PRESENT NFA PENDING PROCESS DURATION
There are two methods to submit the Form 4. You can mail in a physical copy, which will likely result in a lengthy wait for approval. The most common method today is the electronic Form 4, which accounts for the majority of submissions. The procedure for approving electronic Form 4s is constantly being reviewed by our contacts at the ATF and NFA.

The ATF leadership, especially in the National Firearms Act (NFA) division, is concentrating on improving efficiency. The ATF and NFA's approval procedure, which has traditionally used paper forms, has shifted to digital.

Ben Hiller, the interim leader of the NFA division, explored the Form 4 approval process and discovered that up to 80% of the manual work was unnecessary, as a computer program had already completed it.

The National Firearms Act was established on June 26, 1934. Even with the shift to digital, the approval process still follows the original criteria. With the process becoming more streamlined and efficient, approval times are on the rise, with some submissions being processed in real-time, similar to the NICS check approval for purchasing a firearm.

Paper Form 4 submissions take the longest to process, while electronic submissions for individuals are the quickest. The duration of the process depends on the ATF's ability to quickly verify the information on the forms and conduct background checks. With the process now largely digital, it is operating more smoothly and efficiently.