NFA Gun Trust: One Trust for Your NFA Items
The Capitol Armory NFA Firearms Trust is a 50-state legal trust, drafted by an attorney, that owns your suppressors, SBRs, and other NFA items for life. Set it up online once and use the same trust for every Form 4. The people you name as trustees can possess and use the items.
Under ATF's October 9 policy, you can buy a suppressor on a 4473 in some states. A 4473 purchase can't go on a trust. A Form 4 on a trust registers the item to the trust, lets the trustees you name possess it, and gives your heirs a clear ownership path.
What Is an NFA Trust?
An NFA trust, also called a gun trust or suppressor trust, is a legal entity that owns your NFA items instead of you owning them in your own name. When you buy a suppressor on a Form 4, the suppressor is registered to the trust. Anyone you name as a trustee can legally possess and use it, and the beneficiaries you name receive it when you pass.
Who can possess the items?
Every trustee on the trust. An item registered to an individual can only be possessed by that individual. An item registered to a trust can be possessed by any trustee, so a spouse, a family member, or a hunting partner can take it to the range without you there. Our trust lets you add and remove trustees without amending the trust or involving the ATF.
What NFA items does it cover?
All of them: suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, any other weapons, machine guns, and destructive devices. One trust covers every NFA item you will ever own.
Why a Form 4 on a Trust Is Still the Best Option
On October 9, ATF announced it will no longer require approval or registration for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. The NFA wasn't repealed, and state laws didn't change. A 4473 purchase has no path to a trust: the item isn't registered, so there is nothing to put in the trust, and ATF's own FAQ says "the NFA treats unregistered firearms as contraband" and that there is no established path to register it later. If you want the protection of a trust, you'll buy on a Form 4.
A Form 4 on a trust gives you:
Registration Stays in Place
Your suppressor is registered to the trust in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. It stays compliant today and under future administrations, and there is nothing to renew.
Trustees Can Possess and Use It
Every trustee you name can possess and use the item. Add family or friends for a day at the range or for the long term, without amending the trust or involving the ATF.
Pass It On to Your Heirs
At setup, the trust names your successor trustees and beneficiaries. With our trust, they take possession without a new ATF form and without probate. An addendum lets you change beneficiaries down the road.
Clear Ownership Records
The trust document and the approved Form 4 show who owns the item and who may possess it. A 4473 suppressor is registered to no one.
Read 4473 vs. Form 4 Suppressors for the full comparison, and 4473 Suppressors Shipped to Your Home for who qualifies on a 4473. If we can't ship a suppressor to your state, we can ship it to your local dealer. Choose that option at checkout.
Set It Up Once and Reuse It
Create your trust online, sign it digitally, then use it for every future Form 4.
Purchase the Trust
Buy the Capitol Armory NFA Firearms Trust once. There are no annual fees or renewals.
Complete Your Online Profile
Right after checkout, you receive a secure link to your Customer Profile. The trust questionnaire is part of the profile, and it names your trustees, successor trustees, and beneficiaries.
Sign Digitally
Sign through DocuSign and download your completed trust. No appointment is needed, and co-trustees do not need a notary at setup. Only the settlor signs at creation.
Add or Remove Trustees
Add or remove trustees without amending the trust or involving the ATF, whether you want to give someone access temporarily or long term.
For Form 4 Filings and Long-Term Ownership
The trust is drafted for the Form 4 process and for passing NFA items on.
Lifetime, Multi-Use
Use the same trust for every purchase. You do not need to create a new trust each time.
Current Form 4 Wait Times
In August 2026, ATF averaged 6 days for individual eForm 4s and 20 days for trusts, and we see trust approvals come back in as fast as a day. See our ATF wait times page for current numbers.
Zero Annual Fees
There are no renewals or annual fees. You purchase the trust once.
Add or Remove Co-Trustees
Invite family or friends without amending the trust or involving the ATF.
One-Signature Setup
Only the settlor signs at creation. Co-trustees are added later without a notary.
No Schedule A
No Schedule A, so your NFA inventory stays out of the trust document. Your heirs inherit and take possession without probate.
Future Orders Require Just a Signature
We keep your trust, photo, and fingerprints on file. The information we need is already there for your next Form 4.
NFA Trust vs. Individual Filing
An individual Form 4 is the fastest approval, but only you can possess the item, and passing it on takes a new ATF transfer. A trust lets the people you name possess it and makes inheritance simpler. It can take a little longer to approve because every responsible person on the trust needs a background check. Both options are a Form 4, and both register the item.
Our NFA Trust vs. Individual Filing article compares the two in detail.
NFA Trust Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most about gun trusts and suppressor trusts.
What is an NFA gun trust?
An NFA gun trust is a legal entity that owns your NFA items, such as suppressors and short-barreled rifles. When you buy on a Form 4, the item is registered to the trust. Any trustee you name can possess and use it, and your beneficiaries receive it when you pass.
What is a single-shot trust?
A single-shot trust covers one NFA item, so you buy a new one for each purchase. Ours is a multi-use trust: one purchase covers every NFA item you will ever own, with no annual fees.
Do you still need a trust for a suppressor?
No. You can buy a suppressor on a Form 4 as an individual. A trust is the better choice if you want other people to be able to possess and use it, or if you want it to pass to your heirs without a new ATF transfer. Under ATF's October 9 policy, you can also buy on a 4473 in some states, but a 4473 purchase can't go on a trust.
Can I put a 4473 suppressor on a trust?
No. A 4473 suppressor isn't registered, so there is nothing to put in the trust, and ATF says there is no established path to register it later. If you want a trust, buy on a Form 4. Read 4473 vs. Form 4 Suppressors for the details.
How do I set up an NFA trust?
Buy the Capitol Armory NFA Firearms Trust. Right after checkout, you receive a secure link to your Customer Profile, where the trust questionnaire names your trustees, successor trustees, and beneficiaries. Sign through DocuSign and download your trust. Only the settlor signs at creation.
How much does an NFA trust cost?
Ours is a one-time purchase with no annual fees and no renewals, and it covers every NFA item you will ever own. The current price is on the trust product page.
Can I add someone to my NFA trust later?
Yes. Add or remove co-trustees whenever you want, without amending the trust or involving the ATF. Each trustee can legally possess and use the items on the trust.
Do my trustees need fingerprints?
Every responsible person on the trust at the time of a Form 4 filing submits fingerprints and a photo with that filing. Order our at home fingerprint kit, or if you already have an EFT file, upload it right on capitolarmory.com. Trustees you add after an item is approved don't go back to the ATF.
Can I add a suppressor to my trust after I buy it?
If you bought the suppressor as an individual on a Form 4, moving it to a trust is a new ATF transfer from you to the trust. It is simpler to buy on the trust from the start. A suppressor bought on a 4473 can't be added to a trust.
What happens to my suppressors when I die?
Your trust names successor trustees and beneficiaries at setup. With our trust, they take possession without a new ATF form and without probate. An addendum lets you change beneficiaries down the road.
Is the trust legal in every state?
Yes. It is a 50-state legal trust, drafted by an attorney. State law still decides which NFA items you can own where you live, and eight states and Washington, D.C. prohibit suppressors.
How long does a trust Form 4 take?
In August 2026, ATF averaged 20 days for trust eForm 4s and 6 days for individuals, and we see trust approvals come back in as fast as a day. Only the one person who certifies the eForm 4 needs an ATF eForms account, and with AutoCertify we can certify it for you. Current numbers are on our ATF wait times page.
Ready to Set Up Your Trust?
Set up the trust online once and use it for your current and future NFA items.