Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Lawyers

For more than 30 years, people prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law had a statutory right to request relief—but no functioning federal process through which most individuals could actually pursue it.

That has changed.

The Department of Justice has established a new application process under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c). Eligible applicants may now ask the Attorney General to restore their federal firearm rights based on their individual histories, present circumstances, rehabilitation, reputations, and potential risk to public safety.

But this is not a simple form-filing process. DOJ can examine the conduct underlying the prohibition, the applicant’s entire criminal and personal history, events that never resulted in convictions, mental-health and substance-use information, military records, community reputation, sworn character references, and the credibility and completeness of the application itself.

A poorly timed or incomplete application may do more than produce a denial. Depending on the reason for the decision, it may create an additional presumption against relief in a future application.

National Security Law Firm represents clients nationwide in federal firearm rights restoration matters. Our practice is led by former United States Attorney Dak Kees, who brings firsthand knowledge of how federal decision-makers investigate facts, evaluate evidence, assess credibility, and exercise discretion in consequential matters.

Our attorneys help clients determine whether § 925(c) is the correct remedy, identify potential barriers before filing, obtain and analyze historical records, develop rehabilitation evidence, prepare sworn character references, complete the application, and respond to DOJ inquiries after submission.

Federal firearm rights restoration is not guaranteed—but the quality, timing, accuracy, and credibility of the application matter.

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Nationwide federal representation | Former U.S. Attorney-led | 4.9 stars across 298 Google reviews | Transparent flat fees

How Our Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Lawyers Can Help

A § 925(c) lawyer should do considerably more than transfer a client’s answers into an online application.

A complete representation begins by determining why the person is prohibited, whether the available records support that conclusion, which federal and state laws apply, whether DOJ’s presumptions affect the case, and whether another legal remedy should be pursued first.

National Security Law Firm assists clients with:

Identifying each potential federal firearm prohibition;
Determining whether the client is actually prohibited;
Reviewing federal and state criminal-history records;
Evaluating technical eligibility and practical likelihood of relief;
Identifying five-year, ten-year, continuing, and status-based presumptions;
Calculating sentence-completion and waiting-period issues;
Determining whether a pardon, expungement, state restoration, NICS challenge, VAF/UPIN application, or record correction may be more appropriate;
Obtaining court, police, military, medical, and administrative records;
Addressing missing, sealed, destroyed, and inconsistent records;
Developing individualized evidence of rehabilitation and present character;
Selecting and preparing qualified character references;
Reviewing the applicant’s sworn statements for accuracy and completeness;
Preparing and filing the application;
Responding to requests for clarification or additional information; and
Advising the client concerning the decision and potential next steps.

The correct strategy depends on the source of the prohibition and the applicant’s complete history. Our federal firearms lawyers evaluate those issues together rather than assuming that § 925(c) is the answer in every case.

Experience Developed Before the Public Portal Opened

National Security Law Firm began preparing and submitting federal firearm rights restoration matters before DOJ finalized its rule and opened the public application portal. That early work gave our attorneys practical experience evaluating eligibility, reconstructing historical records, developing rehabilitation evidence, preparing character references, and adapting pending matters to an evolving federal process.

The firm continues to represent clients with pre-portal matters as DOJ implements its formal procedures. No prior submission guarantees approval, priority, or a particular decision timeline.

This experience matters because the new process requires lawyers to apply a detailed federal rule to real client histories—often involving decades-old convictions, incomplete records, complicated sentences, intervening conduct, military service, mental-health issues, state relief, and evidence that does not fit neatly into an online form.

Learn more about why clients choose NSLF for federal firearm rights restoration.

Led by Former United States Attorney Dak Kees

National Security Law Firm’s federal firearm rights restoration practice is led by Dak Kees, the former United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.

As a former United States Attorney, Dak understands how federal agencies and decision-makers evaluate records, investigate adverse information, assess witness credibility, and determine whether an applicant has carried a demanding evidentiary burden.

Dak is also a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the University of Arkansas School of Law. His broader practice includes federal investigations, white-collar defense, military law, administrative matters, national-security concerns, and other high-stakes proceedings involving the federal government.

That experience is particularly relevant to § 925(c). DOJ is not merely checking whether an applicant completed a sentence. It is determining whether the applicant has established that restoration would be consistent with public safety and the public interest.

