Notice2026-09183
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection; Firearms Transaction Record-ATF Form 5300.9 and 5300.9A (“Form 4473”)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 8, 2026
Issuing agencies
Justice DepartmentAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau
Abstract
The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25448-25449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09183]
Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 89 / Friday, May 8, 2026 / Notices
[[Page 25448]]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
[OMB 1140-0020]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection
eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection;
Firearms Transaction Record--ATF Form 5300.9 and 5300.9A (``Form
4473'')
AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
Department of Justice.
ACTION: 60-Day notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), will be submitting the following
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: ATF encourages comments on this information collection. You may
submit written comments until midnight on July 7, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and recommendations for this
information collection, especially on the estimated public burden or
associated response time, to Jason Gluck, Firearms Industry Programs
Branch, by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#63252a3321230217054d040c15"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abede2fbe9ebcadfcd85ccc4dd">[email protected]</span></a>, or by mail to 99 New York Avenue NE,
6N-509; Washington, DC 20226. Identify comments by the OMB control
number 1140-0020. You may view the proposed information collection
instrument online at <a href="https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/federal-register-actions/forms-and-information-collection">https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/federal-register-actions/forms-and-information-collection</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions or need a copy
of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or
additional information, contact: Jason Gluck, FIPB, either by mail at
99 New York Avenue NE, 6N-509; Washington, DC 20226, by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d7919e879597b6a3b1f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5016190012103124367e373f26">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 202-648-7190.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We encourage written comments and
suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the
proposed information collection. Your comments should address one or
more of the following four points:
--Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary to
properly perform ATF's functions, including whether the information
will have practical utility;
--Evaluate the agency's estimate of the proposed information
collection's burden for accuracy, including validity of the methodology
and assumptions used;
--Evaluate whether, and if so, how, the quality, utility, and clarity
of the collected information can be enhanced; and
--Minimize the information collection's burden on those who are to
respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical,
or other technological collection techniques or other forms of
information technology, e.g., permitting people to submit electronic
responses.
Overview of This Information Collection
1. Abstract: Prior to transferring a firearm, a federal firearms
licensee (FFL) must determine if the unlicensed transferee may lawfully
receive the firearm. The FFL must also initiate a background check.
Form 4473 is the vehicle by which transferees provide the necessary
information for the FFLs to accomplish both statutorily required tasks.
This collection is critical to law enforcement, complying with statutes
prohibiting certain persons from possessing firearms, facilitating
crime gun traces.
2. Type of information collection: revising a previously approved
collection.
3. Title of the form/collection: Firearms Transaction Record.
4. Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the
Department sponsoring the collection:
Form number: ATF Form 5300.9 and 5300.9A (``Form 4473'').
Component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives;
U.S. Department of Justice.
5. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as
well as the obligation to respond:
Affected public: individuals or households, private sector for-or
not-for-profit institutions.
Obligation to respond: required to obtain a benefit (firearm) and
mandatory per 18 U.S.C. 922(b)-(d) and 27 CFR 478.99.
6. Estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of
time estimated for an average respondent to respond: There are an
estimated 22,500,265 respondents associated with this information
collection annually. Each respondent completes the form prior to
acquiring a firearm. ATF estimates that it will take each respondent
approximately 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to complete the form.
7. Estimate of the total annual burden (in hours) associated with
the collection: The estimated annual public burden associated with this
collection is 5,625,091 total hours, which is equal to 22,500,365
(total respondents) * 1(# of responses per respondent) * 0.25 (15
minutes).`
8. Estimate of the total annual other cost burden associated with
the collection, if applicable: $0.
Estimated Total Hourly Burden
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Time per
Activity Number of Frequency Total annual response Total annual
respondents responses (hours) burden (hours)
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Complete Firearms Transaction Record............................... 22,500,365 1 546,424 .20 109,285
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Revisions to This Information Collection
ATF is revising information collection (IC) OMB 1140-0020 to
include material changes to the form in its entirety and updates to the
hourly burden from the previous renewal. These changes have decreased
the hourly burden per respondent by consolidating previously multiple
transferee sections into one page, reducing the number of blocks,
questions, and information to make it easier to read and respond,
reorganizing the questions for faster response and easier reading, and
limiting the requested information to items required by statute, in
addition to allowing respondents to submit copies of their
identification documents, rather than transcribing the information onto
the form. More specifically, ATF is making the following changes to
Form 4473 as part of this revision to make it easier and faster for
respondents and licensees to complete the form and align it more
closely with the statute and with plain
[[Page 25449]]
writing requirements. The following changes will be implemented:
1. Edits made throughout for plain writing purposes, changes in
voice from passive to active language, and punctuation edits
throughout.
