Fingerprint and Photograph Requirements for Firearms Applications

What it does

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF") proposes amending regulatory requirements to submit fingerprints and photographs with firearms applications. Currently, applicants must submit 2" x 2" passport-style photographs and either one or two fingerprint cards, depending on the application type. ATF proposes that all applicants, whether individuals or responsible persons ("RPs") for entity applicants, could instead submit a copy of a photo ID, and that individuals and Gun Control Act RPs would submit just one fingerprint card. RPs under the National Firearms Act would submit one fingerprint card only if needed to facilitate a background check.

The Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

2 parts of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

27 CFR 478, 27 CFR 479

Before this

No earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 1140-AA63 since Jan. 1, 2025.

What happens next and when

Comments must be submitted in writing, and must be submitted on or before (or, if mailed, must be postmarked on or before) October 5, 2026. Commenters should be aware that the federal e-rulemaking portal comment system will not accept comments after midnight Eastern Time on the last day of the comment period.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket ATF-2026-0397 on Regulations.gov
• Title 27 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register