On April 29, 2026, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives signed 34 regulatory notices, the largest modernization of federal firearms regulations in the agency’s history. The package is organized into five action groups: Repeal, Modernize, Reduce Burden, Clarify, and Align. Each group serves a different purpose, from rolling back rules that failed in court to modernizing decades-old recordkeeping requirements.
Here is what each group covers and where to find the full rule list.
Repeal Group
The Repeal Group rescinds regulatory language that exceeded ATF’s statutory authority, failed judicial review, or did not produce the outcomes the agency originally projected. Four rules are in this group:
- 1140-AA98 formally proposes rescinding the 2023 pistol brace rule. Pistol braces are currently legal at the federal level and not classified as SBRs. Federal courts vacated the 2023 rule in 2024 (including in Mock v. Garland in the Fifth Circuit), and 1140-AA98 cleans up the regulatory text in 27 CFR 478.11 and 479.11 to match the court rulings. State law may still restrict braced pistols.
- 1140-AB01 rolls back the expanded “Engaged in the Business” definition.
- 1140-AA60 removes bump stock language from the federal machine gun definition following Garland v. Cargill. This is the only final rule in the group.
- 1140-AA87 eliminates the 1998 Youth Handgun Safety Act posting requirement.
Why it matters for FFLs: This is where the most politically visible changes live. If you sell pistols with stabilizing braces, sell at gun shows, or ever had to manage the Youth Handgun Safety Act poster, this group affects your storefront directly.
Modernize Group
The Modernize Group updates ATF’s compliance and recordkeeping framework to reflect current technology and business practices. Five rules sit in this group, covering electronic recordkeeping, the Form 4473 overhaul, defined records retention periods, FFL eZ Check verification for dealer-to-dealer transfers, and Non-Over-the-Counter transaction requirements.
Why it matters for FFLs: This is the group that affects your day-to-day workflow at the counter and in your back office. Every dealer using an electronic bound book or e4473 is operating under rules that this group is rewriting. We cover all five Modernize rules in depth in the next section.
Reduce Burden Group
The Reduce Burden Group eliminates requirements ATF determined no longer serve a meaningful purpose or impose unnecessary cost on licensees and lawful gun owners. NFA owners benefit most from this group, with rules covering interstate transport relief, joint spousal NFA registration treatment, removal of the CLEO notification requirement on NFA forms, and changes to machine gun transfers between Special Occupational Taxpayers.
Why it matters for FFLs: If your business handles NFA transfers, suppressors, or machine gun transfers between SOTs, this group simplifies several long-standing pain points.
Clarify Group
The Clarify Group is the largest bucket in the package, with eight or more rules aimed at resolving regulatory ambiguity. Topics include the import of dual-use barrels and frames or receivers, training ammunition imports, the regulatory definition of “willfully” for compliance violations, updates to the “mental defective” prohibited person definition, the regulatory definition of “business premises,” straw purchase guidance, biological sex selection on ATF forms, and a streamlined process for converting temporarily imported firearms to permanent import status.
Why it matters for FFLs: Cleaner definitions mean fewer judgment calls during inspections. If you have ever puzzled over whether a customer’s situation triggers a straw purchase concern or whether an imported barrel qualifies as sporting versus non-sporting, this group is meant for you.
Align Group
The Align Group brings ATF regulations into agreement with statutes, court decisions, and Executive Orders. Rules in this group conform regulatory text to the underlying laws Congress passed and the binding interpretations issued by federal courts.
Why it matters for FFLs: Alignment rules tend to fly under the radar but have real effects on enforcement. When regulatory text drifts from statutory text, FFLs end up complying with rules that may not survive a legal challenge. The Align Group reduces that risk.
Proposed Rules Affecting FFL Day-to-Day Operations
For federal firearms licensees, the most significant proposals center on three things you handle every single day. Your electronic bound book (A&D records). Your ATF Form 4473 workflow. And how you conduct firearm transfers.
Here is what is proposed, what it means for your FFL compliance, and how FastBound already positions you for whatever comes next.
