Apply for Relief from Federal Explosives Disabilities

A person who is prohibited from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing any explosive under 18 U.S.C. 842(i) may apply for relief from federal explosives disabilities in accordance with 18 U.S.C. 845(b). This process can take 120 or more days to complete.

To apply for relief from an explosives disability, you must:

  1. Complete ATF Form 5400.29, Application for Restoration of Explosives Privileges.
  2. If you are an individual applicant for any category of relief (as opposed to a corporation), provide a written statement specifically recommending the granting of relief from your explosives disability from each of three references who are not related to you by blood or marriage and who have known you for at least three years.
  3. Provide the required additional information for your response to questions in section 16 of the application. Refer to the Additional Information section in the application to determine what you must provide. Failure to supply complete information will delay processing of your application.
  4. Provide two completed FD-258 Fingerprint Identification Cards. You may obtain the FD-258 Fingerprint Identification Cards at a police or sheriff’s office or from the ATF Distribution Center.

How to submit

Submit the application, three reference letters (if you are an individual applicant as opposed to a corporation), the required additional information specified in the application and two completed FD-258 Fingerprint Identification Cards to ATF’s Explosives Relief of Disabilities (EROD) Program.

You may email the documents to EROD@ATF.GOV or mail to:

NCETR - Relief of Disabilities Program
Corporal Road, Bldg. 3750
Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL 35898

Please ensure that your application is completed correctly and that all the required additional information is included with your application. Submitting all of the required information correctly will assist ATF in processing your application and avoid unnecessary delays.

Contact us

Questions on the status of your application or general questions relating to the relief from disabilities may be directed to the EROD Program by email at EROD@ATF.GOV or phone at (256) 261-7640.

Last Reviewed April 28, 2021