An FFL Bound Book, or Acquisition & Disposition (A&D) Record is a legal obligation for every Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). Whether in paper form or stored electronically with firearms compliance software, it’s important to maintain a working relationship with your local Industry Operations Investigators (IOIs) from the ATF.
Bound Book Firearm Acquisition Information
Your bound books or firearm acquisition information must include:
- Manufacturer
- Importer (if any)
- Country of Manufacturer (optional, but required for some FFL types)
- Model
- Serial Number
- Type
- Caliber or Gauge
- Acquisition Date
- Name and Address or Name and License No. (if licensee)
Bound Book Disposition Information
The disposition information in your ATF Bound Book must include:
- Disposition Date
- Name
- Address or License Number (if licensee), or ATF Form 4473 Serial Number (if form 4473 filed numerically)
Considerations to Keep in Mind
If you’re a firearm dealer, manufacturer, or licensed importer, you must record the acquisition and disposition of firearms within certain time frames, and in a particular format in your A&D Book. Enter the information marked on the actual firearm – that’s what the law enforcement officer will use to request a firearm trace. Note that these requirements change if the firearm is imported from outside the United States.
Paper records and FFL logbooks are legal, but using electronic bound book software for your A&D record keeping can save you time, provide more accurate records, and complete faster audits.
Do I Need Help Running My FFL?
The Code of Federal Regulations is more than two inches thick. You can call the ATF and ask questions, but FFLGuard counsels all clients with this advice — get everything in writing. What happens if you don’t do something correctly? How do you remember all of those code sections? How do you stay up to date with new regulations?
The Benefits of FastBound’s Solutions
The easiest way to manage your FFL is with a firearms compliance software like FastBound. The ATF is a governmental entity that doesn’t verify or validate software. Since FastBound started in 2010, competitors have hidden behind endorsements or statements like “we’ve never had a problem” or “our customers have passed audits.” That logic is like saying that pointing a muzzle in an unsafe direction is acceptable because you’ve never had a negligent discharge. It’s not acceptable for firearms safety, and it’s not acceptable for firearms compliance, especially when FFLs are under more scrutiny than ever.
FastBound has articles on topics like timings, markings, and many other common questions and tips, all supported by FFLGuard.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This physical or electronic A&D bound book is a record that Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) are required by law to maintain. The bound book contains a detailed record of all transactions that occur through the firearms business, including the acquisition and disposition of firearms and information about the buyers and sellers involved in the transactions. This allows the ATF to trace firearms used in crimes and ensure that licensed firearms dealers comply with federal laws.
FastBound improves the process by providing a user-friendly and efficient way to create and maintain compliant records of firearm transactions. We eliminate hand-written paper records, help ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations, and enable efficient record-keeping. This allows for easy searching, filtering, and sorting of data, generating reports, and exporting data to other systems.
FastBound’s software helps Federal Firearms Licensees manage firearm transactions and comply with federal regulations. We simplify the process of creating and maintaining A&D records. We allow FFLs to easily record and track firearms transactions, manage ATF Form 4473s on paper or electronically, and stay on top of multiple sale reports, while we protect you from potential compliance issues.
Filling out an FFL log book involves recording specific information about every firearm transaction:
- Record the date of the transaction, the name, and the address when transacting with an individual or organization. You only need their license name and complete FFL number when transacting with another FFL.
- At the time of acquisition, record the firearm manufacturer, importer, model, and serial number. Also take note of the caliber, type, and other identifying information that varies by license type.
- If the transaction involves a background check, record the transaction serial number from Form 4473.
Multiple sales must be reported to the ATF and local law enforcement. This is crucial for preventing illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchases and generally applies to sales of two or more firearms within five business days. Failure to report multiple sales is one of the most commonly cited violations.
FFL holders must retain their A&D records for at least 20 years. This requirement was established by the Gun Control Act of 1968, which mandates that FFLs maintain accurate and complete firearms transaction records.
The 20-year minimum retention requirement applies to all types of A&D records, including records of firearms that were lost, stolen, or destroyed. FFL holders must also ensure that their A&D records are readily accessible for requested ATF inspections. Some FFL holders may choose to retain their A&D records for more extended periods for business or legal reasons.
While spreadsheets are a convenient and cost-effective solution for record-keeping, there are several reasons why spreadsheets are not a suitable choice:
- Spreadsheets don’t catch mistakes. It’s the user’s responsibility to make sure the data is accurate, which increases the potential for errors.
- Spreadsheets lack compliant audit trails. Without audit trails, it’s impossible to track who made changes to the spreadsheet.
- Spreadsheets don’t satisfy the backup requirements of ATF Ruling 2016-1.
- Google Sheets are limited to 40,000 rows. While Excel allows more rows, it struggles with 100,000 entries. This can be problematic for FFL holders who need more than one person to access records at once or have many transactions.
- Spreadsheets don’t have the permissions to manage firearms compliance effectively. It’s difficult to control who has access to the data and what they can do with it.
- Spreadsheets don’t come with a guaranteed legal defense. The FFL is liable for the failures and shortcomings of the chosen spreadsheet software or template.
FFL dealers must maintain accurate and complete records of their firearms inventory. While many software solutions exist to assist with record-keeping and compliance, understand that the ATF doesn’t approve or endorse any specific FFL software solutions. The FFL holder must evaluate their options and select software that meets their record-keeping and compliance requirements.
FastBound is a leading provider. We work with the leading firearms compliance law firms, subject matter experts, trade groups, and legal programs in the country to ensure compliance from day one. We also provide a guaranteed legal defense against administrative actions related to the use of our software.
Relying on a “free” compliance solution does not provide sufficient safeguards for an FFL business and could put you at risk.
Depending on an FFL holder’s specific needs, different software solutions are suitable. It’s essential for FFL holders to carefully evaluate their options and choose a provider that meets their specific needs, such as compliance with ATF regulations, legal support, ease of use, data security, and responsive customer support. Also consider factors like software features, pricing, customer reviews, and reputation in the industry when selecting an FFL compliance software provider.