Suppressor forms approval times are surprisingly fast

[sapper1]

If you submitted on December 12, ATF states all those forms were approved before Jan 1st. Many of those from that timeframe did not receive approval emails even though they were approved. Have your dealer do a search on his eform site for the approval.

I will have them double check, thanks.

 

[jsdkms]

They are now running approximately. 1 week!

 

[ELR LVR]

On a serious note:
The ATF treat these as a gun.

DUDE!!!
that is an EXCELLENT argument

 

[sapper1]

If you submitted on December 12, ATF states all those forms were approved before Jan 1st. Many of those from that timeframe did not receive approval emails even though they were approved. Have your dealer do a search on his eform site for the approval.

Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. I ended up sending an email to the ATF last night letting them know that my Senator's office would be reaching out to them, and then I asked what the plans were for the ATF to refund the cost of the tax stamp to myself and others like me. By 6 am this morning, my form was approved, and I just got back from the dealer with the can.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Mine finally got submitted on Monday the 5th. LGS had been trying since the 1st. The last one took 2 days for approval. We'll see how long this one takes.

Quoting my own post. Update: got the Submitted/In Process on the 10th. Still have not received the approval.

 

[gkgeiger]

Quoting my own post. Update: got the Submitted/In Process on the 10th. Still have not received the approval.

Mine submitted on the 8th, not approved yet. Doesn’t seem to be any consistency. I hope people will continue to post approvals.

 

[sapper1]

Here is the email I sent to the ATF on 1/14; they seemed to respond pretty quickly afterwards. My dealer has passed this on to others who have the same issue. Feel free to use it as a template.

Sent to: eForms.general.info@atf.gov

I contacted my FFL, and they confirmed that my application is still in a pending status.


To reiterate, my eForm 4 was submitted to the ATF on December 12, 2025, and the $200 tax stamp fee was paid at that time. When I submitted the application, the reported processing time was approximately eleven days. As of January 14, 2026, I have not received any updates regarding the status of my submission.

As someone who works for a government agency that recently implemented a new system (albeit at the state level), I understand the challenges and delays that can accompany system transitions. For that reason, I intentionally submitted my application and paid the tax stamp prior to the new system going live.

That said, I am aware that many applicants have received approvals in as little as 24 hours, including submissions made after the new system was implemented. While I generally prefer not to escalate matters, it appears that my submission—and others submitted during the same timeframe—should have been processed by now or at least prioritized for completion under the new system.

I have also contacted my Senator, and his office will be reaching out on my behalf in an effort to help resolve this issue.

Additionally, I would like to inquire whether the ATF plans to refund the $200 tax stamp fee to applicants who paid it but whose applications have not yet been processed by the new system. Given the circumstances, this seems like a reasonable consideration for those who have been negatively impacted.

If there is additional information I should be aware of, or if there is something I am missing regarding the status of my application, please let me know.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

 

[d0nkey]

I’m going to express an opinion that many long-time stamp collectors likely share, but few openly state. Over the past 15 years, I’ve accumulated 23 suppressors and 12 SBRs, often enduring wait times exceeding a year. Because of that history, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a degree of resentment toward the $0 tax stamp.

I’m also concerned that suppressor manufacturers may tighten warranties and become less accommodating as a large influx of new NFA owners enters the space. Increased volume often brings increased abuse, whether intentional or not.

That said, personal feelings aside, this is undeniably a win for the Second Amendment—and on that front, I fully support it. Let's hope these approval times continue to be fast.

 

[BarnDweller]

I had purchased a little 22 can a few months ago but had the gun store wait until Jan to put in the paperwork. I waited for almost a year for the other 5 cans I have so 3 months to save me 200$ was nothing. We finished the paperwork last week and he said they were taking about 9 business days. I will see.

 

[gkgeiger]

Day 9 today for me! Don’t know if that’s week days though. I did read that someone got an approval email on a Sunday.