NFA update

Federal Firearm Rights Restoration (18 U.S.C. 925(c)): How It Works and Why New Applications Are Closed

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 5, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

The Justice Department opened its new federal firearm rights restoration application to the public on November 4, 2026. The same day, it hit its limit of 5,000 new applicants and closed the site to new filings. Here is what the official pages say today, what the program costs, and when DOJ says it reopens.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes public Justice Department pages and Federal Register documents as of November 5, 2026. It does not tell you whether you qualify. Eligibility turns on your own record. Talk to a licensed attorney before you apply or before you try to buy or possess a firearm.

Short answer, as of November 5, 2026

Is the portal open? No for new applicants. DOJ's application page (updated November 4, 2026) says: "We have reached our limit of 5,000 new applicants, so the application website is temporarily closed."
Can I finish one I already started? Yes. DOJ says if you have already started, "you can log in, finish and submit it."
When does it reopen? The application page says "January 2027." The program hub separately lists January 4, 2027 as the date the next 500 applicants can apply and the application fee begins. We quote both and do not merge them into one date.
Cost: DOJ's FAQ states a $30 application fee, with a possible waiver for indigency (details "soon"), plus other costs such as fingerprints that vary by jurisdiction.
Paper option: None. The form is online only.

What 18 U.S.C. 925(c) is, and who runs it now

Under 18 U.S.C. 925(c), the Attorney General can grant relief from federal firearm disabilities. DOJ's hub page says the Attorney General can restore federal firearm rights. ATF used to administer this program. DOJ's FAQ says the new rule states that ATF no longer does so: "All applications for federal firearm rights restoration must be submitted through the Office of the Pardon Attorney."

The FAQ also says a functioning firearms restoration program "has not been in place for over 30 years." DOJ is launching the new one in stages so it can test the online platform and internal procedures with a small group first.

Timeline from the official pages

Date	What happened	Source
August 17, 2026	Final rule announced (DOJ program hub)	justice.gov/ffrr
August 20, 2026	Final rule published, FR Doc. 2026-16981 (91 FR 54054)	Federal Register
September 21, 2026	Final rule effective	Federal Register
September 25, 2026	Application opens to invited candidates	DOJ hub
October 7, 2026	Office of the Pardon Attorney publishes a Privacy Act system-of-records notice (2026-20536) and a proposed Privacy Act exemption (2026-20532)	Federal Register
November 4, 2026	Application opens to the public; the hub says the first 5,000 candidates can apply. The same day, the application page says the 5,000-applicant limit was reached and the site is temporarily closed.	DOJ hub and application page
"January 2027"	DOJ's application page says the application website reopens in January 2027.	Application page
January 4, 2027	DOJ's hub lists this as the date the application opens to the public for 500 more candidates and the application fee will begin.	DOJ hub

Two reopen wordings, not one date. The hub's staged plan says January 4, 2027 for the next 500 applicants. The application page, updated after the cap was reached, says only "January 2027" for reopening. The FAQ explains that the 500-applicant phase is "intended to specifically test the effectiveness of our online payment portal to collect fees." We have not seen DOJ say how the two statements fit together, so check the application page before you plan around either date.

How to apply when it reopens

These steps come from DOJ's FAQ and application-process pages, both updated November 4, 2026. We have not added steps they do not state.

Online only. The application is the online form under OMB Form #1123-0017. DOJ says there is no paper option and "no paper copy" can be printed to file.
Pay the fee. The application process page says to pay the $30 application fee, electronic payments only. The FAQ says you may request a waiver or modification, and the fee may be waived or reduced because of indigency. DOJ says more information about the waiver process "will be made available soon."
Fingerprints come after part one. The FAQ says you must obtain fingerprints after you submit the first part of your e-application and receive the QR code by email, through a participating United States Post Office.
Character references. They are a listed step in the process.
Finish within 30 days. Once you start, you have 30 days to complete and submit. If you do not, you start over.
Save your link and PIN. The FAQ says the Office of the Pardon Attorney cannot provide a way to recover a lost link and PIN, so you may have to start again.

DOJ also says to gather your required documents before you begin, because of the 30-day clock. If you think your criminal history record is wrong, the FAQ says to get your report from the FBI or the state police and dispute errors with the agency that holds them.

