4473 vs. Form 4 Suppressors: What No One Is Talking About

On October 9, 2026, ATF announced it will no longer require ATF approval or registration for suppressors (silencers), and that the policy applies to anyone (ATF open letter). In states where state law allows it, you can now take home a suppressor on a Form 4473 alone, with no Form 4. We offer that option. We also still offer the Form 4. Where both are available, the choice is yours.

Our job is to give you the facts, and we'll also tell you where we stand: for most buyers, the short-term gain of a 4473 suppressor doesn't outweigh the long-term benefits of a Form 4. A 4473 suppressor comes with asterisks, and some of them can make it disposable. Here's why.

The biggest asterisk is that this isn't permanent. ATF's own guidance says enforcement could resume (ATF guidance). A new administration, a different ATF or Justice Department, or a single court ruling could change the rules. A Form 4 suppressor is registered, so it complies with the NFA no matter who's enforcing it. A 4473 suppressor depends on today's policy.

Why we recommend a Form 4

A Form 4 takes a little more paperwork up front. In return, the suppressor is registered to you or your trust, so it complies with the NFA no matter who's enforcing it.

• It's yours for life. You register once, there's nothing to renew, and the federal tax is $0.
• Approvals come back in days. ATF's August 2026 averages were 6 days for individual eForm 4s and 20 days for trusts (ATF).
• You can share it. On an NFA trust, the trustees you name can possess and use the suppressor under the trust's terms.
• You can travel with it. A registered suppressor doesn't need ATF approval to cross state lines. You still follow the laws of every state you enter.
• Resale and inheritance have a clear path. A sale goes to the next owner on a Form 4, and an heir gets it on a tax-exempt Form 5.
• Your next one is less work. We keep your prints and photo on file, so your next Form 4 may only require a digital signature.

New to it? Our step-by-step guide covers the whole process.

How to buy a suppressor from us today

You'll choose at checkout. Right after you review your cart, you pick how you want the suppressor delivered: to your door, to our store, or to your dealer, on a Form 4 or, where it's available, a 4473.

Was the NFA repealed? No.

No. A court ruling and a change in ATF policy changed how the law is enforced, but the National Firearms Act is still on the books. Here's what each one did.

What the court did. On August 5, 2026, a federal court in Texas issued an injunction in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF. The NFA was written as a tax law, and its registration rules existed to collect that tax. Once Congress set the suppressor tax at $0, there was nothing left to collect, so the court ruled those rules can't stand on Congress's power to tax.

What ATF did. On October 9, 2026, ATF announced it will no longer require ATF approval before making or transferring a suppressor, or require suppressors to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The policy applies to everyone. The Justice Department describes it as using its "enforcement discretion" (ATF open letter). ATF also says it "will not enforce § 5861(j) as applied to unregistered NFA items." That's the section that makes it a crime to move an unregistered NFA firearm across state lines (ATF guidance).

What didn't change.

• Neither one repealed the NFA. The registration requirement is still federal law. ATF has chosen not to enforce it, and that choice can be reversed.
• A court order and an ATF policy aren't law. Neither one changed the NFA. You're relying on the current ATF and administration's policy, and that can change (details below).
• The Gun Control Act and state laws still apply. You still fill out a 4473, and the background check and recordkeeping rules remain. ATF's new policies "do not affect state or local laws that govern NFA weapons" (ATF open letter).

All of this can change

ATF says it plainly: "Material changes in legal or factual circumstances could cause NFA enforcement to resume." It lists three ways that could happen: Congress could impose a new tax on NFA firearms, the August 5 injunction could be dissolved or overturned, or the Justice Department could rescind its enforcement guidelines (ATF guidance).

Rescinding the guidelines doesn't take a vote in Congress or a court ruling. A new administration, attorney general, or ATF director could decide to enforce the law again.

A new tax takes one act of Congress, at any amount. Congress cut the suppressor tax to $0, effective January 1, 2026, and the bill passed the House by four votes, 218 to 214. It took a simple majority to cut the tax, and a simple majority can put one back. A change in control of the House could be all it takes. The August 5 injunction only reaches untaxed NFA firearms, and ATF's policy "only extends to firearms on which Congress eliminated the making and transfer taxes" (ATF guidance). Put any tax back on suppressors, and both may stop applying.

If enforcement resumes, a registered suppressor is already compliant. A 4473 suppressor is still an unregistered NFA firearm. ATF says federal law "does not generally permit subsequent registration of unregistered NFA items." The NFA lets the Attorney General hold an amnesty of up to 90 days, but ATF adds that the Attorney General "is not required, however, to hold an amnesty or to provide forbearance" (ATF guidance). The last NFA amnesty, in 1968, ran 30 days (NFA Handbook § 3.2.1).

The question isn't whether a 4473 suppressor is legal to buy today. It's whether you want to own one if the rules change.

What you give up with a 4473 suppressor

A 4473 suppressor comes with an asterisk built in. Some of those limits can turn it into a disposable suppressor: one you may not be able to fix, sell, move, or pass on.

