Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested; Revising a Previously Approved Collection; Explosives Responsible Person Questionnaire (RPQ)-ATF Form 5400.27

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), will be submitting the following information collection request (ICR) 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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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67855-67856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22010]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB 1140-0074]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comments Requested; Revising a Previously Approved Collection; 
Explosives Responsible Person Questionnaire (RPQ)--ATF Form 5400.27

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 (ICR) 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 December 28, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and recommendations for this 
information collection, especially on the estimated public burden or 
associated response time, to Shawn Stevens, Federal Explosives 
Licensing Center, by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f1b7b4bdb2b1908597df969e87"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b0d0e07080b2a3f2d652c243d">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, or by mail to Federal 
Explosives Licensing Center (ATF-FELC); 244 Needy Road; Martinsburg, WV 
25405. Identify comments by the OMB control number 1140-0074. 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 Shawn Stevens, Federal Explosives 
Licensing Center, by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5513101916153421337b323a23"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9fffcf5faf9d8cddf97ded6cf">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at 877-283-
3352. If you require additional information on DOJ's ICR process for 
this renewal request, 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.

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:


[[Page 67856]]


--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 the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
being collected can be enhanced, and if so, how; 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

    Abstract: Title XI of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (the 
Act) and its implementing regulations at 27 CFR part 555 require that 
persons who want to engage in the business of manufacturing, importing, 
or dealing in explosives, or using them, must file an application with 
ATF for an explosives license/permit. This requirement also mandates 
that the applicant include specific information about responsible 
persons (RPs) and other employees who are authorized to handle 
explosives in the course of their duties (employee possessors, EPs). 
RPs are persons who have the power to direct a federal explosives 
licensee/permittee's management and policies pertaining to explosive 
materials. Further, 18 U.S.C. 843(h) requires ATF to conduct background 
checks on the applicant and any RPs and EPs, and section 843(a) 
requires that RPs submit fingerprints and a photograph with the form. 
These requirements help ensure compliance with the provisions of 18 
U.S.C. 842(i), which prohibits certain persons from possessing 
explosive materials. This information collection covers the requirement 
to submit information on RPs. All persons holding ATF explosives 
licenses/permits must report to ATF identifying information about their 
RPs and any subsequent changes to their RPs. ATF's regulations 
establish that applicants must use ATF Form 5400.27, Explosives 
Responsible Person Questionnaire (RPQ) for this purpose. Doing so helps 
ensure that respondents provide all the necessary information to 
conduct the RP background checks and ensure they are not prohibited 
from operations involving explosives.
    Type of information collection: revising a previously approved 
collection.
    Title of the form/collection: Explosives Responsible Person 
Questionnaire (RPQ).
    Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department sponsoring the collection: Form number: ATF Form 5400.27. 
Component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
    Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well 
as the obligation to respond: Affected public: business or other for-
profit, individuals or households. Obligation to respond: required to 
obtain a benefit.
    Estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time 
estimated for an average respondent to respond: There are an estimated 
7,509 respondents associated with this collection per year, and it will 
take each respondent an average of approximately 20 minutes (0.33 
hours) per response to complete their responses.
    Estimate of the total annual burden (in hours) associated with the 
collection: The estimated annual public burden associated with this 
collection is 2,478 hours, which is equal to 7,509 (total respondents) 
* 1 (# of responses per respondent) * 0.33 hours.
    Estimate of the total annual other cost burden associated with the 
collection, if applicable: $187,750 for fingerprints as a cost of $50 
per respondent.

                                                              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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Completing application.............................................           7,509                1            7,509             0.33            2,478
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Revisions to This Information Collection

    As part of this ICR renewal, ATF is making a minor change to the 
title of the IC to align with the way ATF and industry have been 
referring to it, from ``List of Responsible Persons'' to ``Explosives 
Responsible Person Questionnaire (RPQ).'' In addition, ATF is changing 
the form's number from 5400.13A/5400.16 to ATF Form 5400.27. The form 
no longer needs a reference to a long-rescinded merged form, and under 
ATF's updated numbering structure, numbering it 5400.27 allows it to be 
numerically next to the Employee Possessor Questionnaire. These two 
forms are normally submitted together as part of an application 
package. ATF has also updated the digitally fillable and signable form 
to include an email address and instructions for submitting 
electronically, and made minor plain writing edits throughout. Finally, 
the number of respondents has decreased during the past three years, 
from 11,875 in 2023 to 7,509 now, a decrease of 4,366 respondents. The 
decrease in respondents resulted in a corresponding decrease in the 
total annual burden hours, from 3,958 to 2,478 a decrease of 1,480 
hours.

    October 26, 2026.
Darwin Arceo,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2026-22010 Filed 10-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P


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