Publications

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Vermont 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Virginia 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Washington 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 West Virginia 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wisconsin 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wyoming 

Published/Revised: January 15, 2026

The National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch has received numerous questions concerning the repair of NFA firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) does not consider the temporary conveyance of an NFA firearm to a gunsmith for repair to be a “transfer” under the terms of the NFA. Thus, an ATF Form 5 application is not required.

Published/Revised: September 16, 2015

Fireworks are a common component used in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The US Government is asking consumer fireworks retailers to be aware of this phenomenon and familiarize themselves with some possible indicators of suspicious activity.

Published/Revised: May 11, 2015

This preliminary Regulatory Analysis (RA) provides supporting documentation for the regulatory evaluation in the preamble of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Definition of Frame or Receiver and Identification of Firearms [2021R-05]. 

Published/Revised: May 7, 2021

ATF is revoking several guidance documents; specifically 7 rulings, 1 procedure, and 59 open letters.  The following documents listed, in the order in which they were issued:  Revenue Ruling 69-114; ATF Ruling 75-30; ATF Ruling 7-13; ATF Ruling 77-25; ATF Ruling 77-26; ATF Ruling 80-22; ATF Ruling 80-23; ATF Procedure 80-7; 53 Open letters dated February 1994; Open Letter to all federally licensed importers and manufacturers dated August 22, 2001; Open Letter to All Federal firearms and explosives licensees dated November 20, 2001; Open Letter to all Federal Explosives Licensees and Permittees dated February 12, 2003; Open Letter to all FFLs dated August 31, 2006; Open Letter to all FFLs dated November 4, 2008; and Open Letter to Washington FFL's dated August 12, 2011.

Published/Revised: April 30, 2018

Periodic review of outstanding revenue rulings reflect that the following list of rulings are obsolete because of expiration or changes to current laws and regulations.

Published/Revised: September 3, 2019

This form is for applying to attend the ATF National Firearms Examiner Academy to acquire firearms and toolmark examiner training.

Published/Revised: August 31, 2017

This form must be completed for each transaction involving the distribution of explosive materials to persons who have a Federal explosives limited permit.

Published/Revised: October 30, 2025

ATF has issued a ruling determining that the projectiles and projectile cores used to assemble SS109/M855 cartridges are exempt from the definition of “armor piercing ammunition” under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(17)(B). Although SS109/M855 cartridges themselves were exempted in 1986 as primarily intended for sporting purposes, their steel‑core projectiles remained classified as armor‑piercing. ATF has now concluded that these projectiles are likewise primarily intended for sporting purposes and therefore must be included within the existing exemption. As a result, they may be manufactured, sold, and delivered in accordance with the Gun Control Act provisions applicable to ammunition under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(17)(A).

Published/Revised: July 2, 2026

ATF has issued a ruling determining that the BolaWrap 150, a remote non‑lethal restraint device, is not a “firearm” under the Gun Control Act (GCA) and not an “any other weapon” (AOW) under the National Firearms Act (NFA). Because the device functions as an instrument of restraint rather than an instrument of offensive or defensive combat, it does not meet the statutory definition of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3). Citing the Supreme Court’s 2025 definition of “weapon” as an instrument of combat, ATF concluded that the BolaWrap 150 is neither a firearm nor a weapon‑like device regulated under the NFA, 26 U.S.C. §§ 5845(a) and 5845(e).

Published/Revised: July 2, 2026

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been asked to explain the application of 27 CFR 181.11, as it relates to “Inhabited Building.”

Published/Revised: May 11, 2015

This final rule makes technical amendments and corrects typographical errors in parts 447, 478, 479, 555, and 646 of title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Published/Revised: May 11, 2015

This final rule makes technical amendments and corrects typographical errors in parts 447, 478, 479, 555, and 646 of title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Published/Revised: May 11, 2015

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been asked to state its position with regard to satisfactory identification of an unlicensed person intending to acquire a firearm from a licensee.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has been asked to state its position with regard to satisfactory identification of an unlicensed person intending to acquire a firearm from a licensee.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) administers regulations published in Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations. Theseregulations are updated April 1 of each year to incorporate new or revised regulations that were published by ATF in the Federal Register during the preceding year. ATF identified several amendments that are needed to provide clarity and uniformity to the regulations in 27 CFR.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

It has been found that a variation is necessary in the procedures which may be utilized by members of the U.S. Armed Forces returning to the United States who desire to import not more than three rifles or shotguns for their personal use, and not more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition therefor.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has received inquiries from members of the firearms industry about maintaining their required acquisition and disposition dealer’s records in computerized form rather than paper form.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has received inquiries from members of the firearms industry for whom ATF has approved a variance permitting the maintenance of required acquisition and disposition records on computer. Most of these variances require licensees to periodically print a hard copy of the record and store the printout as part of their permanent records. Licensees have asked ATF whether they may download this information to portable data storage devices instead of printing out the information.

Published/Revised: May 22, 2015

The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (‘‘ATF’’) to clarify that the term ‘‘propellant actuated device’’ does not include hobby rocket motors or rocket-motor reload kits consisting of or containing ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (‘‘APCP’’), black powder, or other similar low explosives. 

Published/Revised: May 6, 2016