ATF proposes rule allowing joint spouse registration for NFA firearms
ATF rulemaking 2026-09154 — status: rule proposed
Official title: Joint Registration for Spouses Under the National Firearms Act
What it does
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has published a proposed rule to amend Department of Justice regulations to permit spouses to file a single, joint application to make, transfer, receive, and register firearms under the National Firearms Act (NFA). If adopted, approved joint registration would give both spouses a joint right to make or possess the registered NFA firearm(s), and transfers between the two registered spouses would not require a separate NFA transfer application. The action is currently a notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register; it has not been finalized.
Industry impact
For businesses that handle NFA transfers—Class 3 dealers, SOT holders, and entities that assist customers with Form 4/Form 1 filings—the rule would reduce the number of transfer applications where both parties are the spouses who jointly registered the item, potentially lowering administrative workload and transfer fees for those transactions. Dealers and manufacturers would still need to verify registration status and update compliance procedures and customer intake processes to account for joint registrations. NFA-focused service providers and legal/consulting firms may see demand shift as some owners choose joint registration instead of trusts or other ownership arrangements. Because this is a proposed rule, affected businesses should monitor the final rule and any guidance for implementation details.
Latest official status: Proposed rule: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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