ATF suspends federal registration and approval rules for certain firearms

After Congress reduced the NFA tax to zero, the ATF announced it would no longer require federal registration for silencers, short-barreled rifles, and shotguns.

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced Friday that gun owners no longer need to be federally registered or obtain prior approval to manufacture or transfer silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and "any other weapons" (AOWs).

The policy directive suspends the implementation of the National Firearms Act (NFA) for items subject to the zero tax rate under the updated guidelines.

In a letter to federal firearms license holders, ATF Director Robert Chekada noted that the move follows a federal court decision invalidating key NFA manufacturing and transfer provisions.

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Chekada said: "The order of the President, Congress and the courts is clear. "ATF is now complying with our enforcement status while ensuring we remain focused where we are needed most: fighting violent crime in American communities."

The regulatory change stems from the One Big Beautiful Bill, in which Congress reduced the NFA manufacturing and transfer tax to $0 for silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and AOW.

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Following a federal court order, ATF is suspending federal registration and prior approval requirements for silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and certain other weapons. The change applies nationwide, although background checks and other gun control law requirements remain in place. (ATF)

Following that law, a federal judge in Texas ruled in August that because Congress had eliminated the underlying tax, the NFA's mandatory registration and transfer provisions could no longer be justified under Congress's constitutional taxing power. The ruling initially applied only to plaintiffs, but the Justice Department subsequently expanded its non-enforcement policy nationwide.

John Comerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association (NRA), hailed the announcement as a historic milestone.

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"This is what happens when all three branches of government are willing to follow the Constitution," Comerford said in a statement. "Now the Trump administration has confirmed that it will stop treating law-abiding Americans as if they still need a special permit from the government to own hearing protection, rifles or shotguns."

Although certain NFA requirements and fees have been suspended, all transactions are still subject to the Gun Control Act. Authorized dealers are still required to conduct standard background checks and maintain transaction records. Machine guns and destructive devices are still subject to NFA requirements, while federal approval is still required to carry short-barreled rifles and shotguns across state lines.

The ATF noted that it will continue to accept voluntary registrations for owners who wish to document their items, although future legal changes could potentially reinstate previous regulations without automatic grandfathering protection.

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