Dak’s government background does not guarantee approval or provide preferential access. It provides an informed understanding of how consequential federal submissions should be investigated, developed, tested, and presented.

Can Federal Firearm Rights Be Restored?

Potentially. Section 925(c) gives the Attorney General authority to grant individualized relief from qualifying federal firearm disabilities.

The correct remedy depends on why the individual is prohibited. Possible options may include:

Relief under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c);
A presidential pardon for a federal conviction;
A state pardon;
Expungement or set-aside of a qualifying state conviction;
Restoration of civil rights under state law;
Relief from a mental-health-based firearm disability;
A NICS challenge;
FBI criminal-record correction;
A Voluntary Appeal File and UPIN; or
A legal determination that the person is not actually prohibited.

Someone who is uncertain about the proper remedy should review our guide explaining how to determine the correct way to pursue firearm rights.

Federal and state restrictions must also be analyzed separately. A federal grant does not automatically eliminate an independent state prohibition. Our guide to federal versus state gun rights restoration explains why obtaining relief in one system may not resolve the other.

What Is 18 U.S.C. § 925(c)?

Federal law prohibits several categories of people from possessing, receiving, shipping, or transporting firearms or ammunition. Many of these prohibitions appear in 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).

Section 925(c) allows a person subject to a qualifying federal firearm disability to apply to the Attorney General for relief.

The Attorney General may grant relief when satisfied that the circumstances surrounding the disability, together with the applicant’s record and reputation, establish that:

The applicant is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety; and
Granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.

The applicant bears the burden of making that showing. The Attorney General retains discretion to evaluate the complete record and grant or deny relief based on the individual circumstances.

An applicant is not automatically entitled to restoration merely because:

The conviction is described as nonviolent;
The sentence was completed;
A particular period has passed;
The applicant has avoided another conviction;
The applicant received state relief;
The applicant’s civil rights were restored; or
The original conduct occurred many years ago.

Those facts may be favorable, but DOJ may consider substantially more.

Who May Apply for Federal Firearm Rights Restoration?

The new process potentially allows people prohibited under the Gun Control Act to submit applications for federal relief.

This may include individuals whose disabilities arise from:

A federal or state felony conviction;
A qualifying misdemeanor crime of domestic violence;
A qualifying protection order;
A mental-health adjudication or commitment;
A dishonorable discharge;
A qualifying court-martial conviction;
An immigration-related prohibition;
Current unlawful use of or addiction to a controlled substance; or
Another federal firearm prohibition.

The ability to submit an application does not mean the applicant is likely to receive relief.

Our detailed federal firearm rights restoration eligibility guide explains the difference between being technically permitted to apply and being able to present a potentially persuasive application.

Who May Be a Poor Candidate for Relief?

DOJ’s rule establishes presumptions against relief based on certain convictions, conduct, sentences, current statuses, and previous application outcomes.

An applicant may face a substantial obstacle when the record involves:

Specified violent or dangerous felony conduct;
A firearm being brandished or discharged during a felony;
Use of explosives during a felony;
Recent drug-trafficking conduct;
Threats of violence;
Certain federal firearm offenses;
A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence;
A current criminal sentence;
Pretrial diversion or a similar program;
A qualifying protection order;
Fugitive status;
A current immigration-based prohibition;
Current unlawful controlled-substance use;
An unresolved mental-health relief requirement; or
A previous unfavorable restoration decision.

Some presumptions apply for five or ten years. Others may continue unless extraordinary circumstances can be established.

A presumption is not necessarily identical to an absolute statutory bar, but it should not be minimized. Filing before a time-limited presumption expires or before the record is sufficiently developed can produce lasting consequences.

Our attorneys analyze the applicable five-year and ten-year § 925(c) waiting periods before recommending submission.

Can a Person With a Felony Conviction Apply?

Potentially. But the analysis does not end with the label “felony.”

DOJ may consider:

The statutory offense;
The conduct underlying the conviction;
Whether the conduct involved violence, threats, firearms, or explosives;
The sentence imposed;
When every component of the sentence was completed;
The applicant’s complete criminal history;
Later arrests or misconduct;
Rehabilitation;
Present reputation and stability; and
Remaining state restrictions.

