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In an email sent, presumably, to all active FFLs on Friday afternoon (Dec 10), the ATF provided some updates regarding its eForms service. As y’all know, eForm 4s are returning this month, which is great news for anyone looking to purchase an NFA item such as a silencer or SBR!

But the update to ATF eForms is coming with some interesting changes. ATF’s email is copied-and-pasted below. Bold text was added by me to highlight parts that I thought were of particular note for current eForms users and/or of particular interest:

Upcoming ATF eForms Technology Upgrade
DECEMBER 17-21

This is an advance notice to current eForms users about the upcoming launch of a new version of ATF eForms.

The goal of this “modernized eForms” is to provide ATF with an infusion of technology to provide better services to our industry members and the public. This much needed modernization will reduce the effort and time required to review and process ATF applications by incorporating online validations and other enhancements.

No action is needed at this time. However, there are some required steps you’ll need to complete after the upgrade is finished (details below).

Outage period

In order to facilitate this upgrade, eForms will be offline during the following time frame:

Upgrade Start: Friday, December 17 at 9 p.m.
Tentative Finish: Tuesday, December 21 at 6 a.m.

You can continue to use the existing eForms until the upgrade starts at 9 p.m. next Friday. During the upgrade time frame, however, eForms will be unavailable.

What you need to know

The web address of eForms is not changing. If you have bookmarked eForms in your browser, it will automatically access the new eForms.

Your eForms User ID is not changing. All your previous submissions will transfer to the new system.

Required steps after upgrade

We’re updating the eForms login process to provide enhanced security and establish a trusted relationship between the user and ATF. Here’s what you’ll need to do after Dec. 21:

          1. After the upgrade, you’ll need to manually reset your password before you can log in for the first time.
          2. Once you log in with your new password, the system will ask you to update your user profile information and create a security PIN.

Please review our step-by-step guide with screenshots, but do not complete these steps until the upgrade is complete on Dec. 21:

Existing Users – First Time Login Steps (docx, 1.75 MB)
New Users – First Time Login Steps (docx, 1.33 MB)

What to expect

Once the upgrade is finished, you may notice a few changes in the eForms interface. Here’s what to expect:

• ATF eForm 4 is coming back. After the upgrade, you will be able to submit the ATF Form 4 electronically through eForms.
• Electronic submission of ATF Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 9, 10 and 5300.11 with the required electronic documents.
Electronic submission of fingerprint cards for ATF Form 4. You will be able to attach your “digital fingerprint cards” to your submission.
• Support for larger file attachments. The updated eForms will accept electronic documents up to 30 MB in size.
• Enhanced validations to ensure that the upfront validations of your data occur prior to submission.
• User PIN for validating the submission of all forms as part of the submission process.
Self-service support for forgotten passwords and PINs.
• Rules of behavior that must be accepted to proceed with the use of eForms.
“Ask the Expert” to send your questions to our subject matter experts.
• Use of smarter technology to improve customer service and build a foundation for future enhancements such as an Application Programming Interface (API) and Captcha.

With the exception of the “rules of behavior” line, the other bold items in that bulleted list are clear enhancements. I have no clue what these “rules of behavior” might be, but if I’ll try to find out ahead of the updated eForms launch and will let y’all know if I do.

EDIT: Whelp, far less intrigue here than I had anticipated. A screenshot of the “rules of behavior” is included in those user login steps docs. It’s primarily a security-related end-user agreement, with some reminders that user accounts cannot be shared and one must use the account responsible for the NFA item to file a form related to that NFA item. Click on the following screenshot to enlarge it:

 

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19 COMMENTS

  1. So…let’s see how long the wait times REALLY are after this is implemented.
    Maybe this is all just in time to register all those semi-auto pistols and rifles for a nationwide registration list…then come the shotguns and revolvers, of course…and all the AOWs.

    • You forgot lever actions, bolt actions, Ruger #1 rifles, Thompson Contender / Encore single shots and all black powder firearms.

      Any legal or policy implementation regarding firearms by the Biden gang merits a healthy dose of skepticism and paranoia.

    • I believe that the BATFE doesn’t have any interest in streamlining the process as it currently is. Like most government bureaus, it is self-serving generally, and little concern for ‘customer service’ is the norm. Take for example the recent lags during the last Administration. There were supposedly more agents focused on minimizing wait times, largely to no palpable effect. This eFile was supposed to be up and running 4 years ago. Suddenly the bugs are worked out? That’s a little too convenient. I honestly believe that they are doing this as part of a way to transition private ownership of semiautomatic firearms to the NFA rolls, and in the process collect either the tax stamp and pertinent information, or to discourage further private ownership. Besides discouraging new ownership, it will require greater compliance/oversight, paying the government a tax, and greater impetus for law enforcement to ‘remove guns from the street’, as opposed to reselling confiscated/turned in firearms. All of these things would be a ‘win’ for Big Brother BATFE. I am not wearing a tinfoil hat, I honestly think that the Federal Government wants to further subjugate the Citizenry and this is a pathway to that end. In the aggregate, the BATFE has shown itself to be hostile to individual Freedom and Rights; this is where my skepticism in the altruistic eFile system comes from.

      • “Take for example the recent lags during the last Administration. There were supposedly more agents focused on minimizing wait times, largely to no palpable effect.”

        Yes, the previous administration did crow about their desire for a “Second Amendment solution” but never delivered on their promise to increase our gu rights, and in fact restricted bump stocks and began the process to ban pistol braces.

        “This eFile was supposed to be up and running 4 years ago. Suddenly the bugs are worked out? That’s a little too convenient“

        You may not have noticed, but Donald Trump is no longer president, there’s a new administration under Joe Biden that has brought about this change.