The speed gap is smaller than it looks

A 4473 suppressor goes home the same day only if it's in stock and the background check comes back Proceed. Many dealers don't keep a large inventory like we do. They rely on an in-store kiosk, and the suppressor can take 1 to 2 weeks just to arrive. A Delayed response adds time. Some states add a waiting period on top of that. Florida's, for example, is 3 days, excluding weekends and holidays, unless you hold a concealed weapons license.

The Form 4 is now voluntary, and it's faster than it used to be. ATF says it will keep accepting Form 4s to transfer or register suppressors (ATF open letter). We've seen single-trustee trust approvals come back in as little as a day when the FBI check is an automatic Proceed. ATF's August averages were 6 days for individual eForm 4s and 20 days for trusts (ATF approval times). See our current Form 4 wait times. The federal transfer tax on suppressors is $0. You register once, there's nothing to renew, and with a federal tax stamp the suppressor is yours for life.

We keep your prints and photo on file, so your next Form 4 takes less work than your first and may only require a digital signature.

If it's your first time, our step-by-step guide covers the whole process, including at-home fingerprinting. If you want a trust, ours is set up online and signed digitally, with no notary visits.

Sharing it depends on today's policy

A 4473 suppressor goes to you as an individual.

Under the NFA, a "transfer" includes loaning it (26 U.S.C. § 5845(j)). ATF now says individuals don't need its approval before making or transferring these items (ATF guidance). So today, ATF isn't requiring approval when your spouse or adult son takes it hunting without you. If enforcement resumes, that loan could be an unapproved transfer again.

A Form 4 to a trust avoids this. The trustees you name can possess and use the suppressor under the trust's terms.

A trust also lets you pass your suppressors to your kids and grandkids without probate (our NFA trust). Trusts have always been, and still are, the way to keep these items in your family for generations. Deciding between a trust and filing as an individual? See trust vs. individual filing.

Crossing state lines depends on today's policy

A registered suppressor doesn't need ATF approval to cross state lines. You still follow the laws of every state you enter.

A 4473 suppressor isn't registered to you. Federal law makes it a crime to transport, deliver, or receive an unregistered NFA firearm in interstate commerce (26 U.S.C. § 5861(j)). ATF now says it "will not enforce § 5861(j) as applied to unregistered NFA items" (ATF guidance). That's a policy, not a change in the law. If ATF starts enforcing it again, taking a 4473 suppressor across a state line could be a federal crime.

State laws still apply. ATF says "individuals should exercise caution before transporting unregistered NFA items through states" and should check state and local law first (ATF open letter). That matters most in the 15 states that allow suppressors only with NFA compliance, listed below.

That covers out-of-state hunts, matches, and moving. If you relocate, you also take on your new state's law, and some states tie suppressor possession to federal registration.

Do you want to be the test case?

Plenty of laws are written around a registered suppressor. Ohio, for example, makes possessing a suppressor a felony unless it's registered in the federal registry (Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17). Some hunting regulations do the same. If a hunting regulation requires your suppressor to be registered, a 4473 suppressor leaves you out of luck.

If a game warden or prosecutor reads "registered" literally, a 4473 suppressor could leave you arguing in court that a federal policy satisfies state law. You might win, but you'd still have to make that argument and pay for it.

Repairs and warranty: assume Form 4 only

ATF's new guidance addresses shipping a suppressor to a manufacturer for repair. It says that, as a matter of enforcement discretion, ATF isn't enforcing § 5861(j) against unregistered NFA items (ATF guidance). That protection lasts only as long as the policy does.

Manufacturers are handling this differently. We're aware of at least one manufacturer that isn't warranting 4473 suppressors. SilencerCo has published a path for warranty service and says "nothing has changed about our commitment to your suppressor" (SilencerCo). Until your manufacturer gives specific guidance on 4473 suppressor warranties, assume the warranty only covers Form 4 suppressors. A suppressor no one will fix is a disposable suppressor.

There's no "register it later"

If you buy on a 4473 and change your mind later, there is no established path to register it. ATF says federal law "does not generally permit subsequent registration of unregistered NFA items" (ATF guidance). ATF's NFA Handbook also says ATF won't approve a transfer unless the firearm is registered to the person transferring it.

Selling it is easier today, since ATF isn't requiring approval for transfers. But your buyer takes on the same asterisk, and a dealer may not want to take it in trade.

Passing it on has no clear path

A registered suppressor passes to an heir on a tax-exempt Form 5. ATF finalized eForm 5s in an average of 1 day in August 2026 (ATF). A suppressor held in a trust can stay with the trust when a trustee dies.

ATF's new guidance doesn't address inheritance. ATF's NFA Handbook treats an NFA firearm that wasn't registered to the person who died as contraband that can't go through the normal estate process. If enforcement has resumed by the time your estate is settled, that's the rule your heirs could face. There's still no established way to pass a 4473 suppressor on to future generations.

