Publications

What's In This Issue: "Straw Purchases" of Firearms; Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax - History of the Pittman-Robertson Act; Payment of Excise Taxes by Gunsmiths; Registration for Tax-Free Sales; Customer's Tax Liability for Reloaded Ammunition; California - Law Change Advisory; Transfer or Duplication of Serial Numbers on National Firearms Act Firearms; Markings on Firearms; Storage of NFA Firearms; Reminder to NFA Weapons Licensees; Sales of Firearms to Law Enforcement Officers; ATF Hotline; ATF Western Region Reorganization; Supreme Court Rules on Thompson/Center Arms Case; Request for Assistance - New Castle Indiana Police Department

Published/Revised: December 31, 1992

What's In This Issue: Manufacturer's Annual Report - Form 4483 A; Change of Address; Importation of Arms from Certain Countries; Firearms and Explosives Division Personnel Changes; Extension of Term on Import Permits; Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax; Firearms Sales to Canadian Citizens; Manufacture of "Any Other Weapon" Firearms; Renewal of Your License; List of Armor Piercing Ammunition; Interstate Transportation of Personally Owned Firearms

Published/Revised: December 31, 1992

What's In This Issue: Streamlined Application Process; New Publications; New Faces; Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act Temporary Regulations; Firearms Theft; Restraining Orders; Law Enforcement Sales; Before You Move; Final Brady Regulations; Multiple Sales Reports; No Import Permits to ARMSCOR; Licensing Telephone; Change in Excise Tax Deposits; Going Out of Business; Restoration of Federal Firearms Privileges; The Net; Industry Meetings; Shot Show

Published/Revised: September 29, 1995

What's In This Issue: Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act; The Net; New Faces; Address Changes; Improving Firearms Security; Fingerprints; Letters of Authorization; Classification of Gas/Flare Guns With Anti-Personnel Ammunition as Destructive Devices; Processing Applications and Notices Associated With National Firearms Act Weapons Transactions; Multiple Sale Form; ATF Distribution Center; Gun Shows

Published/Revised: August 30, 1996

What's In This Issue: Legislative Issues; New Residency Requirements for Purchasers; Assault Weapon Receivers; Governmental Exemption to Semiautomatic Assault Weapon Ban; Meet the New Customer Service Specialist; Going Out of Business; Wallet Guns; ATF's Stolen Firearms Program

Published/Revised: August 29, 1997

What's In This Issue: National Instant Criminal Background System (NICS); New Firearms Transaction Record; Reporting Multiple Sales or Other Dispositions of Pistols and Revolvers; Age Restriction Reminder; Resolution of Modern Muzzle Loading Court Case; Firearms Sales to Foreign Nationals; National Firearms Act Information; Limited to Use as Sales Sample; Importing Information; Importation of Firearms for Display at Industry Trade Shows; FFL or Interstate Theft Procedures and Information; FFL Concerns and Alerts

Published/Revised: August 31, 1998

What's In This Issue: ATF Distribution Center; Canadian Firearms Issues; NICS and Returned Firearms Issues; Age Restrictions on Firearms Transactions; Modern Muzzleloading Issues; Secure Gun Storage Devices Amendment; Nonresident Alien Prohibited Person Category; Relief of Disability Information; Gun Shows and Events; Sales of Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Devices to Campus Police Departments; Sales of Semiautomatic Assault Weapons to Law Enforcement Officers; Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Markings; Licensees Who Discontinue Business; Licensee Address and Mail Delivery Issues

Published/Revised: February 28, 1999

What's In This Issue: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act; NICS Enrollment by Licencees; ATF Form 4473 Completion and NICS Checks; Sales to Law Enforcement Officers; Required Identification Document; ATF Form 4473 Completion Errors and NICS; NICS and the 3-Day Wait; NICS and Potential "Straw Transactions"; NICS and the Collectors of Curio and Relic Firearms; Licensee Fines, Suspension, and/or Revocation for NICS Violations; Special Notices

Published/Revised: September 30, 1999

What's In This Issue: Transfers to Aliens in a Nonimmigrant Status; New Address for Out of Business Records Center; Computerized Acquisition and Disposition Records; Auctioning Firearms; Corporate Mergers Significantly Impact Status of Federal Licenses; Transfers of National Firearms Act Firearms in Decedent's Estates; Importation of Certain Frames, Receivers and Barrels; Questions to the Editor; FBI/NICS News

Published/Revised: May 31, 2001

The new ATF F 4473, Firearms Transaction Record Part I (Over-the-Counter), requires all non-US citizens to provide an INS-issued Alien Number or an INS-issued Admission Number (both types of numbers are often referred to as "A" numbers). Only a non-US citizen must provide one ofthe numbers.

Published/Revised: December 30, 2002

On April 1, 2004, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that Carl J. Truscott will serve as the new Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he will be responsible for the Bureau’s enforcement of Federal firearms, explosives, and arson laws, as well as its jurisdiction relative to the Federal alcohol and tobacco diversion laws.

Published/Revised: August 30, 2004

In an effort to keep Federal firearms licensees (FFL) abreast of changing firearms laws and regulations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide semi-annual FFL Newsletters. ATF will publish the newsletters in February and August of each year and distribute them to each FFL. Previous editions of the FFL Newsletters are available on ATF’s website (http://www.atf.gov).

