ATF Processing Times: NFA Wait Times by Form and Filing Type

ATF processing times for National Firearms Act applications now run between 1 and 36 days on average, depending on the form and whether you file electronically or on paper. As of February 2026, an individual filing an electronic Form 4 to transfer a suppressor or short-barreled rifle waits about 10 days, down from the six-to-nine-month waits common a few years ago.¹ The ATF updates these averages monthly, and a January 2026 tax change is expected to push application volume higher, which could lengthen waits in the months ahead.

Current Wait Times by Form

The figures below reflect applications finalized in February 2026.¹

Form 4: Transferring an Existing NFA Firearm

Form 4 is what most buyers encounter. When you purchase a suppressor or short-barreled rifle from a dealer, the dealer submits the Form 4 for you. Individuals filing electronically averaged 10 days, with a median of 12 days. Trusts filing electronically averaged 26 days, because every responsible person listed on the trust needs a separate background check. Paper Form 4 filings averaged 21 to 24 days for both individuals and trusts.¹

Form 1: Making Your Own NFA Firearm

Form 1 covers manufacturing an NFA item for personal use, such as building a short-barreled rifle from an existing rifle or assembling a suppressor. Electronic Form 1 filings averaged 36 days. Paper Form 1 submissions averaged 20 days.¹ Electronic running slower than paper is unusual and likely reflects a bottleneck specific to Form 1 eForms. You cannot begin building until your Form 1 is approved.

Form 3: Dealer-to-Dealer Transfers

Form 3 handles tax-exempt transfers between federally licensed dealers who hold a Special Occupational Tax status. These move fast because there’s no end-user background check. Electronic filings averaged 1 day; paper filings averaged 7 days.¹

Form 5: Tax-Exempt Transfers

Form 5 covers transfers that qualify for a tax exemption, most commonly inheriting an NFA item from a deceased family member or transfers between government agencies.² Electronic filings averaged 3 days; paper filings averaged 6 days.¹

Electronic vs. Paper Filing

The ATF’s eForms system lets applicants file digitally instead of mailing paper.³ For most forms, electronic is noticeably faster. Form 4 individual eForms averaged 10 days versus 21 days on paper. Form 3 eForms processed in a single day versus a week on paper. Form 5 eForms took 3 days versus 6.¹

The exception right now is Form 1, where paper (20 days) is finishing faster than eForms (36 days). If you’re filing a Form 1, check the ATF’s processing times page before choosing your method, since this gap may close as volumes shift.

Individual vs. Trust Applications

Whether you file as an individual or through a trust affects your wait. Individuals submit one set of fingerprints and one photograph, so the ATF runs a single background check.⁴ Trust applicants must submit fingerprints and a photograph for every responsible person named in the trust.⁵ Each person must clear a background check before the file can move.

The gap shows up sharply on electronic Form 4 filings: 10 days for individuals versus 26 days for trusts. On paper the difference mostly disappears (21 versus 24 days), because paper handling dominates regardless of applicant type.¹ If your trust names multiple trustees, one delayed background check holds up the entire application.

Why Wait Times May Climb

Since 1934, most NFA transfers carried a $200 federal tax. That changed on January 1, 2026, when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the tax for every NFA category except machine guns and destructive devices. The transfer tax is now $0 for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any-other-weapons.⁶ The same $0 rate applies to the making tax. Machine guns and destructive devices still carry the $200 tax.⁷

The paperwork stayed the same. You still need an approved ATF application, fingerprints, a photograph, and a background check before you can take possession.⁴ With the financial barrier gone, application volume is likely to rise, and rising volume typically pushes processing times up. Check the ATF’s current figures before making purchase decisions that depend on a specific timeline.

How to Check Your Application Status

The NFA Division takes phone inquiries at (304) 616-4500.⁸ For applications older than 90 days, you can also email IPB@atf.gov.⁹ Have the firearm serial number and your identifying information ready.

If you filed through eForms, your account dashboard shows one of these statuses:

Submitted or In Process: the application has been received and is either awaiting your fingerprint cards or actively being reviewed by an examiner.
Pending Research: the ATF flagged something that needs additional verification before processing begins, often the manufacturer, model, or caliber entered on the form, or a firearm description not already on file.
Approved: for eForms submissions, the approval document arrives as a PDF attachment by email.
Disapproved: the application was denied, and the notice explains why so you can decide whether to correct and resubmit.

Correction Letters

If the ATF finds an error, you’ll get a correction letter rather than an outright denial. The letter explains what needs fixing and gives a deadline, typically about one month from the date the examiner created the letter. Miss that deadline and the ATF disapproves the application, forcing you to start over. Check the deadline printed on the letter as soon as it arrives.

What Can Push You Past the Average

Every NFA application requires a background check through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The application cannot be approved until the FBI returns a result.¹⁰ Most checks clear quickly. If the FBI marks yours “delayed,” the application sits until the FBI resolves the record that triggered the hold.

A delayed status is not a denial. It means the FBI found a record that needs additional research to determine whether you’re prohibited from possessing firearms, and federal regulations give the FBI extra time to complete that research before issuing a final proceed or deny.¹¹ Prior arrests, protective orders, or a mental health adjudication all raise the odds of a delay. There is no way to speed up an FBI delay from your end.

If the check comes back denied and the ATF disapproves the application, the ATF and FBI have a formal process letting you challenge the background check result through the FBI’s Firearm Related Challenge system. The ATF sends a letter with your NICS Transaction Number and filing instructions.¹⁰ If your check is stuck in delayed status rather than denied, you can enroll in the FBI’s Voluntary Appeal File to speed up future checks. Neither process is an appeal of the NFA application itself; if the FBI reverses its finding, you would submit a new NFA application.

1
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Current Processing Times
2
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Application to Transfer and Register NFA Firearm (Tax-Exempt), ATF Form 5320.5
3
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. eForms Applications
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 5812 – Transfers
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ATF Form 5320.23 – National Firearms Act (NFA) Responsible Person Questionnaire
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 5811 – Transfer Tax
7
Federal Register. Changes to National Firearms Act Tax Remittance Provisions
8
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Licensing and Other Services
9
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. National Firearms Act Division
10
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ATF and FBI Formalize Appeals Process for Certain National Firearms Act Applicants
11
eCFR. 28 CFR 25.6 – Accessing Records in the System