Guidance Documents

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.

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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 is issuing this open letter to assist the firearms industry and the public in understanding whether a “partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional” frame of a Polymer80, Lone Wolf, or similar semiautomatic, striker-fired pistol (sometimes generally referred to as “Glock-type” pistols) has reached a stage of manufacture...

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) authorizes an alternate method or procedure from the provisions of Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 478.121, 478.124, 478.129, and 27 CFR 479.131 that require Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to retain the ATF Firearms Transaction Record, Form 4473 (5300.9) (Form 4473), in a paper format.

ATF is issuing this open letter to further assist the firearms industry and the public in understanding whether a “partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional” receiver of an AR-15/M-16 variant weapon has reached a stage of manufacture such that it “may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted” to a functional receiver...

This notice applies to activities permitted at qualifying gun shows, as defined in Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 478.100. Federal firearms licensees (“FFLs” or “Dealers”) may only sell firearms at gun shows within the State in which their licensed premises is located. Furthermore, Federal, State, and local laws/ordinances.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently examined devices commonly known as “forced reset triggers” (FRTs) and has determined that some of them are “firearms” and “machineguns” as defined in the National Firearms Act (NFA), and “machineguns” as defined in the Gun Control Act (GCA).