AFT U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Enforcement Programs and Services 2014 2014 ATF Publication 5300.4 Revised September 2014 U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Office of the Director Washington, DC 20226 Dear Federal Firearms Licensees: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), a component of the United States Department of Justice, is a law enforcement agency charged with protecting our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal possession, use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal possession, use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products. We are proud to partner with industries, law enforcement, and the community to protect the public we serve. Federal firearms licensees play a key role in safeguarding the public from violent crime by maintaining accurate records, instituting internal controls, and performing background checks on potential firearms purchasers. These practices have saved lives, prohibited violent criminals from obtaining firearms, and prevented firearms-related crimes. The 2014 edition of the Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide contains information that will help you comply with Federal laws and regulations governing the manufacture, importation and distribution of firearms and ammunition. This edition contains new and amended statutes enacted since publication of the 2005 edition, as well as updated regulations and rulings issued by ATF. In addition to these updated materials, in response to inquiries received from industry members, the public, and partner agencies, the 2014 edition contains additional and amended Questions and Answers to assist with compliance. Laws may change over time, as will information in this guide. The ATF website at www.ATF.gov is a good source of updated information and is one method ATF uses to communicate with licensees about changes to laws and regulations. Additionally, as always, you are welcome to contact your local ATF office for information or assistance. Thank you for working with us to make our communities safer. Sincerely, B. Todd Jones Director 1 NOTICE OF CORRECTIONS March 7, 2015 On January 15, 2015, ATF posted the 2014 Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide (the “2014 Guide”) to the ATF website (www.atf.gov). ATF last published this guide in 2005; the 2014 Guide incorporates almost a decade of updates to the federal firearms regulations. Since posting the 2014 Guide, ATF became aware that it contained some inadvertent omissions and editing errors. ATF has corrected these omissions and errors in an update to 2014 Guide posted on March 7, 2014. The corrected omissions and editing errors are: (1) At page 90, within Section III, Laws and Regulations, Sub-Part B., National Firearms Act, the citation and title for one of the regulations was not included with the text of the regulation. That citation and title, “§ 479.105 Transfer and possession of machine guns,” is now included. (2) At page 190, within the General Information section, the last two subparts of Item 10, Armor Piercing Ammunition, were not included. These subparts consist of: (a) the text of the 1994 amendment Congress made to the Gun Control Act’s (GCA) definition of armor piercing ammunition and, (b) a listing of the projectiles that have been granted exemptions to the GCA’s prohibition on armor piercing ammunition. These subparts are now included. (3) At page 102, within Section III, Laws and Regulations, Sub-part C, U.S. Munitions Import List, Category XIV, Toxicological Agents and Equipment and Radiological Equipment, the text of 27 CFR 447.21(c) did not reflect recent regulatory changes. Those language changes are now included. (4) At page 198, Question & Answer Item B8, grammatical errors have been corrected. (5) At page 206, Question & Answer Item I3, grammatical errors have been corrected. The 2014 Guide functions as a convenient reference source for the public and industry. The omissions and errors in the original posting in no way altered the legal force and effect of these provisions. ATF continues to review the 2014 Guide to ensure no other typographical or editing errors occurred in the publishing process. The public is welcome to provide input regarding the identification of any potential error in the 2014 Guide, or any other suggestions on improving the 2014 Guide. Please submit to: [email protected]. Any future corrections, additions or modifications to the 2014 Guide will be identified on this page. ATF apologizes for any confusion or inconvenience caused by publishing errors, and looks forward to continued dialogue with our regulated community and the general public. FEDERAL FIREARMS REGULATIONS REFERENCE GUIDE 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Message from the Director ................................................................................................................................................. 1 II. Editor’s Note ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 III. Laws and Regulations A. Gun Control Act 1. 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 ............................................................................................................................................ 7 § 921 Definitions. .................................................................................................................................. 7 § 922 Unlawful acts. ........................................................................................................................... 10 § 923 Licensing. ................................................................................................................................. 20 § 924 Penalties. .................................................................................................................................. 23 § 925 Exceptions: Relief from disabilities. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 26 § 925A Remedy for erroneous denial of firearms. ................................................................................ 27 § 926 Rules and regulations. .............................................................................................................. 28 § 926A Interstate transportation of firearms.......................................................................................... 28 § 926B Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers. .................................... 28 § 926C Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified retired law enforcement officers. ......................... 29 § 927 Effect on State law. ................................................................................................................... 30 § 928 Separability. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 30 § 929 Use of restricted ammunition. ................................................................................................... 30 § 930 Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities. ..................................... 30 § 931 Prohibition on purchase, ownership, or possession of body armor by violent felons. �������������� 31 2. 27 CFR Part 478 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 Subpart A Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 34 Subpart B Definitions ...................................................................................................................................... 34 Subpart C Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39 Subpart D Licenses............................................................................................................................................. 45 Subpart E License Proceedings.......................................................................................................................... 48 Subpart F Conduct of Business .......................................................................................................................... 50 Subpart G Importation......................................................................................................................................... 56 Subpart H Records ............................................................................................................................................. 62 Subpart I Exemptions, Seizures, and Forfeitures ............................................................................................... 69 Subpart J [Reserved] .......................................................................................................................................... 72 Subpart K Exportation ......................................................................................................................................... 72 B. National Firearms Act 1. 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 .......................................................................................................................................... 73 Subchapter