NFA Wait Times in 2026: Form 4, Form 1 and Form 20, With the Real Numbers

By Cole Harlan, Editor · The Release Desk · Updated Oct 21, 2026 · How we verify · Editorial standards

For years, "how long is the Form 4 wait?" was the first question every new suppressor buyer asked. Since October 9, 2026, most buyers don't have an ATF wait at all, because ATF stopped requiring approval for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs. But plenty of people still file, and some have to. Here are ATF's own published processing times, what two widely cited trackers report, and who still waits, every number dated and sourced.

Not legal advice. This page reports published processing data and ATF's October 2026 guidance. Wait times change daily, enforcement policy can change, and state law may require a federal filing. Check with your dealer, your state, or an attorney before you buy, make or transport an NFA item.

Quick answers (as of October 21, 2026)

Buying a suppressor at a dealer: no ATF wait is required federally. The dealer runs a Form 4473 and NICS check, as for any gun. State law may still require an approved Form 4.
If you file an eForm 4 anyway: ATF's average for individual eForm 4s finalized in August 2026 was 6 days (trusts: 20 days). ATF's August median for individual eForm 4s was 5 days.
Trackers right now: Silencer Shop's customers saw a 3-day median on both individual and trust eForm 4s over the last 30 days; NFA Watch's self-reported sample shows a 3-day median for both.
Form 20 (SBR/SBS travel): still required for now. ATF's August average was 2 days on eForms.
Machine guns and destructive devices: unchanged. The full NFA process and the $200 tax still apply.

Who still waits on ATF after October 9

ATF's October 9, 2026 Open Letter says that for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and "any other weapons," ATF "will no longer require individuals to seek ATF approval under the NFA before making or transferring" them, and will no longer require registration. It also says ATF "will continue to administer the NFA on a voluntary basis" and will accept Forms 1, 3 and 4. So the wait question now splits five ways:

Situation	Federal ATF wait?	Why
Buying a suppressor, SBR, SBS or AOW from a dealer	No	Form 4473 and NICS, as for any firearm. ATF is also not enforcing the separate SBR/SBS dealer-authorization rule in 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(4) until it writes new regulations.
Making an SBR, SBS, suppressor or AOW yourself	No	ATF's FAQ says unlicensed individuals "no longer need to file a Form 1 and receive ATF approval." Filing is voluntary.
You choose to register (voluntary Form 1 or Form 4)	Yes	ATF processes it like before. See the numbers below.
Your state requires federal approval or registration	Yes	Example: the Maryland State Police said on October 15, 2026 that an SBR or SBS needs an approved Form 1 or Form 4 "before completing the applicable federal Form 4473 and Maryland 77R processes."
Crossing state lines with an SBR or SBS	Yes (Form 20)	The Gun Control Act's 922(a)(4) still applies. ATF's FAQ says owners must file a Form 20 "even if it is unregistered."
Machine guns and destructive devices	Yes	The $200 tax and every NFA provision still apply to them, per ATF.

If your state ties suppressor legality to federal registration, start with our 50-state suppressor table and your state's guide before deciding whether to file.

ATF's official processing times (August 2026)

ATF publishes average processing times on its Current Processing Times page. The latest table, on a page last updated October 15, 2026, covers applications finalized in August 2026, before the October 9 change. ATF notes the figures are averages, that "some forms may take longer," and that "finalized" includes approvals, disapprovals, withdrawals and returns.

ATF form	What it's for	eForms average	Paper average
Form 4, individual	Transfer to a person	6 days	28 days
Form 4, trust	Transfer to a trust	20 days	37 days
Form 1	Make and register	21 days	79 days
Form 3	Dealer-to-dealer (SOT) transfer	1 day	266 days
Form 2	Manufacturer or importer notice	1 day	83 days
Form 5	Tax-exempt transfer and registration	1 day	6 days
Form 20	Interstate transport of certain NFA firearms	2 days	11 days
Form 10	Registration by certain government entities	25 days	14 days

The same page reports August 2026 volume: 266,897 NFA applications received, including 130,969 Form 4 silencer applications, and 300,409 NFA applications finalized. ATF's median for individual eForm 4s finalized in August was 5 days. Year to date (data as of September 3, 2026), ATF counted 1,234,158 Form 4s submitted and 1,174,539 approved, plus 221,501 Form 1s submitted.

ATF's own table also shows how much faster eForms are than paper. A paper Form 1 averaged 79 days in August versus 21 on eForms, and a paper Form 3 averaged 266 days versus 1. If you file anything, file electronically.

What the trackers show now

ATF's table lags by about two months. Two widely cited trackers publish fresher numbers. Neither is official, and they measure different things, so we show both with their own labels.

Source and window	Form 4 individual	Form 4 trust	Form 1 individual	Form 1 trust
Silencer Shop: its customers' eForm approvals, last 30 days (updated October 21, 2026)	median 3 days (range 1 to 28)	median 3 days (range 1 to 21)	not shown	not shown
NFA Watch: self-reported approvals, last 30 days (page dated October 22, 2026; 113 approvals)	median 3 days (middle half 1 to 5)	median 3 days (1 to 4)	median 2 days (1 to 5)	median 4 days (2 to 6)

Silencer Shop also lists a corporate Form 4 median of 4 days and a Form 3 eForm median of 7 hours. NFA Watch says its figures are "a sample of what filers told us, not a copy of the ATF's own records," and it publishes them under a CC BY 4.0 license.

