ATF occasionally issues publications to inform the industries it regulates and the general public about the laws and regulations administered and enforced by ATF. These include guidebooks, newsletters, brochures, studies, and reports.
| Document Type | Description | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory | State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Washington
State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Washington Published/Revised: January 15, 2026 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 West Virginia
State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 West Virginia Published/Revised: January 15, 2026 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wisconsin
State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wisconsin Published/Revised: January 15, 2026 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wyoming
State Laws and Published Ordinances - 2025 Wyoming Published/Revised: January 15, 2026 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | Application for National Firearms Examiner Academy - ATF Form 6330.1
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 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | Limited Permittee Transaction Report - ATF Form 5400.4
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 |
Explosives |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 75-20 - Meaning of Terms - June 26, 1975
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 |
Explosives |
| Regulatory | AG Order No. 3439-2014 - Final Rule - Technical Amendments to Regulations in Title 27, Chapter II - Aug. 4, 2014
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 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | AG Order No. 3439-2014 - Final Rule - Technical Amendments to Regulations in Title 27, Chapter II - Aug. 4, 2014
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 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 79-7 - Firearms Transaction Record
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 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 79-7 - Firearms Transaction Record
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 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | T.D. ATF-413 - Final Rule - Technical Amendments - 99-22290 - Aug. 27, 1999
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 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | Rev. Rul. 69-309 - Importation by Members of the U.S. Armed Forces
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 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 2008-2 - Aug. 25, 2008
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 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 2007- 4 - June 26, 2007
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 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | E9–578 - Final Rule - Commerce in Explosives—Amended Definition of ‘‘Propellant Actuated Device’’ (2004R–3P) - Jan. 14, 2009
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 |
Explosives |
| Regulatory | ATF Rul. 2011-1 - Consolidation of Required Records for Importers - Jan. 26, 2011
ATF authorizes an alternate method or procedure from the firearms acquisition and disposition recordkeeping requirements of 27 CFR 478.122. Specifically, ATF authorizes licensed importers to consolidate their records of importation or other acquisition of firearms and their separate firearms disposition records, provided all of the requirements stated in this ruling are met. Published/Revised: April 26, 2016 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | E9–16453 - Delegation Order—Authority To Facilitate Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 - July 13, 2009
This order delegates the authority to exercise the authorities and responsibilities committed to the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, Public Law 110–180 (NIAA). This authority is to establish and enforce the criteria that applicable Federal departments and agencies and states use to create qualifying relief from firearms disabilities programs, to make decisions as to whether applicable Federal departments and agencies and states have properly implemented and certified relief from firearms disabilities programs under the NIAA, and to make any related determinations under the NIAA regarding such relief from firearms disabilities programs. Published/Revised: May 30, 2015 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | Final Rule - Organization of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives - Jan. 31, 2003
The Department of Justice, Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA), is exempting a Privacy Act system of records entitled ‘‘Executive Clemency Case Files/Executive Clemency Tracking System (JUSTICE/OPA–001)’’ from subsections (c)(3), (c)(4), (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3), (d)(4), and (e)(5) of the Privacy Act. Information in this system relates to the investigation and evaluation of applicants for executive clemency and case-related correspondence regarding such applicants and the clemency process. Published/Revised: August 9, 2019 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | Final Rule – Machineguns, Destructive Devices and Certain Other Firearms; Background Checks for Responsible Persons of a Trust or Legal Entity With Respect to Making or Transferring a Firearm - Jan. 15, 2016
The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regarding the making or transferring of a firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA). This final rule defines the term ‘‘responsible person,’’ as used in reference to a trust, partnership, association, company, or corporation; requires responsible persons of such trusts or legal entities to complete a specified form and to submit photographs and fingerprints when the trust or legal entity files an application to make an NFA firearm or is listed as the transferee on an application to transfer an NFA firearm; requires that a copy of all applications to make or transfer a firearm, and the specified form for responsible persons, as applicable, be forwarded to the chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) of the locality in which the applicant/ transferee or responsible person is located; and eliminates the requirement for a certification signed by the CLEO. Published/Revised: January 15, 2016 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | Final Rule - Commerce in Firearms and Ammunition - Reporting Theft or Loss of Firearms in Transit
The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) concerning the statutory reporting requirement for firearms that have been stolen or lost. The final rule specifies that when a federal firearms licensee (FFL) discovers a firearm it shipped was stolen or lost in transit, the transferor/sender FFL must report the theft or loss to ATP and to the appropriate local authorities within 48 hours of discovery. Published/Revised: December 31, 2019 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | Final Rule - Background Checks for Responsible Persons of a Trust or Legal Entity With Respect to Making or Transferring a Firearm
The Department of Justice is amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regarding the making or transferring of a firearm under the National Firearms Act (NFA). This final rule defines the term "responsible person," as used in reference to a trust, partnership, association, company, or corporation; requires responsible persons of such trusts or legal entities to complete a specified form and to submit photographs and fingerprints when the trust or legal entity files an application to make an NFA firearm or is listed as the transferee on an application to transfer an NFA firearm; requires that a copy of all applications to make or transfer a firearm, and the specified form for responsible persons, as applicable, be forwarded to the chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) of the locality in which the applicant/transferee or responsible person is located; and eliminates the requirement for a certification signed by the CLEO. These provisions provide a public safety benefit as they ensure that responsible persons undergo background checks. Published/Revised: May 15, 2020 |
Firearms |
| Regulatory | Application to Register as an Importer of U.S. Munitions Import List Articles - ATF F 4587/(5330.4)
This form is used to register and pay to permanently import defense articles on the United States Munitions Import List. Published/Revised: April 11, 2022 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | TD 425: Delegation of Authority - 00-5360 - Jan. 3, 2000
Authority delegation. This final rule places most ATF authorities contained in parts 4, 5, and 7, title 27 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), with the “appropriate ATF officer” and requires that persons file documents required by parts 4, 5, and 7, title 27 CFR, with the “appropriate ATF officer” or in accordance with the instructions on the ATF form. Also, this final rule removes the definitions of, and references to, specific officers subordinate to the Director. Concurrently with this Treasury Decision, ATF Order 1130.2A is being published. Through this order, the Director has delegated most of the authorities in 27 CFR parts 4, 5 and 7 to the appropriate ATF officers and specified the ATF officers with whom applications, notices and other reports that are not ATF forms are filed. Finally, this final rule removes the definition of, and a reference to, the Director in part 16, title 27 CFR. Published/Revised: January 3, 2000 |
Workforce and Mission |
| Regulatory | Report of Firearms Transactions - ATF F 5300.5
Report of Firearms Transactions - ATF Form 5300.5 Published/Revised: May 22, 2015 |
Firearms |
