Publications

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise ffederal firearms licensees in Alabama of their responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded.  Licensees must be enrolled with the FBI before they can initiate NICS checks through the NICS Operations Center. Licensees who are not currently enrolled are advised to do so upon receipt of this letter.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this open letter is to advise you of an important change to the procedure you may follow to comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. This open letter supersedes the document by the same title, posted on April 8, 2010.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

The purpose of this letter is to advise federal firearms licensees in New Mexico of their responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law.

Published/Revised: October 23, 1998

This open letter has been rescinded. This correction notice is to advise all New Mexico Federal firearms licensees that the New Mexico Department of Public Safety will no longer participate as the NICS point of contact.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

The purpose of this letter is to advise federal firearms licensees in North Dakota of their responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law.

Published/Revised: October 30, 1998

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. On Nov. 30, 1998, the interim provisions of the Brady law will cease to apply, and the permanent provisions of the Brady law will take effect.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. The permanent provisions of the Brady law provide for the establishment of a national instant criminal background check system (NICS) that licensees must contact before transferring any firearm to unlicensed individuals.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law.

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter has been rescinded. The purpose of this letter is to advise you of your responsibilities under the permanent provisions of the Brady law. 

Published/Revised: July 29, 2025

This open letter is to inform all Massachusetts federal firearms licensees that as of Oct. 21, 2003, all previously grandfathered Massachusetts licenses to carry will have expired. 

Published/Revised: October 15, 2003

The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance to any person submitting ATF Form 4, Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of a Firearm, or with ATF Form 5, Application for Tax Exempt Transfer and Registration of a Firearm.

Published/Revised: April 14, 2011

The purpose of this open letter is to provide guidance to Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) on how to comply with recordkeeping requirements when there is a change to the response initially received by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) during a background check for a firearm transfer.

Published/Revised: May 5, 2011

The purpose of this letter is to encourage all federal firearms licensees to increase their awareness and vigilance as the anniversary of September 11th approaches.

Published/Revised: August 29, 2011

The open letter provides guidance to all Iowa federal firearms licensees when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person using an Iowa issued permit as an alternative to a NICS background check. 

Published/Revised: June 14, 2011

Used by federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to determine if they may lawfully sell or deliver a firearm to the person identified in Section B, and to alert the transferee/buyer of certain restrictions on the receipt and possession of firearms.

Published/Revised: September 28, 2023