On October 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and ATF published an open letter, FAQ, and press release describing nationwide enforcement discretion for certain National Firearms Act items. This is guidance and policy — not a repeal of the NFA and not legal advice. Laws and policy can change.
What changed (federal enforcement)
For silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapon categories on which Congress set the making/transfer tax to $0 (Public Law 119-21, effective January 1, 2026), ATF states it will cease enforcing key NFA provisions against any person, including: prior approval to make or transfer (Form 1 / Form 4 as an enforcement requirement), registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR), related tax-stamp workflow, marking requirements for those categories, and (per DOJ statements summarized in industry reporting) certain interstate transport provisions for unregistered NFA firearms in those categories. Machine guns and destructive devices remain fully regulated with a $200 tax.
What did not change
The Gun Control Act still applies: licensed dealers, Form 4473, NICS where required, acquisition and disposition records, and no transfer to prohibited persons. Special Occupational Tax (SOT) is still required for dealers, manufacturers, and importers engaged in the NFA business. State and local law are not preempted — if your state bans suppressors or requires federal NFA registration, those rules still govern. ATF will continue processing voluntary Forms 1, 2, 3, and 4 for buyers and dealers who want NFRTR entries.
Buying from Revolver Seal (Utah)
Revolver Seal LLC is a Utah Type 07 manufacturer / SOT. We still ship suppressors and Revolver Seal™ only to the FFL/SOT you select — never to a home address. In Utah and many other states, industry practice after Oct 9 is moving toward transfer at the receiving FFL with 4473/NICS rather than a months-long Form 4 wait, but your dealer sets the process. Consult your FFL before you order.
State bans and “NFA compliance” states
We do not offer NFA suppressor transfers to jurisdictions where civilian possession is prohibited (for example California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia — confirm with counsel). Separately, some states require items to remain federally registered under the NFA; buyers there may still need Form 4 / eForm 4 even when ATF is not enforcing registration federally. Checkout may warn you when your selected FFL is in one of those states.
Policy may reverse
Congress could amend the law, courts could narrow or expand injunctions, or a future administration could restore enforcement. Do not assume unregistered items will be grandfathered. We update site copy as guidance evolves — always verify with your FFL and qualified counsel.
Voluntary NFA registration & FFL inventory
ATF continues to accept voluntary NFA applications (Form 1, 2, 3, and 4) and maintain the NFRTR. Licensed dealers who transfer silencers or other $0-tax NFA items under the Gun Control Act may remove those units from federal NFA inventory records after the GCA transfer by emailing NFAFAX@atf.gov (per the Oct 9 FAQ). Industry alerts (including Orchid FFL notices) describe the same voluntary-registration and inventory-removal process.
Official sources
Open letter (PDF): https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/OPEN%20LETTER%20-%20NFA%20Guidance.pdf · FAQ (PDF): https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/FAQs%20-%20NFA%20Guidance.pdf · ATF firearms open letters index: https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/open-letters/firearms-open-letters · ATF press releases: https://www.atf.gov/news/press-releases · Industry / litigation summaries: https://saf.org/nfainjunction/