2. Some items have moved to different locations and been rephrased
due to reorganization throughout the document. The new organization
allows transferees and FFLs to complete each of their pages, rather
than the previous structure, in which sections alternated, requiring
pass-backs and more time.
3. Two checkboxes added (if applicable to the transaction) to the
top right-hand side of the form.
4. Section headings A--D have all been removed.
5. Firearm information that was initially the first section of the
document has been moved to new item 5 on the 2026 version.
6. Transferee will now complete the first four questions on the
form (including the transferee's information, transferee's eligibility
to receive a firearm, citizenship questions, and certification
questions).
7. In transferee information section (which was previously box 14)
labeled SEX, non-binary was removed. The only selections are male or
female and this is now item 1.
8. Boxes are included for transferee to indicate if their first
name is an ``initial only'' or to indicate ``no middle name.''
9. The separate ethnicity and race sections have been combined into
one race/ethnicity question (new item 1) with minor changes. Hispanic
or Latino is now a checkbox like the others, and a new box has been
added for Middle Eastern/North African. These changes are to correspond
to Census Bureau categories and recent executive order requiring the
updates.
10. The transferee eligibility questions (i.e., those which may
prohibit or qualify the transaction) are now item 2 (completed by
transferee) and transferee must attest to statements by initialing
items 2a through 2d. No longer checkboxes of ``yes'' or ``no.'' The
question which was previously item 21a. (eligibility) question ``are
you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) . . .'' no longer
precedes the eligibility (prohibiting) questions and is now located in
item no. 2 and rephrased as ``not engaging in a straw purchase'',
because of statutory changes in 2022.
11. Questions related to citizenship and alien or non-immigrant
alien status, (formerly items 21l, m1 and m2) are now part of item 3
(transferee citizenship). Former question 21n, related to making a sale
to a nonimmigrant alien not meeting one of the exceptions, has been
removed.
12. The transferee's certification that directly followed the
eligibility (prohibiting) questions is now item 4 (transferee
certification part I). It has been reworded as declarative statements
to which the transferee attests, indicating they understand all parts
of the transaction and what they are signing. The arrangement of the
statements is slightly different.
13. Whether the firearm(s) are handgun, long gun, or other has been
removed from the form (formerly item 24). However, there is an optional
area in which the FFL may note this on page 4, if they wish.
14. What was formerly item 25 is now item 5, but `county' has been
removed as part of the address. It is not required by the statute.
15. Identification (formerly item 26a) is now item 7, and the FFL
must either attach a copy of the document or they can record the
information on page 4.
16. Former items 26b (supplemental issued documentation), 26c.
(official military orders), and 26d. (exception to nonimmigrant alien
prohibition) are now all part of item 7 (with new wording).
17. The notice regarding the under-21 waiting period, right before
the NICS section, was removed. However, there is similar wording in a
later section of the new form related to 21-and-over or under-21
transactions in item 11.
18. Transferee certification has now been broken into transferee
certification part I (item 4) and part II (item 8) (part II is what was
formerly called ``recertification'').
19. Transferor certification heading has been changed to FFL
certification and has slightly different wording. This is now item 9.
20. The reminder for completing ATF Form 3310.4 (multiple sales
report) was removed from the Form 4473.
21. Many instruction sections were removed. They will be available
on ATF's website for persons who have questions. The remaining
instructions have been shortened significantly and written in plain
writing.
If you require additional information, contact: Darwin Arceo,
Department Clearance Officer; United States Department of Justice;
Justice Management Division, Enterprise Portfolio Management; Two
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W-218; Washington, DC.
Dated: April 17, 2026.
Darwin Arceo,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2026-09183 Filed 5-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.