The ATF suspends registration rules for silencers, short-barreled rifles, shotguns and 'Any Other Weapons' nationwide, ending federal registration and advance approval for those items. The shift follows Congress cutting National Firearms Act taxes to zero and a Texas court ruling. Licensed dealers must still run background checks and keep records.
Why did the ATF suspend registration rules for these firearms?
Congress cut National Firearms Act manufacturing and transfer taxes to zero for silencers, short-barreled rifles, shotguns and Any Other Weapons under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A federal judge in Texas then issued an injunction in August, finding the mandatory registration and transfer provisions could no longer be justified once the tax was gone. The Justice Department extended that nonenforcement policy nationwide.
What firearm rules still apply?
All transactions remain subject to the Gun Control Act. Licensed dealers must still perform background checks and maintain transaction records. Machine guns and destructive devices remain covered by the National Firearms Act, and federal approval is still required to transport short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns across state lines. The ATF said it will keep accepting voluntary registrations from owners who want to document their items.
ATF Director Robert Cekada told federal firearms licensees the direction from the President, Congress and the courts is clear, and that the agency is following suit with its enforcement posture while staying focused on violent crime.
National Rifle Association executive director John Commerford called the announcement a historic milestone, saying it is what happens when all three branches of government are willing to follow the Constitution.
The agency said future legal changes could reinstate the earlier requirements without automatic grandfathering protection.
