Guidance Documents

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has rescinded the exemptions for certain consumer-style grenades (e.g., flashbang grenades, smoke grenades) as they have been determined by ATF to pose a risk to public safety. The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance on the requirements for these explosive devices that ATF previously exempted as special explosive devices (SEDs) pursuant to the regulation at 27 CFR § 555.32.

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) authorizes an alternate method or procedure to the explosives recordkeeping requirements contained in Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 555, Subpart G. Specifically, ATF authorizes federal explosives licensees and permittees (FEL/Ps) to maintain their records electronically instead of in paper format, provided the conditions set forth in this ruling are met. This ruling supersedes ATF Ruling 2007-1.

The purpose of this Open Letter is to notify you of an important change to the procedure you may follow to comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act (Brady Act), codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(t), when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. Specifically, the North Carolina pistol purchase permit may no longer be used as an alternative to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check requirement.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) is issuing this open letter to assist Federal Firearms Licensees (“FFLs”) in understanding their obligations when they choose to provide firearm storage services to their customers and the public.

What’s In This Issue: New Chief, EIPB; Importation and Manufacture of Small Arms Ammunition and Components; Importation of Articles Pyrotechnic Marked as Display Fireworks; Indoor Storage in Residences/Dwellings; Open letter – Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Distance Requirements for Ammonium Nitrate Products; Black Powder Exemption Reminder; Less Lethal Munitions Marking Requirements; ATF Ruling 2011-3 Reminder; and more.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is issuing this public safety Advisory to the firearms industry and the public to provide information regarding its investigative priorities related to possible willful efforts to violate the requirements of the Gun Control Act (GCA) as implemented by the Final Rule titled Definition of ‘Frame or Receiver’ and Identification of Firearms (Final Rule 2021R-05F) (“Frame or Receiver Final Rule” or the “Final Rule”).

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is committed to helping Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) successfully comply with firearms laws and regulations. Changes to Vermont Law, 13 Vermont Statutes Annotated (V.S.A.) § 4019, effective July 1, 2022, have generated questions from Vermont FFLs. This letter alerts Vermont FFLs to the recent changes in Vermont law and provides guidance to ensure Vermont FFLs remain in compliance.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) provides this open letter to the Federal firearms licensee (FFL) community to advise on the restrictions and parameters of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), which generally prohibits the possession or transfer of machineguns imported or manufactured after May 19, 1986, with limited exceptions.

Many natural disasters occur with little or no warning. Whether or not advance notice is possible, the preservation of life is always paramount during any type of disaster. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) urges all persons to take steps to protect family and property by having a disaster preparedness plan in place before any disaster occurs.

ATF has received requests from Federal explosives licensees and permittees (FEL/Ps) and State
and local agencies conducting avalanche control/mitigation operations for variances to store
explosive materials with detonators attached in remote avalanche control systems (RACS).