A state’s classification of an offense as “nonviolent” does not necessarily control DOJ’s analysis. The underlying conduct may matter more than the offense title.

Our guide to restoring federal gun rights after a felony conviction compares § 925(c), pardons, expungement, restoration of civil rights, state relief, and record correction.

Applicants with older nonviolent convictions can also review our focused discussion of federal firearm restoration after a nonviolent felony.

How DOJ Evaluates an Applicant’s Record and Reputation

DOJ may examine considerably more than the conviction that created the prohibition.

Relevant information may include:

The applicant’s complete criminal history;
Arrests that did not lead to charges;
Charges that did not result in conviction;
Deferred prosecutions and alternative dispositions;
Conduct underlying dismissed charges;
Police and investigative reports;
Victim-impact information;
Conduct while incarcerated or under supervision;
Compliance with probation, parole, and release conditions;
Satisfaction of financial and other sentencing obligations;
Time elapsed since sentence completion;
Conduct after the sentence ended;
Past and present controlled-substance use;
Alcohol or prescription-drug abuse;
Protection orders;
Threats or threatening conduct;
Mental-health history and treatment;
Military records;
Information provided by law-enforcement agencies;
Professional and licensing history;
Community reputation; and
Any other information bearing on dangerousness or the public interest.

The absence of another conviction is helpful, but it may not be sufficient.

A persuasive application should address unfavorable facts honestly and place them in context. Attempting to conceal an arrest, allegation, treatment history, or other adverse event may cause more harm than confronting it accurately.

What Evidence Can Demonstrate Rehabilitation?

The strongest evidence depends on the person and the circumstances that created the firearm disability.

Relevant evidence may include:

A substantial period without criminal or dangerous conduct;
Successful completion of probation, parole, supervision, or treatment;
Stable employment or business ownership;
Educational and professional accomplishments;
Military service;
Community service;
Family and caregiving responsibilities;
Evidence of sobriety or successful treatment;
Compliance with court orders;
Financial responsibility;
Evidence of remorse and accountability;
Professional licensing and employment history;
Positive community relationships;
A pardon, expungement, set-aside, or restoration order; and
Detailed evidence explaining why restoration would be consistent with public safety.

The objective is not to overwhelm DOJ with generic praise or duplicative documents. It is to create a credible record showing who the applicant is now, how the applicant has changed, and why the prior conduct no longer predicts dangerous behavior.

Our guide to developing evidence for a strong § 925(c) application explains the records, rehabilitation evidence, sworn references, and personal statements that may support the application.

What Records May Be Required?

The necessary documents depend on the source of the prohibition and the applicant’s history.

Records may include:

Federal and state criminal-history reports;
Fingerprints;
Charging instruments;
Plea agreements;
Factual bases for pleas;
Presentence reports;
Judgments of conviction;
Sentence-completion records;
Police and investigative reports;
Protection-order records;
Records involving domestic-violence allegations;
Expungement, pardon, set-aside, or civil-rights-restoration orders;
Previous firearm-rights applications and decisions;
Military service and court-martial records;
Mental-health adjudication and commitment records;
Treatment records;
Current professional evaluations;
Character-reference affidavits; and
Evidence supporting rehabilitation and present reputation.

Historical records are frequently incomplete. Courts close, agencies transfer files, and old records may be archived, sealed, or destroyed.

The absence of a record does not necessarily excuse the applicant from addressing it. Our discussion of missing court or police records in a § 925(c) application explains how applicants may need to document diligent search efforts and identify reliable alternative evidence.

Who Can Serve as a Character Reference?

A § 925(c) character reference is not an ordinary recommendation letter.

DOJ requires qualified individuals who know the applicant sufficiently well and are prepared to make specific representations under oath. References should understand the applicant’s relevant history, present character, community reputation, and reasons for seeking restoration.

A reference who offers generic praise without knowledge of the applicant’s past may carry less weight than someone who can credibly explain the applicant’s growth, stability, accountability, and current judgment.

The applicant should not select references based only on impressive titles. Credibility, knowledge, candor, and the substance of the relationship matter.

Our attorneys help clients evaluate potential references and prepare affidavits that satisfy the federal requirements without becoming scripted, repetitive, or incomplete.

