Are there other factors other than the review process that result in longer processing times for trusts?

Yes.  The most common reasons attributable to trust processing delays include:

  • Failure to submit a responsible person questionnaire and fingerprint cards for each responsible person named on the trust;
  • Failure to submit a valid trust, e.g., there is only one person named in the trust who is the settlor, trustee, and beneficiary;
  • The settlor identifies a minor as a responsible person to the trust;
  • The name of the trust on the NFA application is different than the name of the trust in the trust document; and
  • The background check is delayed for one or more individuals identified as responsible persons. For example, if one of three identified responsible person’s background check is delayed by FBI-NICS, then NFA Division cannot process the application until the delayed background check is resolved.
Last Reviewed April 23, 2024