Important: These are proposed rules (NPRMs), not final regulations. They are open for public comment and are not yet in effect. Your current FFL compliance obligations remain unchanged. FastBound will update you as rules are finalized.
Electronic Bound Books Are Getting Official Regulatory Authorization
1140-AA94: Firearms Electronic Record-keeping – NPRM
ATF is proposing to formally codify the authority for federal firearms licensees to generate, maintain, and store Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records, your bound book, using electronic record-keeping systems without needing an individual or blanket variance from ATF.
What This Means for FFLs
Electronic A&D record-keeping has been permitted since 2016 under ATF Ruling 2016-1, which authorized FFLs to maintain bound books electronically, and ATF Ruling 2016-2, which authorized electronic storage of Form 4473s. No individual variance is required. These rulings apply industry-wide.
What Proposed Rule 1140-AA94 does is take the next step. It writes electronic recordkeeping directly into the Code of Federal Regulations. Today, the underlying regulation in 27 CFR Part 478 still references paper-based recordkeeping as the baseline. Electronic records are permitted because ATF rulings say the agency will not enforce the paper requirement. If 1140-AA94 is finalized, electronic bound books become explicitly authorized in the Code of Federal Regulations itself. That gives digital recordkeeping a stronger and more permanent legal foundation than agency guidance alone can provide.
For FastBound users, you are already operating correctly under the 2016 rulings. What is changing is the regulatory foundation beneath you. The framework is moving from administrative guidance to codified federal law.
For FFLs still running paper bound books, the signal is clear. Between the 2016 rulings and this proposed rule, electronic recordkeeping is now the industry standard. ATF is building the permanent regulatory framework around it.
What Doesn’t Change
Your obligation to accurately record every firearm acquisition and disposition within required timeframes is not going anywhere. The how is being modernized. The what stays the same.
Form 4473 Is Getting a Major Overhaul, Including Digital Attachments and Auto-Population
1140-AA82: Revising Firearms Transaction Record, “Form 4473” – NPRM
This is the biggest proposed change to the Form 4473 workflow in years. ATF is proposing a comprehensive update to both the form itself and the regulations governing how it is completed, stored, and processed.
Key proposed changes include:
- Digital Record Attachments. Supporting documents like state permits, military orders, and identification records could be attached directly to the 4473 record in digital format, rather than maintained as separate paper or scanned files. This creates a cleaner, fully self-contained, audit-ready 4473 package.
- Electronic Forms and Auto-Population. FFLs would be formally authorized to use electronic forms with auto-populated fields. This reduces manual data entry, cuts transcription errors, and speeds up the transfer process at the counter.
- Extended NICS Background Check Validity. The time period for which a completed NICS background check remains valid would be extended. That gives more flexibility for delayed denial situations and multi-day transactions.
- Electronic Notice Delivery. Notices currently requiring paper delivery could be sent electronically.
- Simpler ID and Residency Verification. Requirements for verifying transferee identity and residency would be simplified.
What This Means for FFLs
The digital attachments provision is the standout change for day-to-day compliance. Today, even FFLs using electronic 4473 software often have to maintain separate files for supporting documents. Sometimes paper. Sometimes a parallel digital folder. If this rule is finalized, those attachments live inside the 4473 record itself, fully linked and retrievable in a single audit request.
This proposal also addresses common 4473 violation areas. Half of the top ATF compliance violations cited during FFL inspections relate directly to Form 4473 errors. Incomplete fields. Illegible entries. Missing signatures. Electronic forms with auto-population and built-in validation directly reduce these risks and the clerical errors that follow.
Appointment-Based and Remote FFL Transfers Get a Regulatory Path Forward
1140-AB05: Revising Non-Over-the-Counter Firearms Transaction Requirements – NPRM
ATF is proposing to amend regulations to authorize “Non-Over-the-Counter” (NOTC) firearm sales by Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to residents of the same state. The proposed rule would allow FFLs to comply with the requirements of NOTC transactions originally implemented by the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the requirements of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1994 more efficiently to include identification verification. This update is based on the recognition of increased options to securely verify photo identification of prospective purchasers.
