The internet is abuzz with the looming “ATF Blackout.” The term itself is ominous and has caused explosions on message boards and social media. Well, today I will take a few minutes to explain just what all of this means and clear up the confusion.
ATF Blackout – Understanding What’s Going On
In July of this year, Congress voted to eliminate the 91-year-old NFA fee for acquiring a “Tax Stamp”. The $200 tax was quite prohibitive when it was first imposed (equivalent to $4,701), but it has not increased since its original launch. Now, as of January 1st, 2026, the tax on suppressors, short-barreled shotguns, short-barreled rifles, and AOWs will be reduced to $0.
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With that change, the ATF has seen the writing on the wall. It expects, and rightfully so, a flood of NFA applications after the first of the year. Heck, I am even waiting to process six suppressors to save the money. Because of this anticipated avalanche of paperwork, the ATF will be closing down its eForm processing on December 26th. The ATF states it needs to modify its internal workflow for the $0 Tax Stamp. The goal is to handle eForm processing as quickly as possible, further reducing approval delays. They state that they will reopen all portals and processing on January 1st, 2026
Statutory Changes
“This is necessary to implement statutory changes contained within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which reduced the making and transfer tax for certain firearms to $0,” states the ATF’s eForms login page. “Deletion of all DRAFT applications is necessary because of the field and formatting changes required on the new forms, available January 1. This will also allow ATF to add additional functionality to the Form 4, allowing both qualified licensees as well as other transferors to submit Form 4 applications through the eForms system.” The ATF message also states, “Photographs, fingerprints, and Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) notifications will still be required on January 1.”
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ATF Blackout
So, what does this mean for you? Well, if you are planning to process an NFA item before the first of the year, you need to act quickly. Contact your gun shop and make sure they are on board with everything going on. Processing times at the moment are relatively fast, at about five days. Once January first hits, delays will be inevitable. They will certainly improve over time, but it will be chaos for a bit.
ATF Blackout Summary
| All eForm submissions and certifications will pause at midnight on Dec. 26 |
| This blackout will run until Jan. 1 in preparation for the $0 tax implementation |
| Any draft forms not submitted by Dec. 26 will be deleted |
| Any form submitted before the Dec. 26 deadline will continue processing |
| Current NFA processing times are just a few business days |
| Expect a surge in new submissions and delays as the $0 tax goes into effect |
| Starting Jan. 1, 2026, impacted Form 4 submissions will have a $0 tax stamp |
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