How the § 925(c) Application Process Works

A comprehensive federal firearm rights restoration matter generally involves the following stages:

Identify the precise federal firearm prohibition.
Determine whether state law creates an independent restriction.
Obtain and analyze relevant criminal-history records.
Evaluate technical eligibility and presumptions against relief.
Determine whether another remedy should be pursued first.
Calculate sentence-completion and waiting-period issues.
Obtain court, police, military, medical, and administrative records.
Address missing or inconsistent information.
Develop evidence of rehabilitation and present reputation.
Select and prepare qualified character references.
Review the applicant’s sworn personal affirmations.
Prepare and submit the application through DOJ’s authorized process.
Respond to DOJ inquiries or requests for additional information.
Review the decision and evaluate potential next steps.

Our current guide explains how to apply for federal firearm rights restoration under § 925(c).

Applicants With Domestic-Violence Convictions or Protection Orders

Domestic-violence matters require careful analysis because federal law treats qualifying protection orders and qualifying misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions differently.

Relevant questions may include:

Whether a protection order remains in effect;
Whether the order satisfies the federal statutory requirements;
Whether a misdemeanor conviction qualifies under federal law;
The relationship between the parties;
The elements and underlying conduct of the offense;
When the sentence was completed;
Whether a ten-year presumption applies;
Whether later arrests or conduct restarted a relevant period; and
Whether state law imposes a separate restriction.

These matters should not be evaluated solely from the offense title or a general criminal-history summary. Learn more about representation for domestic-violence-related federal firearm prohibitions.

Applicants With Mental-Health-Based Prohibitions

An individual prohibited under § 922(g)(4) because of a qualifying mental-health adjudication or commitment may potentially seek relief.

The analysis may involve:

The order producing the adjudication or commitment;
The initiating petition;
Relevant medical and treatment records;
Evidence of discharge or restored competency;
Current mental-health information;
A professional certification;
Available state, territorial, or agency relief programs; and
Whether another relief process must be pursued first.

Voluntary counseling, therapy, or treatment does not automatically create a federal firearm prohibition. The actual record and legal source of the disability must be identified.

Our mental-health firearm rights restoration lawyers evaluate the federal prohibition, available state or agency relief, record-correction issues, and potential § 925(c) application together.

Veterans, Court-Martial Convictions and Dishonorable Discharges

The new federal process potentially permits applications from individuals whose disabilities arise from military matters, including qualifying court-martial convictions and dishonorable discharges.

Relevant records may include:

DD Form 214;
DD Form 214-1 or DD Form 215;
Charge sheets;
Court-martial judgments;
Appellate-review records;
Military mental-health records;
VA-related records; and
Previous military correction or discharge-review decisions.

Some applicants may also have potential remedies through a discharge review board, board for correction of military records, military appellate court, VA process, or pardon.

NSLF’s combined military and federal firearms practices allow our attorneys to evaluate those options together. Read more about veterans’ firearm rights after a military discharge, court-martial, or VA action.

Drug Use, Marijuana and Federal Firearm Prohibitions

Federal firearm law can prohibit a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance from possessing firearms or ammunition.

The legal analysis should distinguish among:

Current unlawful use;
Historical use;
A drug arrest;
A drug conviction;
Drug trafficking;
Marijuana use;
Treatment or recovery;
Admissions appearing in records;
Evidence of cessation; and
Another independent firearm prohibition.

An arrest alone does not necessarily establish that a person is prohibited. At the same time, DOJ may consider conduct that did not result in conviction when evaluating a restoration application.

Our article about drug use, marijuana, and federal gun rights under § 922(g)(3) explains these distinctions.

Do Pardons or Expungements Restore Federal Firearm Rights?

Sometimes—but not automatically.

The effect of an expungement depends on the jurisdiction, the order entered, the legal consequences of that order, and whether the person remains subject to any firearm restriction.

Our guide answering whether an expungement restores gun rights explains why the title placed on a state order does not necessarily determine its effect under federal law.

A full presidential pardon may remove a firearm disability arising solely from the pardoned federal conviction. It will not necessarily eliminate an independent prohibition arising from another conviction, status, or state law.

Learn more about whether a pardon restores firearm rights and NSLF’s representation in presidential pardon matters involving federal convictions.

