What is the wait time for the tax stamps now?
Just curious why does it take so long?

Still 6 months at last check: http://www.nfatracker.com/

Why it takes so long is anyone’s guess. I say a combination of bureaucracy, short staffing/hiring freeze, not an ATF priority, and the increase in popularity of NFA items.

Why does it take so long?

Simple

To inconvenience you (the law abiding gun owner) as much as bureaucratically possible.

Ignore nfatracker...completely unreliable and doesn't account for a bunch of factors.

Reality, 175 days is the current average we are seeing. We will get everything from 147-237 days in the same batch of stamps. Things are seriously broken up there and the American Silencer Association is in DC this week to discuss with them. It isn't just transfers to the buyer, the manufacturer to dealer transfers are now approaching 8 weeks in some cases.

I received one in January and another in April. Both were, almost to the day, six months from the date mailed.

Latest batch of forms - 165 day average. A gain of about 10 days within two weeks. We are rapidly approaching the "event" date, so will know if things are going to get worse soon enough.

169 days from the day my Form 4 was mailed to the time the stamp showed up. Submitted mid-Nov and received May 9.

I just picked up my can a couple weeks ago. Sent my paperwordk on 11/01/13, and got it back in 5 months and 3 weeks. I was expecting it to take longer, but it was only a week longer than my SBR stamp I got back in August.

Still don't under stand a 6 month wait. Even 3 months for that matter. What are they doing that takes so long?

It is volume, pure and simple. Until very late last year, there were only eight examiners looking at every Form 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the entire country. Those eight had to read every trust sumbitted, run NICS checks on everyone that was a CLEO sign off, verify that the CLEO that signed was actually the CLEO for that county/city, verify that manufacturers licenses were valid, verify FFLs licenses and SOT status were valid, etc.

They hired some contractors last year to help prescreen and do some of the grunt work, then they actually hired some more examiners and a few lawyers (for trust validation). Sequestration BS caused them to let the contractors go and the new examiners don't appear to be up to speed yet, but those lawyers are working overtime based on the (quicken DIY) trusts I now get back for being "insufficient".

Here is a bit of perspective on a single item, a silencer (that is the LEGAL term, suppressor is a foofoo feel good marketing term). When a manufacturer builds one, they submit a Form 2 (hey ATF I built this). ATF has to verify it is correct and that the manufacturer's license is good, then send it over to the registry office to have it entered. Then they write the registry number on the Form 2 and mail it back to the manufacturer. The manufacturer then sells the silencer to a dealer/distibutor like us. They have to send a Form 3 (hey I sold this to another licensee) to the ATF, so that they can verify that the silencer currently exists in the registry, that the manufacturer's license is valid and the dealer/distibutor's license is valid. They then sign the form and return that to the manufacturer so that they can ship the silencer to the dealer/distributor (this can happen again if the distrib sells to another dealer). Dealer sells the silencer to a customer. The dealer prepares a Form (hey I want to sell this to a normal person) 4 (at least we do, we know other dealers just hand the paperwork to the customer and let them figure it out) and sends it to ATLANTA GA, where they take the $200 check/MO that is required, then ATLANTA packages up everything they received that week and sends it to MARTINSBURG WV. MARTINSBURG receives it, logs it then begins the process to insure it is complete so it can eventually reach the examiner for approval. This process happens every day of the week. About 27,000 silencers were sold last year alone.

Volume, sheer, massive, overwhelming, volume!

Just completed my form 4 with my lawyer (she set up my gun trust)... now its time to sit back and wait. I have heard that it takes around 5-6 months to receive your tax stamp but I guess anything worth having is worth waiting for...

@ Immortal Arms ~ Thanks for explaining this. It has really helped me to understand the wait time and how things are processed. This is the first time that I have applied for a tax stamp for my silencer. This is a great source to get real information. Appreciate it!

Good luck with that tax stamp, I would be interested to see how long it takes to get.

Any indication of post Newtown NFA wait times yet?

Paid for mine Dec 3rd..With a Quicken Trust From BoB's Gun Shop in Norfolk!!...stamp was signed June 6th, took possession June 17th....about 6 1/2 months give or take a day...been about the same for all my others.....well worth the wait...Surefire ROCKS!!!! And so does Bob's in Norfolk VA

Here is some numbers on NFA Trusts 2010 = 12,889, 2011 = 21,000, 2012 = 36,076.

Again, massive volume. Mid December coming back now.

I just received my suppressor stamp and SBR stamp back (May/June) and they were both nearly 6 months each, filed one month apart. Wish the wait was shorter, but it is what it is. Considering purchasing a .556 suppressor. If I do, I guess I will get it by 2014.

Wait a second... eight examiners... 20,000+ silencer transfers alone... Stamps $200 each...


That's over $500,000 in revenue per examiner!


Oh... you mean the "filing fee" just goes into the general fund and isn't just to pay the costs associated with the application?

After SBR/SBS/AOW/DDs, it works out to about a $1M per examiner. Yes, a part of the government that actually takes in more than it spends...what a concept

Well, its been a month since I sent in my paperwork to my silencer.... Its been a LONG month... only about 5 more to go... C'mon tax stamp!!! Merry Christmas to me maybe...

I have several in right now past 7 months. Oh Joy

Lets make that 8 months

Just got one stamp at 9 months. Paperwork done after another one. HAHA. 11 months on that one. Joys!

Late January right now. Expecting first Feb stamps this week. They are running about 58,000 applications behind right now.

Ugh I'm never gonna get mine