Rules and Regulations Library
Title |
Description | Category | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
 All States' Attorney General-May2007-Open Letter-Adjudicated as a Mental Defective (108 KB) |
This open letter is to all States' Attorney General and focuses on working with each State in taking steps to identify person who are prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of their mental health history.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
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All NC FFLs-Open Letter- Aug 2023-Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act (188 KB) |
The purpose of this Open Letter is to notify you of an important change to the procedure you may follow to comply with the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act (Brady Act), codified at 18 U.S.C. § 922(t), when transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. Specifically, the North Carolina pistol purchase permit may no longer be used as an alternative to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-September 2022-Impact of Final Rule 2021-05F on Partially Complete AR-15/M-16 Type Receivers (1037 KB) |
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is issuing this open letter to further assist the firearms industry and the public in understanding whether a “partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional” receiver of an AR-15/M-16 variant weapon has reached a stage of manufacture such that it “may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted” to a functional receiver, and is therefore classified as a “frame or receiver” or “firearm” in accordance with the final rule titled “Definition of ‘Frame or Receiver’ and Identification of Firearms (Final Rule 2021R-05F), which became effective August 24, 2022. | Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Sept2011-Open Letter-Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes (57 KB) |
The purpose of this open letter is to provide guidance on the issue of marijuana for medicinal purposes and its applicability to Federal firearms laws.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Sept2004-Open Letter-Expiration of the Ban on the Importation of SAWs and LCAFDs (45 KB) |
This open letter is to advise the import community of the provisions of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 that no longer apply to the manufacture, transfer and possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAWs) and to transfer and possess large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFDs).
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Sep2012-Open Letter-Building Positive Working Relationships with Industry Members (161 KB) | This open letter was sent from ATF's Deputy Director to all Federal firearms licensees and all Federal explosives licensees/permittees discussing how ATF continues to work towards maintaining and building positive working relationships industry members, trade associations, law enforcement, and the general public. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-Open Letter-Nov 2023-Solvent Trap Devices (366 KB) |
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently examined devices commonly marketed as “solvent traps” and has determined that some of them are “firearm silencers” as defined in the Gun Control Act (GCA) and as defined in the National Firearms Act (NFA). | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-Oct2007-Open Letter-Availability of the Personal Firearms Record, ATF Form 3312.8 (86 KB) |
The purpose of this open letter is to make you aware of the availability of ATF Publication 3312.8, Personal Firearms Record. This record is to help firearms owners adequately identify their firearms in case of a theft or loss.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Oct1998-Open Letter-Pawnbroker Transactions (30 KB) |
The Omnibus Appropriations Act for 1999 provides that a pawnbroker may complete a NICS check when a firearm is offered as collateral for a loan, at the option of the dealer. ATF will be publishing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking setting forth the procedures pawnbrokers must follow if they wish to complete the optional NICS check at the time a firearm is offered for pawn.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Nov2011-Open Letter-Recent Changes to Florida State Law (63 KB) |
The purpose of this open letter is to provide guidance on the recent changes to Florida State law and to assist Federal firearms licensees in complying with Federal firearms laws and regulations and how they may affect Florida county ordinances that require sellers to wait five days before delivering a firearms.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Nov2005-Open Letter-Lawful Importation of Certain Firearm Barrels into the United States for Commercial Purposes (35 KB) |
The purpose of this open letter is to update licensed and registered importers of firearms, ammunition and other regulated commodities on the lawful importation of certain firearm barrels into the United States for commercial purposes.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Nov2003-Open Letter-Procedual Guidance Regarding the Handling of ATF Form 4473 After a Firearms Transaction (1121 KB) |
This letter serves to provide Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) with procedural guidance regarding the handling of ATF From 4473, Firearms Transaction Record, after a firearm transaction has occurred.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
|
All FFLs-Nov2001-Open Letter-Supporting Documentation for the Importation of Surplus Military Curio or Relic Firearms (90 KB) | In response to the recent number of inquiries from licensed importers concerning the importation of surplus military curio or relic firearms and the submission of supporting documentation, ATF has published ATF Ruling 2001-3. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2013-Open Letter-Prohibited Transfers of Firearms to Foreign Purchaser (76 KB) |
The purpose of this open letter is to advise federal firearms licensees that arranging for the exportation of firearms and ammunition through in-person disposition to foreign purchasers at airline ticket counters of local international airports violates the Gun Control Act of 1968. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2011-Open Letter-Complying with Recordkeeping Requirements When the Initial NICS Response is Changed (102 KB) | 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. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2008-Open Letter-Security Firms Temporarily Assigning Firearms to Unlicensed Employees (96 KB) | The purpose of this open letter is to inform security firms and other persons who have Federal firearms licenses (FFLs), and who may temporarily assign firearms to their unlicensed employees in furtherance of legitimate business purposes, of the statutory and regulatory requirements that affect them. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2008-Open Letter-Procedual Guidance for Licensed and/or Registered Importers for ATF Form 6A (300 KB) | This open letter is a reminder of the procedures to follow when completing ATF Form 6A as outlined in 27 CFR 478.112 and on the instruction page of the form. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2007-Open Letter-Virginia Tech Tragic Events (91 KB) | We at ATF were saddened by the tragic events that unfolded at Virginia Tech just last month. In the immediate aftermath, many questions arose about whether the person responsible for the shootings was prohibited under Federal law from possessing a firearm. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2007-Open Letter-Guidelines for Natural Disasters (136 KB) | This open letter provides guidance on certain regulatory requirements and voluntary security measures, as well as recommended guidelines for securing and moving firearms records and inventory in the event of a natural disaster. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2006-Open Letter-New E-mail Service Available to Federal Firearms Licensees (26 KB) |
ATF is offering Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) a new option to receive ATF information by email. This voluntary service will allow FFLs to receive newsletters, open letters, and important notices by email. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2006-Open Letter-Flare Inserts-Any Other Weapon (712 KB) |
This open letter provides informations regarding the use of an insert/sleeve designed to be installed in an Orion 25mm/12 gauge flare launcher that allows the use of conventional ammunition in these flare launchers.
| Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2006-Open Letter-Adding a Vertical Fore Grip to a Handgun (193 KB) | This open letter provides information regarding the affect of adding a vertical fore grip to a handgun, therefore making it a firearm that falls under the National Firearms Act (NFA). | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-May2004-Open Letter-Importation of Articles Added by the Amendment to Annex A of the Voluntary Restraint Agreement (VRA) (43 KB) | A decision was agreed upon to amend Annex A of the Voluntary Restraint Agreement (VRA) by adding 74 types of firearms to the list. Please note, that even though these 74 firearms have been added to Annex A, ATF will still need to determine the importability of some of these firearms. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-Mar2006-Open Letter-Filing National Firearms Act (NFA) Transaction Forms by Facsimile Transmission (35 KB) | This is to update information regarding the filing of certain National Firearms Act (NFA) forms by facsimile transmission as the functions of the NFA Branch have been relocated to Martinsburg, West Virginia from Washington, DC. | Firearms | Open Letter |
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All FFLs-Mar 2022-Open Letter-Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs) (269 KB) |
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recently examined devices commonly known as “forced reset triggers” (FRTs) and has determined that some of them are “firearms” and “machineguns” as defined in the National Firearms Act (NFA), and “machineguns” as defined in the Gun Control Act (GCA). | Firearms | Open Letter |