What This Means for FFLs
This is the regulatory foundation for appointment-based pickups and flexible transfer workflows. Under current rules, NOTC transactions carry specific identification and paperwork requirements that can be cumbersome for online sales, layaway pickups, and consignment transfers. The proposed rule would give FFLs more flexibility in how they satisfy those ID verification requirements, as long as rigorous documentation and a NICS background check are still completed for every firearm purchase.
For dealers who conduct online gun sales, want to pre-complete paperwork before a customer arrives, or are exploring remote identification workflows, this proposed rule is worth following closely and submitting public comment on.
ATF Record Retention Periods May Get a Defined Endpoint
1140-AA95: Firearm Records Retention Periods – NPRM
ATF is proposing to replace the current practice of indefinite retention of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) records with definite retention periods for ATF Forms 4473 and Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records. ATF is considering retention periods of either 20 or 30 years and is requesting public comment on the appropriate timeframe.
Additional proposed retention periods include:
- 90 days for private-party transfer records and voluntary firearm handler checks
- 5 years for multiple sales reports (ATF Form 3310.4), theft and loss reports (ATF Form 3310.11), and incomplete 4473s
What This Means for FFLs
This does not reduce your current compliance obligations. Under current regulation amended in 2022, FFLs must retain 4473s for the life of their FFL, indefinitely. If finalized, defined retention periods of 20 or 30 years would represent a meaningful reduction in that burden. Storage planning, audit preparation, and records management would all become more straightforward, especially for high-volume FFLs managing years of digitized records in FastBound.
For FastBound users, defined retention periods pair naturally with cloud-based electronic recordkeeping. You get a clear, manageable records lifecycle.
FFL-to-FFL Transfers Get a Faster, Paperless Verification Path
1140-AA61: Licensee “eZ Check” Verification for Transfers – Direct Final Rule
When one FFL ships or transfers a firearm to another FFL, the sending dealer has to verify the receiving dealer’s license is valid. Until now, that meant obtaining a certified paper copy of the receiving FFL’s license. This rule lets the sending dealer use ATF’s free online FFL eZ Check tool to confirm license validity instead. No more requesting, faxing, mailing, or filing certified paper licenses for routine FFL-to-FFL firearm transfers.
This rule also eliminates an old grace period provision. Under the prior framework, a transferor could continue shipping firearms to an FFL on a certified multi-licensee list for up to 45 days past that licensee’s actual license expiration date. ATF determined the grace period was outdated and unnecessary, since real-time license status can now be checked online in seconds.
Note: This is a Direct Final Rule, not an NPRM. Unlike the four proposed rules above, a direct final rule takes effect on a set date unless ATF receives significant adverse comment during the comment window. ATF uses this faster track for changes the agency considers non-controversial. FFLs should treat this as effectively in motion, not theoretical.
The Bottom Line: ATF Is Building the Regulatory Framework for Digital-First FFL Compliance
Taken together, these four proposals point in one clear direction. ATF is formally embracing electronic FFL compliance infrastructure. Electronic bound books without variance requirements. Digital 4473 attachments. Auto-populated forms. Defined retention windows. Flexible transfer verification. All of these are pieces of a regulatory future built around digital-first operations.
FastBound has been built for exactly this. Electronic A&D records, e4473 processing, digital storage, and audit-ready record retrieval have been core to FastBound since day one. The regulatory foundation is now catching up.
What You Should Do Now
If you are still on paper: There has never been a clearer signal that it is time to go digital. ATF’s own regulatory agenda is being built around electronic recordkeeping. Every day on paper is a day of unnecessary compliance risk.
If you are already on FastBound: You are well-positioned. Review your current workflow for 4473 supporting document storage. The proposed digital attachment rule is where you will see the most practical workflow improvement if finalized.
