and any alert costs | Helps you budget for disputed sales |
| Reserves or holds | Whether any apply and how funds are released | Shows how much cash may be unavailable |
| Payouts | Your funding schedule in writing | Payline told us most accounts are funded next day; confirm yours |
| Equipment | Terminal or POS cost and term | Payline lists terminals from $10 a month for 24 months |
| Contract exit | Term, renewal and early termination fee | Shows what it costs to leave |
A fee is a cost. A reserve is cash you cannot use yet. Ask both providers to explain both in plain English.
For how interchange-plus works, see our Payline pricing explainer.
Will your card sales be coded as firearms purchases?
Since May 1, 2025, card acquirers in California, Colorado and New York must code firearms and ammunition retailers with merchant category code 5723. According to NSSF, 20 states ban requiring or using that code, including Florida, Texas, Ohio and Georgia. A federal bill, H.R. 1181, passed the House on July 14, 2026 and would bar networks from requiring a separate firearms code, but it is not law.
Ask your provider which code your account will carry and why. Our gun shop card processing guide covers the code and the state rules in more detail.
How can a gun store reduce payment disruptions and protect cash flow?
No routing feature replaces account approval, and no dedicated account makes contract review optional. Start by understanding what can interrupt settlement under your own agreement.
Ask how the provider communicates document requests, risk reviews, and changes to account terms. Get the support contact before you need it.
Understand what failover actually covers
Easy Pay Direct offers routing across multiple merchant accounts. Ask whether your proposed setup includes multiple approved accounts and how the routing works.
Technical failover is not permission to bypass a bank's restrictions. Each account must support the transactions routed to it.
Keep order records clear
Retain the records needed to explain an order, its payment, customer communications, and completion. Follow applicable privacy, recordkeeping, and firearms laws.
Ask which documents your provider accepts when handling a dispute. A clear refund policy helps set expectations, but it does not decide the outcome of a card dispute by itself.
Plan for changes before they happen
Tell the provider before making major changes to your product range or sales process. Ask how unusual volume, larger orders, or longer fulfillment periods should be reported.
For a migration, confirm the new account is approved and the checkout works before retiring the old setup. Also ask how refunds and disputes from earlier sales will be handled.
Build a cash plan around the contract
Use the written settlement schedule when planning inventory purchases and operating expenses. Ask what circumstances can change that schedule.
If settlement terms are unclear, resolve them before signing. A processor relationship should make cash planning easier to understand, not harder.
What should you ask a firearms payment provider before signing?
Our final test is whether the provider can explain its offer in writing without relying on broad claims about being gun friendly. Use these questions on your first call, then check that the answers match the agreement.
- Do you approve my exact products: firearms, ammunition, parts, accessories, classes and memberships?
- Which channels are approved: counter, website, phone orders?
- Which bank holds the merchant account, and who handles support?
- Which terminals, gateway and POS work with the approved account?
- What are all the fees, and is there a reserve or monthly minimum?
- When are deposits funded, and what can change that schedule?
- Which merchant category code will my account carry?
- How long is the contract, and what does it cost to leave?
Our verdict
Apply to Easy Pay Direct first. It publishes firearms pricing, names your business type, and says it underwrites clean files in 1 to 4 business days. Apply to Payline too if you run a licensed store in the US or Canada and want your counter and website on one account. If you are an established US shop with more than $10K to $15K a month in volume and 6 months of history, add Durango Merchant Services as a third quote.
Two or three written offers make the comparison easy, and a decline from one bank does not mean the next will say no.
Not sure which fits? Take our free matching quiz and we will point you to the right provider.
Verified November 2026. Sources: Easy Pay Direct gun-friendly merchant account page and industry list, checked November 9, 2026; Durango FFL dealer page, checked November 9, 2026; Payline high-risk industry list, checked November 7, 2026, and its written answers to our questions, November 8, 2026; Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Square and Helcim policy pages, checked November 9, 2026. Confirm current terms in your own agreement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which payment processors accept firearms businesses?
Easy Pay Direct, Payline and Durango Merchant Services all take firearms businesses. Easy Pay Direct names firearms dealers, FFL licensees, gun stores and ammunition retailers on its gun-friendly page. Payline lists properly licensed firearms businesses and serves the US and Canada. Durango places firearms merchants with more than $10K to $15K a month in volume and 6 months of history. Approval still depends on underwriting.
Does Stripe allow firearms sales?
Stripe lists firearms as restricted, not prohibited, since November 2025. That means it reviews the business before allowing it. Illegal weapons are prohibited, and Stripe's page does not mention ammunition.
Do I need an FFL to get a firearms merchant account?
If your business activity requires a Federal Firearms License, expect the provider to ask for it during underwriting. The license does not guarantee approval, and payment approval does not replace ATF or state requirements.
How much does a firearms merchant account cost?
Easy Pay Direct's gun-friendly page lists an online card rate of 2.69% + $0.36 per transaction, a $99 setup fee waived if documents are submitted within 24 hours, and a monthly fee of typically $25 that varies by business type and volume. Payline does not publish high-risk pricing and Durango prices by quote. Get every fee in writing before you sign.
Can one merchant account cover my store and my website?
It can, if the provider approves both channels. Payline offers counter terminals and online payments in one account. Ask any provider to list each approved channel in writing.
What is MCC 5723?
It is the merchant category code for firearms and ammunition retailers. California, Colorado and New York require acquirers to use it, while NSSF counts 20 states that ban requiring or using it. A federal bill to bar it passed the House in July 2026 but is not law.