On Monday, October 20, the U.S. Department of Justice began recalling ATF staff who were furloughed during the ongoing government shutdown. Following pressure from firearm?industry groups and members of Congress, the National Firearms Act (NFA) division’s examiners were deemed “essential” and ordered back to work. Federal employees responsible for reviewing NFA forms and licensing applications have resumed operations, even though many other federal offices remain closed.

NFA Services Back Online

NFA examiners process applications for regulated items such as suppressors, short?barreled rifles and pre?1986 machine guns. Their return means:

• All NFA forms are being processed again: Forms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are back in the queue, and approvals are moving forward. Dealers can resume transfers of silencers and other NFA?regulated items, and customers should expect wait times to shrink to normal levels.
• Minimal backlog expected: The ATF estimates it can clear the brief backlog within about a week.

FFL Licensing Services Back Online

• ATF FFLC division restored: The Firearms Licensing Center has called staff back, so applications for new Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs) and Special Occupational Tax (SOT) registrations are being processed again.

What Else Hasn’t Stopped

Although administrative functions paused when the shutdown began, several core services never shut down. Background checks through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) continued, allowing transfers of non?NFA firearms to proceed. Day?to?day sales using ATF Form 4473 were also unaffected under the GCA (Gun Control Act). With NFA services now considered essential, gun shops can process everything from suppressor orders to new FFL applications without interruption.

Keep Your Shop Compliant

The resumption of NFA and licensing services is welcome news, but compliance remains critical. Maintain accurate records for your Form 4473s by using electronic systems like 4473 Cloud to avoid errors that could cost you your license.