ATF Announces Big Changes to NFA Firearm Transfer Form (Form 4)

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is making big changes to Form 5320.4, also called “Form 4.” This is the form you use to transfer and register National Firearms Act (NFA) guns.

These changes will help make the form easier and faster to fill out. The ATF is asking people to send in comments about these changes by December 1, 2025. Comments can be submitted online at www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain by searching for “Application To Transfer and Register NFA Firearm (Tax-Paid)” or the OMB control number “1140-0014”.

Who is Affected?

This information collection affects state, local, and tribal governments, individuals and families, private businesses, and even the federal government.

People with NFA firearms have to apply to the ATF for approval to transfer or register their firearm using Form 4. The approved Form 4 is proof that the gun is legally registered.

Important Changes to Form 4

  • The number of people filling out this form has gone up a lot, from 123,339 last time to 546,424 now.
  • The average time to finish the form is now just 12 minutes, down from 30 minutes.
  • Many steps can now be done electronically. This lets people use digital fingerprints, digital signatures, photos from cell phones, and photocopies of IDs.
  • The extra requirement to send a copy of the form to local law enforcement (CLEO) is being removed.
  • The online fillable form now makes a second copy automatically.
  • The estimated total time people will spend on this a year is now 109,285 hours, which is much less than before.
  • The estimated total other annual costs will be $2,513,555.

Updates to the Tax Section

  • The $5 transfer tax box in Item 1 has been removed and replaced with a $0 box.
  • The instructions now state: “The transfer tax is $200.00 for machineguns and destructive devices. The transfer tax is $0.00 for other types of firearms.”

Other Major Form Revisions

  • The title of the form is now clearer.
  • The photo box has been removed. People can now use either a passport-style photo or a copy of a photo ID.
  • Race and ethnicity items are now combined.
  • More types of digital signatures can be used.
  • The fillable online form now links copy 1 and 2, so both are filled out at the same time.
  • New references to eForms and pay.gov have been added.
  • There are instructions for getting a refund.
  • The CLEO notification and extra copy are removed.
  • There are now instructions for married couples filling out the form together as a legal entity.
  • There are email addresses for help with different questions.
  • Typographical and grammar corrections have been made.

Public and ATF Feedback

One NFA firearms dealer submitted a comment. This person supported the changes. They liked the removal of the CLEO copy requirement and the push for more digital options. They said digital signatures and allowing a photo of a photo ID or cell phone photo made things easier.

ATF said they value feedback. They explained they are moving all NFA forms to electronic options. Full online submissions are planned for 2026. Other NFA forms are also getting updated.

For More Information

Contact Darwin Arceo, Department Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Justice, 145 N Street NE, Suite 4W-218, Washington, DC 20530.

You can also contact Meghan Tisserand at the National Firearms Act Division for more help.

Deadline

If you have thoughts about these changes, you must submit your comments by December 1, 2025. Visit www.reginfo.gov for more details.


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This article includes content collected from the Federal Register (federalregister.gov). The content is not an official government publication. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.