Published/Revised: August 30, 2005

In an effort to keep Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) abreast of changing firearms laws and regulations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide semi-annual FFL Newsletters. In furtherance of our goal to provide you with up-to-date information, ATF will publish the newsletters in February and August of each year and distribute them to each FFL.

Published/Revised: February 28, 2005

The revised version of ATF Form 4473 became effective on October 17, 2005. All previous versions of this form are now obsolete. The new forms, now printed in white, can be obtained by contacting the Distribution Center at (703) 4557801. When requesting these forms, please specify ATF Form 4473 (5300.9) Part I Revised July 2005.

Published/Revised: March 30, 2006

Based upon feedback from the industry and ATP personnel, ATF is enhancing the Federal firearms license (FPL). The enhancements will give the license a new updated look, including larger print for ease ofreadability. A wallet-sized information card with your license number will also be provided.

Published/Revised: January 30, 2007

A nonimmigrant alien generally may not purchase ammunition from a Federal firearms licensee (FFL) or a nonlicensee to possess in the United States. This prohibition applies unless they establish that they meet one of the exceptions. The exception that would apply to most nonimmigrant aliens would be if they were admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or sporting purposes and/or are in possession of a valid hunting license or permit lawfully issued in the United States.

Published/Revised: November 28, 2008

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are committed to protecting our nation from individuals who seek to acquire firearms for use in criminal activity, including violence towards innocent people. To be successful, we need the assistance of the firearms industry.

Published/Revised: November 30, 2009

In an effort to keep Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) abreast of changing firearms laws and regulations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide semiannual FFL Newsletters. Previous editions of the FFL Newsletters are available on ATF’s Web site (http://www.atf.gov).

Published/Revised: June 30, 2010

ATF has been participating at the annual SHOT Show for over 25 years.  Our informational booth and subject matter experts serve industry members attending SHOT in several different ways. We conduct informational seminars on several topics, provide timely information on regulatory matters, and distribute ATF publications and forms to thousands of Federal firearms licensees who attend the event. The ATF booth is one of the busiest and most frequently visited by attendees.

Published/Revised: February 28, 2011

ATF has been participating at the annual SHOT Show for over 25 years.  Our informational booth and subject matter experts serve industry members attending SHOT in several different ways. We conduct informational seminars on several topics, provide timely information on regulatory matters, and distribute ATF publications and forms to thousands of Federal firearms licensees who attend the event. The ATF booth is one of the busiest and most frequently visited by attendees.

Published/Revised: September 30, 2011

What’s in This Issue: Customer Service Standards; SHOT Show 2012; Multiple Trade Name Policy; Hunting Licenses Issued by Retailers; Binary Exploding Targets; Completion of Section A of ATF Form 4473; Out-of-State Driver’s License Used as an Identification Document; REAL ID Act of 2005; Recording Firearms in the Acquisition and Disposition Record; Guide to Requesting Marking Variances; Firearms Commerce in the United States 2011; Looking for Past Newsletters?; FBI NICS Information

Published/Revised: May 31, 2012

What’s in This Issue:  Customer Service Standards; Reminder: Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers; Receive Firearms Industry News; Electronic Devices Used to Verify Change of Address; Government Issued Documents Bearing an Incorrect Zip Code; PCS Orders and Military Dependents Purchasing Firearms; Licensed Manufacturer’s Registration; Requirement with the Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Control (DDTC); Firearms Lost or Stolen from Interstate Shipments; Guidance to FFLs Affected by Flooding and Other Natural Disasters; Ethnicity and Race on the ATF Form 4473; Firearms Shipments via Common or Contract Carrier; Out-of-Business Procedures; Out-of-Business with Succession; Residence as a Licensed Business Premises; New Move in EPS; Who to Contact with your Firearms Related Questions; FBI NICS news

Published/Revised: November 30, 2012

What’s in This Issue: SHOT Show 2013; ATF Outreach Activities; Best Practices; FBI/NICS News

Published/Revised: March 28, 2013

What’s In This Issue: Reminder: Keep Your Contact Information Up to Date; Reminder: eForm 6; Agency Information Collection Activities; Rental of Firearms On-Premises; Rental of Firearms Off-Premises; Clarification of ATF Ruling 2008–3: Making Corrections to the e4473; Recording Identification Documents on the ATF Form 4473—Military Identification and PCS Orders; Purchase of Firearms by Current or Former Law Enforcement Officers; Recording Pistol Grip Firearms in the Acquisition and Disposition Record; Manufacturing NFA Firearms for the United States Government; When Permission Is Required To Move NFA Firearms; Recordkeeping Requirements and Retention Requirements for Licensed Manufacturers; Clarification: Firearms Shipments via Common or Contract Carrier; Brokering of Firearms/Drop Shipments

Published/Revised: March 28, 2013

What’s in This Issue: Customer Service Standards; Active Federal Firearms License (FFL) Records; Best Practices; ATF Outreach Activities; New Moves in EPS; FBI/NICS News

Published/Revised: September 30, 2013