FastBound Is Actively Reviewing These Proposed Rules
FastBound is currently reviewing ATF’s full regulatory reform package and is working closely with FFLGuard, the firearms compliance law firm that backs FastBound’s attorney-guaranteed legal defense, to evaluate any potential impact on our platform and on the FFLs we serve. As these proposed rules move through the public comment and rulemaking process, we will communicate any platform updates, compliance guidance, or action items directly to our customers.
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. FFLs should consult qualified legal counsel regarding their specific compliance obligations. FastBound will continue to monitor these proposed rules and communicate updates as they move through the federal rulemaking process.
Other ATF Changes
NFA Tax Repeal: $0 Tax Stamp Effective January 1, 2026
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, into law, marking one of the most significant pieces of legislation for the gun industry and Second Amendment advocates in recent years. The law eliminated the $200 National Firearms Act tax stamp for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and Any Other Weapons (AOWs).
As of January 1, 2026, these NFA items no longer require a tax stamp. Registration and compliance requirements remain unchanged. FFLs and gun stores must still submit ATF Form 1 or Form 4, provide fingerprints, photos, and maintain accurate serial number records for every NFA item. Machine guns and destructive devices remain subject to the existing $200 tax and all NFA requirements.
Even after the tax repeal, the federal government continues to enforce recordkeeping and form submissions to protect public safety and prevent unlawful firearm transfers.
For deeper FastBound coverage, see our NFA Tax Stamp guide.
NFA Form Revisions: Form 1, Form 4, Form 5, and Form 5320.20
The $0 tax stamp change triggered revisions to four ATF forms, all effective January 1, 2026. ATF Form 1 (Application to Make and Register an NFA Firearm), ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration), ATF Form 5 (Application for Tax Exempt Transfer and Registration), and ATF Form 5320.20 (Application to Transport Interstate or to Temporarily Export Certain NFA Firearms) all received updates to reflect the new tax stamp structure.
Beyond the $0 tax stamp field changes, ATF used the revision opportunity to modernize Form 1 specifically. The Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) notification requirement was removed. The embedded photo box was replaced with the option to attach a passport-style photo or a copy of a photo ID. Race and ethnicity fields were combined, additional digital signature types are now accepted, and Copy 2 of the fillable PDF auto-populates from Copy 1.
For a full breakdown of every Form 1 change line by line, see FastBound’s ATF NFA Form 1 Changes guide.
Zero Tolerance Policy Rescinded
On April 7, 2025, ATF announced the end of its Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy, commonly called the zero tolerance policy. ATF Order 5370.1H formalized the change on May 6, 2025, replacing the prior framework with a graduated administrative action policy that weighs willfulness, materiality, and prior compliance history before recommending license revocation.
Under the previous policy, a single paperwork error on a Form 4473 could trigger revocation proceedings, and license revocations climbed to record highs in 2023 and 2024. The new framework distinguishes genuine compliance failures from inadvertent clerical errors. FFLs whose licenses were revoked or surrendered under the old policy may reapply.
New ATF Director Robert Cekada, confirmed April 29, 2026, has continued the reform direction set in 2025. Inspections going forward focus on willful violators and criminal actors rather than honest mistakes by responsible licensees.
How FastBound Helps FFLs Stay Compliant
FastBound provides the firearm industry with a robust compliance platform designed to meet ATF and Department of Justice requirements, while reducing errors and avoiding penalties:
- Electronic A&D Bound Book and ATF Form 4473: Fully compliant with ATF final rule requirements and digital recordkeeping standards.
- Automatic Updates: Responds instantly to policy changes, from NFA tax updates to revised ATF forms.
- Error Prevention: Detects paperwork errors and clerical mistakes before they lead to disciplinary action.
- Legal Protection through FFLGuard: Offers legal support from National Coordinating Counsel and Subject Matter Experts during ATF inspections, enforcement actions, or compliance disputes.
- Audit-Ready Reporting: Provides formatted reports for ATF or any law enforcement agency inspection, protecting firearm dealers from compliance risks.