What restoration does and does not do

Federal-only pardon. DOJ's FAQ says a full presidential pardon of a federal offense removes penalties and disabilities, including a firearm disability, from that conviction. If you have a separate, independent basis for prohibition, such as a state conviction or a prohibiting status, you may still need to seek relief.
State restoration. The FAQ says state restoration of rights does not remove disabilities imposed by a federal conviction, and a state restoration of a state conviction also may not remove federal disabilities.
Mental-health prohibitions (922(g)(4)). A person is no longer prohibited if they received relief under a state or federal relief-from-disabilities program that meets the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. The FAQ says the rule asks applicants to exhaust other remedies first. It lists jurisdictions that do not offer such relief, "subject to change": Arkansas, Montana, New Hampshire, Wyoming, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Veterans. DOJ says the 925(c) process allows anyone prohibited under the Gun Control Act to apply, including people with court-martial convictions or dishonorable discharges. Someone whose rights were already restored through the VA fiduciary program, with no other prohibitor, does not need to apply.
Public record. Under 925(c), DOJ must publish the names of those who receive relief in the Federal Register.
Buying a gun. The Office of the Pardon Attorney keeps records of people who receive restoration and shares them with the FBI's NICS. It cannot assist with gun purchases and, per the FAQ, "has no role" in a dealer's NICS decision, so it cannot tell a dealer to complete a sale.
Denials. A permanent presumptive disqualification stays in place. Time-limited (5- or 10-year) presumptions mean waiting until they expire. Other denials add a 5-year presumptive disqualifier.

Federal Register documents

2026-16981 (final rule, 91 FR 54054): the criteria for granting relief, published August 20, 2026, effective September 21, 2026. It is also a row in our ATF rule changes 2026 tracker, which owns the status of all 34 rules.
2026-20536 (notice, 91 FR 64182): the Office of the Pardon Attorney proposes a new system of records, the Firearms Rights Restoration Electronic Records Database (JUSTICE/OPA-002), to receive, track and adjudicate 925(c) applications.
2026-20532 (proposed rule, 91 FR 64125): proposes to exempt that system of records from certain Privacy Act provisions. The Federal Register lists comments closing November 6, 2026.

This program is separate from the NFA. Suppressor and short-barrel paperwork lives on our NFA updates hub; processing times are on the NFA wait times page; and the status of ATF's 34-rule package is on the ATF rule changes 2026 page.

Sources were opened on November 5, 2026. DOJ's application, FAQ and application-process pages each show "Updated November 4, 2026." DOJ can change any of this without notice.

Frequently asked questions

Is the federal firearm rights restoration portal open?

Not for new applicants. DOJ's application page, updated November 4, 2026, says the department reached its limit of 5,000 new applicants and the application website is temporarily closed. People who already started can log in, finish and submit.

When does the federal firearm rights restoration application reopen?

DOJ gives two wordings. The application page says the site reopens in January 2027. The program hub lists January 4, 2027 as the date the application opens to 500 more candidates and the fee begins. Check justice.gov/ffrr/application before you plan around either.

How much does the 925(c) application cost?

DOJ's FAQ lists a $30 application fee, paid electronically. Applicants may request a waiver or reduction for indigency, and DOJ says more information on the waiver process will be available soon. Fingerprints, records and other costs can add to it and vary by jurisdiction.

Can I apply for firearm rights restoration on paper?

No. DOJ says the form must be completed and submitted online (OMB Form #1123-0017) and there is no paper option.

I started a federal firearm rights restoration application. Can I finish it?

Yes, per DOJ's application page. If you already started one, you can log in, finish and submit it. The FAQ adds that you have 30 days after you start, or you must start over.

Does state restoration of gun rights restore federal rights?

Not automatically. DOJ's FAQ says state restoration does not remove disabilities imposed by a federal conviction, and state restoration of a state conviction also may not remove federal disabilities. Relief from a mental-health prohibition under 922(g)(4) is the exception when it comes from an NIAA-compliant relief program.

What 18 U.S.C. 925(c) is, and who runs it now

Timeline from the official pages

How to apply when it reopens

What restoration does and does not do

Federal Register documents

Related

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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