HOW TO BUY A SUPPRESSOR
$0.00 TAX STAMP ERA · UPDATED MAY 2026
$0.00 FEDERAL TAX STAMP ON SUPPRESSORS
Effective January 1, 2026 · Save $200 per can
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA / H.R. 1), signed July 4, 2025, eliminated the $200 federal making/transfer tax on suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs effective January 1, 2026.
The Form 4 process is otherwise unchanged — you still register through the NFRTR, still submit fingerprints, photos, and a background check. What you no longer do is pay $200 per item.
1. Pick Your Suppressor
Browse Fenix Armory's suppressor lineup: the Ghost for centerfire rifle, the Ghoul for rimfire. Order directly — we ship to your chosen FFL/SOT dealer.
2. Choose Your FFL/SOT Dealer
Your suppressor ships to a local Class 3 (SOT) FFL dealer who handles the Form 4. Don't have one? Use our Dealer Locator or contact us — we work with hundreds of dealers nationwide.
3. Create Your ATF eForms Account + PIN
Before you can sign a Form 4, you need an ATF eForms account. Register at the eForms portal:
Once at the eForms portal:
- Choose a security question + answer
- Create a strong password
- Set a 4-digit PIN — you'll use this to electronically sign the Form 4. Write it down somewhere safe.
- You'll receive an email with your UserID — write that down too
Important: Your dealer will need your eForms UserID and 4-digit PIN (NOT your password) to file the Form 4 on your behalf. Don't give anyone your password.
4. Submit ATF Form 4 via eForms
Visit your dealer's shop with photo ID. They'll roll your fingerprints (FBI form FD-258), take two passport-style photos, and electronically file Form 4 plus the 4473 paperwork. You'll certify using your eForms UserID + PIN.
Tax stamp: $0.00.
5. Wait for ATF Approval
ATF processes your background check. We've been seeing approvals as fast as 3 days on recent Form 4 filings, with most coming back within 1–3 weeks for individuals.
6. Pick Up Your Suppressor
Approval lands → back to the dealer → quick 4473 finalization → walk out with your can.
eForms has dramatically shortened the wait. Approvals are coming back faster than they have in decades.
| Order to your FFL | ~3 business days |
| Create eForms account + PIN | ~10 minutes online (do this in advance) |
| Form 4 file at dealer | ~30 minutes in person |
| ATF approval (individual) | As fast as 3 days · typically 4–14 days · occasionally 21+ |
| ATF approval (trust) | ~14–28 days |
| Total (individual, typical) | 7 to 28 days from order to in-hand — and often the low end of that range |
We've been seeing a lot of Form 4s come back in just 3 days lately. Welcome to the new era.
Is the $0.00 tax stamp permanent?
Yes — written into federal law via OBBBA. Treat it as the new normal.
Do I still need a tax stamp at all?
The "stamp" is the ATF-approved Form 4 itself — still required. It's the registration that's the legal mechanism, not the $200.
Can I take my suppressor across state lines?
Yes. Suppressors are unique among NFA items — you can travel with one across state lines for hunting trips, range visits, or any short trip without any ATF paperwork or advance notice. Just check the destination state allows suppressor possession (42 states do).
Permanent move to a new state? File ATF Form 5320.20 (Application to Transport / Change of Address) — for suppressors this is a notification, not a permission request. Recommended but not strictly required by law for suppressors specifically (unlike SBRs/SBSs which require advance approval). Filing keeps your NFRTR record current.
Who can use my suppressor?
If you registered the suppressor as an individual, you are the only person legally authorized to possess it. Friends, family, even your spouse can shoot WITH the suppressor on the gun, but only when you are physically present. The ATF calls this "direct supervision" — you must be right there.
You cannot lend it out, store it somewhere accessible to others, or let someone borrow it for a hunting trip without you. Doing so is "constructive possession" by the other person — a serious federal NFA violation.
If you want flexibility for trusted family or co-owners to use the suppressor without you present, file the Form 4 as an NFA Gun Trust instead of an individual. Named trustees can possess and use trust-owned NFA items independently.
Can I buy a suppressor as a gift?
No — the registered owner must take possession. Form 4 names you as the transferee. If you want it to belong to someone else, they file their own Form 4.
Pick your suppressor below. Pick your dealer at checkout. We ship and you handle Form 4 at your dealer's shop.
Informational only, not legal advice. Always confirm current ATF requirements with your local FFL/SOT dealer.