        Was it Joe Biden who said “We should take the guns first and worry about the courts later!”?

        No, that would be the previous President, Donald J Trump.

        • minor49IQ…You can take Jim Crow Gun Control joe and the democRat Party and sell your BS to slanderous libelous morons like yourself.

          The only thing I need to see from you and your Rat Party is Monetary Reparations for centuries of race based atrocities that occurred all over America thanks to your democRat Party. Those atrocities include Gun Control. You have no podium so apologize and Pay Up.

    • Leigh,

      Scary fact: I had the same thought.

      When I finished reading the article, the question suddenly popped into my head, “Why would the federal government agency–who wants to disarm us–want to make it easier/faster for us to arm ourselves with “exotic” firearms and suppressors?”

      The only answer that I can think of is to make an efficient registration system for nearly all firearms, which fedzilla would eventually use to disarm us.

  2. Golly gee , so the ATF wants my email address too.
    Build a trust between consumer and the ATF , LOL.
    Your pet rattlesnakes want some loving, give em a kiss and a hug.

    • “Your pet rattlesnakes want some loving, give em a kiss and a hug.”

      Your Boa constrictor wants to give you a hug, followed by a trip down his gullet, snout-first, so you can see it coming… 🙁

  3. Any wild guesses on e-filed Form 4 turn-around times submitted on/after January 1st, 2022 ???

    If someone has never filed anything under NFA before (and therefore never sent fingerprints), might their first e-filed Form 4 have a longer turn-around time (due to sending fingerprints the first time) and then subsequent e-filed Form 4s would have faster turn-around times (fingerprints already on record and clear of pending crimes)?

    • Don’t see how submitting prints is going to make much of a difference (digital print classifying and search only takes a few minutes at the most). As far as my guess for how long this approval process will take: 8 – 12 months (why would the BATFE want to speed up a process they have intentionally slowed to molasses-in-January speed for decades?)

  4. It wasn’t just FFLs, I got the email also.
    For your reading enjoyment, here’s the email MINUS all the contacts information at the bottom I edited out.

    This is an advance notice to current eForms users about the upcoming launch of a new version of ATF eForms.
    The goal of this “modernized eForms” is to provide ATF with an infusion of technology to provide better services to our industry members and the public. This much needed modernization will reduce the effort and time required to review and process ATF applications by incorporating online validations and other enhancements.
    No action is needed at this time. However, there are some required steps you’ll need to complete after the upgrade is finished (details below).

    Outage period
    In order to facilitate this upgrade, eForms will be offline during the following time frame:
    Upgrade Start: Friday, December 17 at 9 p.m.
    Tentative Finish: Tuesday, December 21 at 6 a.m.
    You can continue to use the existing eForms until the upgrade starts at 9 p.m. next Friday. During the upgrade time frame, however, eForms will be unavailable.

    What you need to know
    The web address of eForms is not changing. If you have bookmarked eForms in your browser, it will automatically access the new eForms.
    Your eForms User ID is not changing. All your previous submissions will transfer to the new system.

    Required steps after upgrade
    We’re updating the eForms login process to provide enhanced security and establish a trusted relationship between the user and ATF. Here’s what you’ll need to do after Dec. 21:
    1. After the upgrade, you’ll need to manually reset your password before you can log in for the first time.
    2. Once you log in with your new password, the system will ask you to update your user profile information and create a security PIN.
    Please review our step-by-step guide with screenshots, but do not complete these steps until the upgrade is complete on Dec. 21:
    📄 Existing Users – First Time Login Steps (docx, 1.75 MB)
    📄 New Users – First Time Login Steps (docx, 1.33 MB)

    What to expect
    Once the upgrade is finished, you may notice a few changes in the eForms interface. Here’s what to expect:
    • ATF eForm 4 is coming back. After the upgrade, you will be able to submit the ATF Form 4 electronically through eForms.
    • Electronic submission of ATF Forms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 9, 10 and 5300.11 with the required electronic documents.
    • Electronic submission of fingerprint cards for ATF Form 4. You will be able to attach your “digital fingerprint cards” to your submission.
    • Support for larger file attachments. The updated eForms will accept electronic documents up to 30 MB in size.
    • Enhanced validations to ensure that the upfront validations of your data occur prior to submission.
    • User PIN for validating the submission of all forms as part of the submission process.
    • Self-service support for forgotten passwords and PINs.
    • Rules of behavior that must be accepted to proceed with the use of eForms.
    • “Ask the Expert” to send your questions to our subject matter experts.
    • Use of smarter technology to improve customer service and build a foundation for future enhancements such as an Application Programming Interface (API) and Captcha.

  5. Isn’t it nice to know ATF has all your personal info? BWAHAHAHA I ain’t giving them anymore than they have now. (and who knows how much that is already?)
    So..THE ATF IS GONNA “SPEED THINGS UP ON NFA ITEMS”? Sounds like Biden Admin must be planning on hiring a lot of new illegals?

  6. The whole thing reminds me of what Reagan said long ago. To para-phrase.” The most frightening words in the English langauge: “We’re from the Government. We’re here to help you.”

  7. Anyone know where one can obtain an electronic copy of one’s fingerprints in an EFT file for future submissions to the eForms system? I know SilencerShop will submit what they have on your behalf if you use their service, but I’m looking for something for self-filing.

  8. “The goal of this “modernized eForms” is to provide ATF with an infusion of technology to provide better services to our industry members and the public.”

    ATF provides a “service”? Here I’ve always thought they were/are just jackbooted big gov’t thugs/swamp overhead.

Comments are closed.