How waits moved through 2026

NFA Watch publishes a median for each month with enough reports. The pattern matches the policy story: a surge after the $0 tax took effect on January 1, long trust and Form 1 queues through the summer, and a collapse in waits by September.

Month approved (2026)	Reports	F4 individual	F4 trust	F1 individual	F1 trust
January	548	11 days	10 days	13 days	12 days
February	646	9 days	27 days	35 days	41 days
March	437	5 days	27 days	52 days	52 days
April	407	6 days	26 days	61 days	61 days
May	430	6 days	28 days	64 days	66 days
June	368	6 days	29 days	69 days	75 days
July	554	8 days	31 days	48 days	83 days
August	515	4 days	19 days	5 days	30 days
September	155	3 days	3 days	3 days	3 days

Source: NFA Watch monthly history, median days from filing to approval for electronically filed approvals, self-reported. The August figures line up with ATF's own August numbers for individual Form 4s (NFA Watch 4 days, ATF median 5 and average 6) and trust Form 4s (19 versus ATF's 20-day average).

Should you still file a Form 4 or Form 1?

That's your call, and ATF says it will process any form you send. What ATF itself says is worth weighing, in its own words:

The risk it describes: "Material changes in legal or factual circumstances could cause NFA enforcement to resume," for example if Congress imposes a new tax, the injunction is overturned, or the guidance is rescinded.
No automatic grandfathering: "Federal law does not generally permit subsequent registration of unregistered NFA items." The Attorney General may hold an amnesty of up to 90 days, but isn't required to.
Unregistering is one-way: if you ask ATF to remove a registered item, it "cannot be re-registered unless the Attorney General declares an amnesty."

With eForm 4 medians around three days in the trackers, filing costs little time for anyone who wants a federal record. And if your state requires one, it isn't optional. Our gun trust guide covers whether a trust still makes sense.

What could change the numbers next

Form 20 may go away for short trips. On May 8, 2026, ATF proposed that people moving certain NFA firearms interstate for 365 days or fewer would no longer have to notify ATF and wait for approval. Comments closed August 6, 2026. It is a proposal, not a rule. Federal Register
Fewer fingerprint cards and no passport photos. A July 6, 2026 proposal would let applicants send a copy of a photo ID instead of 2x2 photos, and NFA responsible persons would send one fingerprint card only if needed. Comments closed October 5, 2026. Federal Register
A new SBR/SBS dealer authorization. ATF says it is "creating forms and drafting regulations as quickly as possible" for the 922(b)(4) authorization. A new form could bring a new kind of wait for SBRs and SBSs. See SBR rules in 2026.

We'll update this page when ATF posts its next processing-times table. For every 2026 change in order, see the NFA updates timeline.

Bottom line

For most suppressor buyers in states that allow it, the federal wait is now the same as for a deer rifle: a background check. Anyone who still files, whether by choice or because their state requires it, is seeing eForm 4 approvals in days, not the months gun owners endured for decades. File electronically, keep your paperwork, and check your state first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Form 4 wait time in October 2026?

If you file one, trackers show about 3 days: Silencer Shop's customers saw a 3-day median for individual and trust eForm 4s over the 30 days to Oct. 21, 2026, and NFA Watch's self-reported sample shows the same. ATF's own average for individual eForm 4s finalized in August 2026 was 6 days (trusts 20).

Do I have to wait for ATF approval to buy a suppressor now?

Not federally. Since Oct. 9, 2026, ATF does not require a Form 4 or registration for suppressors; the dealer completes a Form 4473 and NICS check. State law may still require an approved Form 4, so check your state first.

How long does a Form 1 take in 2026?

ATF's average for eForm 1s finalized in August 2026 was 21 days (79 on paper). NFA Watch's self-reported 30-day median as of Oct. 22, 2026 was 2 days for individuals and 4 for trusts. Filing a Form 1 is voluntary federally for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs.

Do I still need a Form 20 for my SBR?

Yes, for now. ATF says owners must file a Form 20 before taking an SBR or SBS across state lines, even if it's unregistered. ATF's August 2026 eForm average was 2 days. A May 2026 proposal would drop the approval wait for short-term trips, but it isn't final.

Are trust Form 4s slower than individual Form 4s?

They were for most of 2026: ATF's August average was 20 days for trust eForm 4s versus 6 for individuals. By the 30 days to Oct. 21-22, 2026, both trackers showed the same 3-day median for trusts and individuals.

Do machine gun transfers still take the full wait?

Yes. Machine guns and destructive devices keep the $200 tax and every NFA requirement, including ATF approval before transfer.

Sources

Supplementary sources

News reports, advocacy groups, dealer practice and unofficial copies. They add context or report statements; the primary sources above control.