District of Columbia Code Division IV. Criminal Law and Procedure and Prisoners. § 22-4510. Licenses of weapons dealers; records; by whom granted; conditions.

(1) The business shall be carried on only in the building designated in the license.

(2) The license or a copy thereof, certified by the issuing authority, shall be displayed on the premises where it can be easily read.

(3) No pistol shall be sold: (A) if the seller has reasonable cause to believe that the purchaser is not of sound mind or is forbidden by § 22-4503 to possess a pistol [now “firearm”] or is under the age of 21 years; and (B) unless the purchaser is personally known to the seller or shall present clear evidence of his or her identity. No machine gun, sawed-off shotgun, or blackjack shall be sold to any person other than the persons designated in § 22-4514 as entitled to possess the same, and then only after permission to make such sale has been obtained from the Chief of Police of the District of Columbia.

(4) A true record shall be made in a book kept for the purpose, the form of which may be prescribed by the Mayor, of all pistols, machine guns, and sawed-off shotguns in the possession of the licensee, which said record shall contain the date of purchase, the caliber, make, model, and manufacturer's number of the weapon, to which shall be added, when sold, the date of sale.

(5) A true record in duplicate shall be made of every pistol, machine gun, sawed-off shotgun, and blackjack sold, said record to be made in a book kept for the purpose, the form of which may be prescribed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia and shall be personally signed by the purchaser and by the person effecting the sale, each in the presence of the other and shall contain the date of sale, the name, address, occupation, color, and place of birth of the purchaser, and, so far as applicable, the caliber, make, model, and manufacturer's number of the weapon, and a statement by the purchaser that the purchaser is not forbidden by § 22-4503 to possess a pistol [now “firearm”]. One copy of said record shall, within 7 days, be forwarded by mail to the Chief of Police of the District of Columbia and the other copy retained by the seller for 6 years.

(6) No pistol or imitation thereof or placard advertising the sale thereof shall be displayed in any part of said premises where it can readily be seen from the outside. No license to sell at retail shall be granted to anyone except as provided in this section.