ATF eForms Account Setup Guide

Form 4 or 4473 only? For suppressors, you have a choice. A Form 4 is the best way to make sure your suppressor stays yours for life. For SBRs, SBSs, machine guns, and destructive devices, a Form 4 is required.

When you file a Form 4 with Capitol Armory, we create the electronic Form 4 and upload it to ATF eForms. You certify it with your own ATF eForms account. That certification starts the process, matches your eForms information to what we submitted, and confirms the filing is true and correct.

This guide walks through eForms registration, trust purchases, and Form 4 certification.

Why File a Form 4 on Your Suppressor

An August 5, 2026 federal court ruling blocked enforcement of several NFA registration requirements for suppressors. The ruling applies only to the parties named in the case and their qualifying members and customers. It is not a nationwide order, and it does not cover machine guns or destructive devices. SBRs and SBSs were mentioned in the ruling, but it does not apply to them. An SBR or SBS still requires a Form 4.

With an approved Form 4, your suppressor stays registered to you even if the legal landscape changes later.

A Form 4 Can Be the Faster Route

Many Capitol Armory customers receive Form 4 approval within a few days of purchase, especially when fingerprints are already on file. By comparison, buying from a distributor and waiting for the suppressor to reach a local dealer can take weeks. Filing the Form 4 with Capitol Armory may get the suppressor to you sooner. See current numbers on our ATF wait times page.

Read more: NFA Ruling Update, 4473-Only vs Form 4 Risks, and What the Ruling Means for Your NFA Order.

Why You Need an ATF eForms Account

The ATF requires both sides of an NFA transfer to have an eForms account: the dealer and the buyer. Capitol Armory creates your Form 4. You certify it with your eForms username and PIN. Certification starts the process and confirms the information submitted to the ATF is true and correct.

• You create the eForms account. Capitol Armory cannot create, edit, or reset your ATF eForms account.
• One account covers future purchases. Set it up once, then use the same username and PIN for future Form 4s.
• Buying on a trust? Only the person certifying the Form 4 needs an eForms account. See Buying on a Trust.

Tax stamps are $0 for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and AOWs. Machine guns and destructive devices are the exception and still carry the $200 tax.

How to Register for an ATF eForms Account

The name and email in eForms must match what you gave Capitol Armory. If they don't, you can update them. A mismatch is the most common reason certification fails.

1. Go to eforms.atf.gov.
2. Scroll down and click the green Register button on the right side of the page.
3. Fill in every required field (marked with *). Enter your first, middle, and last name and your address exactly as you gave them to Capitol Armory.
4. eForms has two email fields: Account Maintenance Email and Form Receipt Email. The email you gave Capitol Armory must be in one of them.
5. Choose a security question and answer.
6. Create a password. Green checkmarks appear as you meet each password rule.
7. Create your 4-digit PIN. Write it down.
8. Look in the upper right-hand corner of the registration page for your auto-generated Username (it looks like JSMITH23456). Write it down.
9. Complete the CAPTCHA and click Register.
10. Log in to eForms with your new username and password to confirm the account works.

Didn't write down your username? Check your eForms confirmation email; your username is included there. You can also click Forgot UserID on the eForms login page, and the ATF will email it within 15 minutes.

Buying on an NFA Trust

Only one person on the trust needs an eForms account: the person certifying the Form 4. If your trust has four trustees, only one provides eForms information to Capitol Armory.

That person must be listed as a responsible person on the trust and must have a valid eForms account.

Need a trust? See our NFA trust options.

How to Certify Your eForm 4

The Form 4 process works like this:

1. We create your Form 4.
2. You review and e-sign it through DocuSign.
3. We upload the same information to ATF eForms.
4. You certify it with your eForms username and PIN. That starts the process, matches your eForms information to what we submitted, and confirms the filing is true and correct.

You can certify in one of two ways: by phone with a Capitol Armory team member or through our ATF-approved AutoCertify.

Troubleshooting: Error Certifying Your eForm 4

If certification fails, the cause is usually a mismatch between your eForms account and the information you gave Capitol Armory. Log in at eforms.atf.gov, open My Profile, and compare each field:

If everything matches, the PIN is the likely problem. Because you can't view the PIN saved in your profile, update it in eForms, then enter the new PIN in your Capitol Armory profile.

