NFA Resources

Form 4 Guide

Buying a suppressor means filing an ATF Form 4. It sounds bureaucratic, but the process is straightforward — and as of 2026, faster and cheaper than it has been in decades. Here's what it is and what to expect.

What is a Form 4?

The Form 4 — officially the ATF Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of a Firearm — is the federal application that transfers a National Firearms Act (NFA) item, like a suppressor, from a dealer to you. Until it's approved, the suppressor stays at a licensed dealer; once it's approved, it's legally yours to take home. Every suppressor sale goes through this process — there's no over-the-counter purchase.

How a suppressor transfer works

1
Buy and pay. You purchase the suppressor and pay through our payment partner, GunTab. The suppressor stays with the selling dealer — nothing ships to your door.
2
Dealer-to-dealer transfer. The selling dealer files an ATF Form 3 to ship the suppressor to a licensed SOT dealer (an FFL/SOT) near you that you choose to receive it.
3
File your Form 4. Working through your receiving dealer, you complete the Form 4 and provide fingerprints (FD-258 cards) and a passport-style photo. If you're buying through a trust, each responsible person completes their portion.
4
ATF review. The ATF runs a background check and processes the application. Your receiving dealer can track its status.
5
Approval and pickup. When the ATF approves the transfer, your dealer is notified and you pick up your suppressor in person.

What it costs

Tax stamp: $0. As of January 1, 2026, the federal transfer tax on suppressors was reduced to $0 — the old $200 stamp is gone for silencers (and short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and AOWs). You still file the Form 4; there's just no tax to pay on it.

Dealer transfer fee. Your receiving FFL charges a fee to process the transfer and hand off the item — usually a modest flat fee, paid to that dealer at pickup, not through this site.

How long it takes

Far less than it used to. For years, suppressor approvals took many months. Since the move to electronic filing (eForms), times have dropped sharply: as of early 2026, electronic Form 4 applications filed by an individual have been approving in roughly two weeks or less on average, with trust filings often taking somewhat longer and paper filings far longer. These times move around — they've been fluctuating with the surge in applications after the tax change — so treat any estimate as a current snapshot, not a promise.

Individual or trust?

You can file as an individual or through an NFA gun trust. A trust lets more than one person (the trust's responsible persons) legally possess the suppressor and can simplify estate planning, but it adds paperwork for each person. Both are filed electronically, and neither is officially faster. Which one fits is about how you want to own and pass on the item, not approval speed — talk it through with your dealer or an attorney if you're unsure.

What you'll need

  • Your completed Form 4 — your receiving dealer walks you through it
  • Fingerprints on FD-258 cards
  • A passport-style photo
  • For a trust: the trust documents and responsible-person paperwork
This guide is general information, not legal advice. NFA rules and processing times change, and state and local law applies on top of federal law. Confirm the specifics with your receiving dealer and your own state's requirements before you buy.
More NFA resources: State laws · Tax stamps