ATF Wait Times: Processing Times for Every Form
How long ATF is taking on all 15 forms, eForms and paper, plus wait times by year and how long it takes to get an FFL. Every number comes from ATF.
Applications finalized in August 2026; ATF updated its numbers October 15, 2026.
All 15 FormsWait Times by YearHow Long to Get an FFLFAQMore ATF Data
Current ATF Processing Times for All 15 Forms
Average days for applications ATF finalized in August 2026. A dash means ATF doesn’t take that form that way.
| Form | eForm | Paper | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 7 FFL application | — | 60 days | Required |
| Form 4 Individual Transfer to a person | 6 days | 28 days | Voluntary* |
| Form 4 Trust Transfer to a trust or company | 20 days | 37 days | Voluntary* |
| Form 1 Make an NFA item | 21 days | 79 days | Voluntary* |
| Form 2 Notice of manufacture or import | 1 day | 83 days | Depends |
| Form 3 Tax-exempt transfer between SOT dealers | 1 day | 266 days | Depends |
| Form 5 Tax-exempt transfer, e.g. to a government | 1 day | 6 days | Depends |
| Form 6 Import permit | 1 day | 4 days | Required |
| Form 6 NIA Temporary import by a nonimmigrant | — | 13 days | Required |
| Form 9 Permanent export of NFA items | 1 day | 2 days | Depends |
| Form 10 Registration by government entities | 25 days | 14 days | Depends |
| Form 20 Take an NFA item across state lines | 2 days | 11 days | Required SBR, SBS, MG, DD |
| Form 3311.4 Marking variance | — | 30 days | Required |
| Form 5400.13 Explosives license or permit | — | 90 days | Required |
| Form 5400.28 Explosives employee possessor | — | 90 days | Required |
* Since October 9, 2026, ATF guidance treats approval and registration as voluntary for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and AOWs. Machine guns and destructive devices still require approval, and state law may still require registration. Not legal advice. “vs. Last Month” compares eForms where ATF offers them, otherwise paper (shown on wider screens).
ATF Wait Times by Year
Yearly averages of what ATF published, in days. Before December 2024, ATF posted estimates instead of monthly averages, sometimes in weeks or months; years that include those estimates are marked ~. Swipe the table for earlier years.
| Form | Aug 2026 | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 7 FFL (Paper) | 60 | 60 | 60 | ~61 | ~61 | ~61 | ~61 |
| Form 4 Individual (eForm) | 6 | 8 | 16 | ~41 | ~192 | — | — |
| Form 4 Trust (eForm) | 20 | 24 | 21 | ~128 | ~244 | — | — |
| Form 4 (Paper) | 28 | 26 | 79 | ~245 | ~301 | ~365 | ~223 |
| Form 1 (eForm) | 21 | 44 | 15 | ~57 | ~41 | ~60 | ~60 |
| Form 3 (eForm) | 1 | 1 | 3 | ~4 | ~7 | ~10 | ~10 |
How Long Does It Take to Get an FFL?
ATF’s own guide puts the process at about 60 days from receipt of a properly completed application. Prep time, plus any state and local licenses, comes on top.
The Steps
- Prepare. Pick the license type, check zoning and set up the business.
- Apply. Send Form 7 with fingerprints, a photo and the fee. Federal rules give ATF 60 days from receipt of a properly executed application to approve or deny it.
- Interview. An ATF Industry Operations Investigator meets the applicant in person, reviews the requirements and the premises, and recommends issuing or denying the license.
- Licensed. ATF averaged 60 days on Form 7 applications finalized in August 2026.
- Optional: SOT. A licensee who will deal in NFA firearms also pays the special occupational tax (SOT).
ATF Wait Times FAQ
Tap or click a question to open its answer. Every number comes from ATF’s data for August 2026 and changes when ATF posts a new month.
Getting an FFL
How long does ATF take to approve an FFL?
ATF averaged 60 days on Form 7 applications it finalized in August 2026. Form 7 is paper only. ATF’s own guide puts the process at about 60 days from receipt of a properly completed application.
Source: ATF: Apply for a License
When does ATF’s clock start on an FFL application?
Federal rules give ATF 60 days to approve or deny an FFL application, starting on the date it receives a properly executed application. ATF’s own guide also counts from receipt of a properly completed application, so missing or wrong information adds time.
Source: 27 CFR 478.47
What happens at the ATF interview?
An ATF Industry Operations Investigator meets the applicant in person, goes over the federal requirements and looks at the business premises. The investigator then writes a report recommending that ATF issue or deny the license.
Source: ATF: Apply for a License
Has the FFL wait changed over the years?
Not much. ATF’s Form 7 average was about 61 days in 2021, about 61 in 2022, about 61 in 2023, about 61 in 2024, 60 in 2025 and 60 in 2026. Years marked “about” include ATF’s posted estimates from before monthly averages began.