Your proof is a policy, not a form

An approved Form 4 shows the suppressor is registered to you, and federal law requires you to keep that proof (26 U.S.C. § 5841(e)).

With a 4473 suppressor, there's no registration to show. If an officer in another state, an insurer, or your executor asks, your answer is ATF's current enforcement policy, and that can change.

State law is a separate question

Some states' suppressor laws point to federal registration or NFA compliance. A Form 4 suppressor satisfies that. Whether a 4473 suppressor does depends on the wording of each statute. ATF's guidance doesn't change state law (ATF open letter).

States can also change their laws. If yours adds an NFA registration requirement, a registered suppressor already complies.

4473 vs. Form 4 at a glance

A 4473 has the advantage on speed and paperwork. A Form 4 has the advantage on most of what happens after you take it home. Each row is explained, with sources, above.

Which path fits you?

If any of the first three answers is yes, the Form 4 is the safer route. A 4473 only makes sense when all three are no and it's offered in your state.

Which states allow a 4473 suppressor?

In 15 states, suppressors are legal only with NFA compliance, so a 4473 suppressor isn't an option there: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin (Capitol Armory).

In California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C., suppressors are prohibited outright, Form 4 or not. That leaves 27 states where a 4473 suppressor is possible under today's policy.

The NFA registry isn't what most people picture

Nobody likes being on a federal list. But we've never heard of a case where registering a suppressor brought a knock on someone's door. The registry isn't what many people assume it is.

The NFRTR sits in the tax code, not in a gun registry the way most people imagine one. NFA forms are treated as tax returns, and registration information as tax return information. Under 26 U.S.C. § 6103, ATF is generally prohibited from disclosing it. ATF won't even confirm your registration status over the phone.

And federal law limits how your registration can be used. Information from your NFA application or registration can't be used as evidence against you in a criminal case for a violation that happened before or when you filed, unless you filed false information.

The bottom line

A 4473 suppressor gets you out the door faster, but the tradeoff is a suppressor that may become disposable. Depending on what changes later, you may not be able to take it out of state, get it repaired, sell it through an established process, or reliably leave it to your family.

Every one of those trade-offs depends on the current policy. Federal enforcement stays off a 4473 suppressor only as long as this administration, Justice Department, and the courts leave things as they are. A registered suppressor doesn't depend on that policy.

If you already own a registered suppressor, you're on the registry either way. Skipping it on the next one doesn't take you off. It just leaves you with one suppressor that plays by different rules than the rest.

With a $0 tax, approvals in days, and less paperwork on future Form 4s, we think the Form 4 is the better choice for most buyers. If a 4473 fits your situation, we'll do it. If you want to talk it through, call us at (512) 879-1068.

Suppressor questions we hear most

Can you buy a suppressor with a 4473 now?

Yes, if you live in one of the 27 states that allow it. Since October 9, 2026, ATF says it won't require approval or registration for suppressors (ATF open letter). You still fill out a 4473 and pass a background check. We launch it in 18 states in mid-October. That's ATF's policy today, and it can change.

Do you still need a Form 4 for a suppressor?

Not under ATF's current policy, in states that allow it. The Form 4 is now voluntary, and ATF still accepts them. We recommend it for most buyers. If you're buying through a trust, use a Form 4.

Is the suppressor tax stamp free now?

Yes. The federal transfer tax on suppressors has been $0 since January 1, 2026. If you file a Form 4, your approved Form 4 is your tax stamp. More on the $0 tax stamp.

Was the NFA repealed?

No. A federal court issued an injunction on August 5, 2026, and ATF has since chosen not to enforce the approval and registration rules for suppressors. But a court order and an ATF policy aren't law. The NFA itself is still federal law, and ATF says enforcement could resume. See our NFA ruling update.

Can ATF start enforcing the NFA again?

Yes. ATF says enforcement could resume if Congress imposes a new tax, the August 5 injunction is dissolved or overturned, or the Justice Department rescinds its guidelines. If that happens, federal law doesn't generally allow registering a suppressor after the fact (ATF guidance).

How long are Form 4 wait times?

ATF's August 2026 averages were 6 days for individual eForm 4s and 20 days for trusts (ATF). See our current approval times.

Can a suppressor be shipped to my house?

Yes. We ship Form 4 suppressors to your door in all 42 states where they're legal. 4473 suppressors ship home in 18 states starting mid-October, and for now you'll need a carry permit issued by your home state. Details on our 4473 ship-to-home page.

Can I move a 4473 suppressor into a trust or register it later?

There is no established path today. ATF says federal law doesn't generally permit registering an NFA item after the fact (ATF guidance). If you might want a trust, buy on a Form 4.

Ready to Buy on a Form 4?

Every Form 4 purchase includes electronic filing, and your suppressor ships from our facility to your home. Need a trust or fingerprints? We handle those too, and you can upload an existing EFT file right on our site.