On June 23, 2021, President Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland announced a Gun Crime Prevention Strategy. Part of that strategy focuses on Industry Operations conducting compliance inspections of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) aimed at further identifying licensees who commit willful violations of the Gun Control Act (GCA). Each of the following qualifying violations which impact public safety will result in ATF issuing a notice of revocation, absent extraordinary circumstances:

• Refusal to allow an IOI to conduct an inspection 
• Transferring a firearm to a prohibited person
• Failing to conduct a required background check
• Falsifying records
• Failing to respond to a trace request

Pursuant to the GCA, ATF’s authority to revoke a license is limited to when the record shows that an FFL willfully committed at least one violation of the GCA or its regulations, including but not limited to, the above list. FFLs are entitled to due process throughout the inspection and revocation process. FFLs have the right to a hearing and can appeal a final license revocation in federal court. Additional information about the revocation process is available.

Current Totals

Qualifying Willful Violations include: Transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, Failing to conduct a Required Background Check, Falsifying Records, Failing to Respond to a Trace Request, and Refusal to Allow ATF to Conduct an Inspection. An FFL may also be revoked for willful violations of the Gun Control Act that are not included in this report.

*Inspection outcomes could be FFL Revoked, FFL Not Revoked after Hearing, Settlement Agreement, Warning Conference Held, or FFL Ceased Operations After Inspection.

FFLs are entitled to due process throughout the inspection and revocation process.  In order to revoke a license, ATF must find that the FFL willfully committed at least one violation of the GCA or its regulations. FFLs have the right to appeal a final license revocation in federal court. Additional information about the revocation process is available at www.atf.gov/firearms/revocation-firearms-licenses.

Results of Inspections with Qualifying Violations

Qualifying Willful Violations include: Transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, Failing to conduct a Required Background Check, Falsifying Records, Failing to Respond to a Trace Request, and Refusal to Allow ATF to Conduct an Inspection. This report includes only final matters, that is, matters for which either the hearing process has been completed and a final revocation has been issued or no willfulness was determined after a Hearing was held, or where an FFL has voluntarily ceased operations following an inspection in which a qualifying violation was cited. An FFL may also be revoked for willful violations of the Gun Control Act that are not included in this report.

FFLs are entitled to due process throughout the inspection and revocation process. In order to revoke a license, ATF must find that the FFL willfully committed at least one violation of the GCA or its regulations. FFLs have the right to appeal a final license revocation in federal court. Additional information about the revocation process is available at www.atf.gov/firearms/revocation-firearms-licenses.

*One FFL did not have a hearing as a settlement agreement was reached beforehand.

FFL Revoked (2021)

FFL Revoked (2022)

FFL Voluntarily Ceased Operations After Inspection

Extraordinary Circumstances After Inspection

Extraordinary Circumstances 

The above data includes only final matters, that is, matters for which either the hearing process has been completed, any appeals are exhausted, or where an FFL has voluntarily ceased operations following an inspection in which a qualifying violation was cited.