Still failing? Log in to your customer profile and call our certification team to certify by phone.

Forgot Your eForms Username, Password, or PIN

• Username: Check your eForms confirmation email first; it includes your username. Or click Forgot UserID on the eForms login page and enter your email. The ATF emails your username within 15 minutes.
• Password: Click Forgot Password and enter your username and email. A temporary password arrives from [email protected] within 15 minutes.
• PIN or security question: Log in, go to My Profile, then Password/PIN/Security Question Maintenance. After you change your PIN, enter the new PIN in your Capitol Armory profile too.

What Happens After Your Form 4 Is Submitted

1. The ATF emails you when your Form 4 is submitted.
2. The ATF emails you when your Form 4 is approved.
3. We follow up a couple of hours after approval to complete your final paperwork, including your Form 4473 online. Capitol Armory provides your copy of the approved Form 4.
4. We ship to your door.

Your eForms account won't show the Form 4. The dealer files it, so it appears in the dealer's account, not yours.

Track recent approval dates on our ATF Form 4 approvals page or check the ATF's current processing times.

Don't Forget Your Fingerprints

Your Form 4 also needs fingerprints. Use our at-home fingerprint kit, or if you already have an EFT file, upload it to your customer profile. See the at-home fingerprinting guide for step-by-step instructions.

ATF eForms Help Desk Contacts

Capitol Armory cannot reset or troubleshoot ATF eForms accounts. For account access problems, contact the ATF directly:

ATF eForms FAQ

Should I file a Form 4 on my suppressor?

If you want to protect your suppressor investment, filing a Form 4 is the best option. You can choose to complete only a Form 4473, but a suppressor on a 4473 alone comes with an asterisk: another court ruling or a different administration could take it away. If you're buying an SBR, SBS, machine gun, or destructive device, a Form 4 is required.

Who creates my Form 4, and what does certifying mean?

Capitol Armory creates your Form 4. You review and e-sign it through DocuSign, and we upload the same information to ATF eForms. You then certify it with your eForms username and PIN. Certification starts the process, matches your eForms information to what we submitted, and confirms the filing is true and correct.

Does Capitol Armory create my ATF eForms account?

No. You create your account at eforms.atf.gov. Capitol Armory cannot create, edit, or reset ATF eForms accounts.

Where do I find my eForms username?

The ATF generates your username during registration and shows it in the upper right-hand corner of the registration page. If you didn't write it down, check your eForms confirmation email, which includes it. You can also click Forgot UserID on the eForms login page, and the ATF emails it within 15 minutes.

How do I certify my Form 4?

You have two options. You can certify by phone and screenshare with a Capitol Armory team member, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm CT. Or save your eForms username and PIN in your Capitol Armory profile and use our ATF-approved AutoCertify without a phone call.

Can Capitol Armory see my eForms username and PIN?

No. Your credentials are encrypted the moment you save them, using hardware security modules validated to FIPS 140-3. Only an automated process with no human login can decrypt them, and only when your Form 4 is submitted. No Capitol Armory employee can view them, and you can't view what you saved either. If you're not sure your PIN is correct, update it with the ATF and enter the new PIN in your profile.

Why did my Form 4 certification fail?

Usually your name, email, username, or PIN in eForms doesn't match what you gave Capitol Armory. Your name must match, and the email you gave us must be in either the Account Maintenance Email or Form Receipt Email field. If everything matches, update your PIN at the ATF and in your Capitol Armory profile.

How will I know my Form 4 was submitted and approved?

The ATF emails you when your Form 4 is submitted and again when it is approved. It won't appear in your eForms account. We follow up a couple of hours after approval to complete your final paperwork.

Does everyone on my trust need an eForms account?

No. Only the person who certifies the Form 4 needs an eForms account. If your trust has four trustees, only one provides eForms information. That person must be listed as a responsible person on the trust.

Set Up AutoCertify and Skip the Call

Save your eForms username and PIN to your profile once. After you e-sign, AutoCertify can certify this Form 4 and future ones without a phone call. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 512-879-1068.