NFA Forms: Form 4 and Form 1
How long does a Form 4 take?
For Form 4s finalized in August 2026, ATF averaged 6 days for an individual eForm and 20 days for a trust or company eForm. Paper Form 4s averaged 28 days (individual) and 37 days (trust or company). The median individual eForm 4 took 5 days.
Is an eForm faster than paper?
Yes, in every case ATF reports both ways. In August 2026: Form 4 individual 6 days by eForm, 28 days on paper; Form 4 trust or company 20 days by eForm, 37 days on paper; Form 1 21 days by eForm, 79 days on paper.
Is a Form 4 faster for an individual or a trust?
An individual was faster in August 2026: individual eForm 4s averaged 6 days and trust or company eForm 4s 20 days.
How long does a Form 1 take?
ATF averaged 21 days on Form 1 eForms finalized in August 2026 and 79 days on paper. Form 1 is the application to make an NFA item.
What’s the difference between the average and the median?
The average adds up every application ATF finalized in the month and divides by the count, so a few slow ones pull it up. The median is the middle application: half took less time, half took more. For individual eForm 4s in August 2026, the average was 6 days and the median 5 days.
Is It Still Required?
Is a Form 4 still required for a suppressor?
No, under ATF’s guidance of October 9, 2026. ATF does not enforce the requirement to apply for and receive approval before making or transferring suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and “any other weapons,” or the registration and tax-stamp requirements for them. ATF still processes NFA applications that are filed, since many state laws require registration. This is not legal advice.
Source: ATF press release, Oct 9, 2026
Which NFA items still need ATF approval to make or transfer?
Machine guns and destructive devices. The NFA applies to them in full, including the $200 tax. ATF’s October 9, 2026 guidance covers only suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and “any other weapons.”
Source: ATF press release, Oct 9, 2026
Is a Form 20 still needed to take an SBR or SBS across state lines?
Yes. The Gun Control Act still requires ATF approval before a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun goes across state lines, whether or not it is registered under the NFA. ATF gives that approval on Form 20.
Source: ATF press release, Oct 9, 2026
Does state law still apply?
Yes. ATF’s guidance does not override state or local laws that restrict NFA firearms, and many state laws require registration. Licensed dealers still complete Form 4473s, run NICS checks, keep records and follow the rest of the Gun Control Act.
About These Numbers
What month are these numbers for, and how often do they change?
They are ATF’s averages for applications finalized in August 2026, from ATF’s update of October 15, 2026. ATF posts a new month about once a month, several weeks after the month ends. ATF’s page is read every week, so a new month shows up on ffllaunch.co within about a week of ATF posting it.
Source: ATF: Current Processing Times
Why are these numbers different from other wait-time trackers?
They measure different things. ATF averages every application it finished in a month and publishes weeks later. Community trackers usually report the times their own users submit over recent weeks, which is a smaller and more recent group.
What does “~” mean in the yearly table?
Before December 2024, ATF posted estimates instead of monthly averages, sometimes in weeks or months (for example “2 months”). A year marked ~ includes those estimates, converted to days at 7 days a week and 30.4 days a month.
Can I download the data?
Yes. The CSV at ffllaunch.co/atf/data.csv lists every number with its month, form, eForm or paper, the wording ATF used and a link to the ATF page or archived copy it came from.
Source: ATF processing times (CSV)
More ATF Data
NFA Forms Processed by Fiscal Year
| Year | Forms | Firearms |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 1,507,443 | 5,817,780 |
| FY2024 | 1,373,305 | 4,731,918 |
| FY2023 | 1,069,787 | 3,571,938 |
| FY2022 | 709,508 | 3,059,054 |
| FY2021 | 546,224 | 2,731,716 |
| FY2020 | 512,315 | 2,353,436 |
2026 So Far (Through Sep 3)
| Submitted | Finalized | |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 | 221,501 | 216,423 |
| Form 4 | 1,234,158 | 1,213,723 |
| Total NFA eForms | 2,116,919 | 2,089,484 |
| Total NFA Forms | 2,148,371 | 2,120,708 |
NFA Items on the Federal Registry
| Type | Registered |
|---|---|
| Any Other Weapons | 97,373 |
| Short-Barreled Rifles | 1,258,554 |
| Short-Barreled Shotguns | 210,604 |
| Silencers | 6,905,213 |
Sources
- ATF: Current Processing Times
- ATF: Data & Statistics (fiscal-year tables)
- ATF: Update to NFA Transfer Guidance
- ATF: Apply for a License (Form 7)
- Earlier months: archived copies of ATF’s page (Internet Archive Wayback Machine); the CSV links each copy
Download every number: ATF processing times (CSV).