For non Oregon residents I want to clarify in Oregon dealers don't utilize the free NICs service. We have Firearms Instant Check System (FICS)run by the Oregon State Police. We can access them through
OREGON FICS On-Line or by phone. The guys doing the actual checks are not cops but civilian employees working in a call center. An Oregon check is far more thorough than the free nationally run NICs check. It costs the Oregon dealer $10 for each FIC's back ground check. Before I was a dealer I got soaked as much as $75 for a transfer. Thanks Tidewater Shooting Supplies.
Form 4473 box 9 is for your Unique Personal Identification Number (UPIN) The instructions for every question are printed on the attached pages of every form.
If you forgot some info or made a mistake on the initial form you can call OSP to add your UPIN info to the existing 4473 verbally and that should speed things up. Otherwise any FBI entry activity is a cause for delay because OSP can not see the info directly and has to inquire. It can take 3 to 20 weeks to get it back. FBI security clearance files are closely guarded so it takes a bit of red tape to access them and it has to be sent by secure methods. Not electronically. Once they get the info they keep it handy for about a year before it is lost in their mandatory info purge. By law OSP can keep the info on file for no more than 5 years.
I have a few customers that have security clearances from military or energy department employment and they get delayed every time if it's been over a year since their last transfer. I even have police customers that get delayed regularly. It does help to use your social security number because if there is a bad guy in the country that has a similar name and DOB they need to make sure it's not them. If this happens frequently a UPIN will help. OSP is terribly slow returning calls on the challenge line so have patience if you leave a message there.
Once you get past this delay it helps to buy a gun at least once a year to keep your info on file.
On May 11th Governor Kate Brown signed into effect
SB 941. This means on August 11th 2015 SB 941 goes into effect requiring all Oregon private transfers to go through a dealer.
Information Regarding Purchase of A Firearm in Oregon Here is the phone numbers for FICs:
Dealer toll-free number: 800-432-5059
Dealer local Salem number: 541-843-3002
Challenge Line: 844-770-8648
Firearms Fax: 503-370-8584
Firearms Supervisor: 971-273-4163
Firearms Manager: 971-273-4496