What If the NICS Denial Was Wrong?

A person should not seek restoration from a prohibition that does not legally exist.

A NICS denial or delay may result from:

Mistaken identity;
A missing court disposition;
An inaccurate offense classification;
An expunged or vacated record that was not updated;
Incomplete state reporting;
Another person’s criminal history;
An unresolved immigration or mental-health record; or
An actual federal prohibition.

If the record is wrong, the correct solution may be a NICS denial challenge, an FBI firearm record correction, or a Voluntary Appeal File and UPIN application.

Section 925(c) restores qualifying federal rights. It is not a substitute for correcting an inaccurate record.

Can an Applicant Possess a Firearm While the Application Is Pending?

No. Filing an application does not suspend or remove an existing firearm prohibition.

Unless another legal exception applies, a prohibited person may not possess, receive, ship, or transport firearms or ammunition until relief has actually been granted.

Applicants must also consider constructive possession. A prohibited person may face criminal exposure when firearms are accessible within a shared home, vehicle, business, or other location, even when another person claims ownership.

Violating federal firearm law while an application is pending can result in serious criminal exposure and substantially damage the restoration request.

What Happens If DOJ Grants Relief?

A federal grant generally means DOJ has determined, based on the application and its investigation, that restoring the applicant’s federal firearm rights is consistent with the governing public-safety and public-interest standards.

DOJ states that following a grant:

The FBI will update the NICS system;
The applicant may receive a Restoration Personal Identification Number, or RPIN;
The applicant’s name and grant date will be published in the Federal Register; and
Independent state firearm restrictions will remain unaffected.

A grant also does not protect a person who later incurs a new federal firearm disability.

What Happens If DOJ Denies the Application?

A denial may affect more than the pending matter.

Depending on the reason for the decision:

The applicant may be permitted to reapply after a waiting period;
A new five-year presumption may apply;
An existing time-limited presumption may need to expire;
A current status may need to change;
Additional records may be needed; or
A continuing presumption may remain unless extraordinary circumstances can be established.

Section 925(c) also permits an applicant to seek judicial review in the appropriate United States district court. Federal litigation is separate from the administrative application and requires an independent evaluation and engagement agreement.

This is one reason the original application must be prepared carefully. The information submitted to DOJ may become part of the administrative record considered in later proceedings.

How Much Does a Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Lawyer Cost?

National Security Law Firm charges a flat fee of $5,000 for most federal firearm rights restoration matters under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).

Certain matters involving additional legal or factual complexity—including some cases involving domestic violence, mental-health records, military proceedings, multiple prohibitions, or extensive criminal histories—require a flat fee of $7,500.

The precise fee and scope are confirmed before representation begins.

Attorney’s fees do not include:

DOJ’s application fee;
Fingerprinting expenses;
Certified court or agency records;
Criminal-history report charges;
Medical or mental-health professional fees;
Expert expenses;
Separate state proceedings;
Pardon proceedings;
Judicial review or federal litigation; or
Other third-party costs.

Review our complete explanation of federal firearm rights restoration legal fees and outside costs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Firearm Rights Restoration

Is federal firearm rights restoration guaranteed?

No. Relief is discretionary. No attorney can guarantee approval, priority, or a particular decision timeline.

Does completing my sentence automatically restore my rights?

No. Sentence completion may affect eligibility and the calculation of relevant presumptions, but it does not automatically remove a federal firearm disability.

Can a nonviolent felon apply?

Potentially. DOJ may nevertheless examine the underlying conduct, the complete criminal history, sentence completion, later events, rehabilitation, reputation, and state restrictions.

Should I apply as soon as the portal becomes available?

Not necessarily. Filing before an applicable period expires, before required records are obtained, or before rehabilitation evidence is sufficiently developed may result in an avoidable denial.

Can a lawyer guarantee that DOJ will act more quickly?

No. An attorney can prepare a complete application, respond to requests, and monitor the matter, but cannot control DOJ’s investigation or decision timeline.

Do I need a lawyer to submit an application?

Applicants may be permitted to apply without counsel. The value of legal representation is in determining whether § 925(c) is the correct remedy, identifying unfavorable presumptions, evaluating the complete record, addressing adverse facts, and developing a persuasive evidentiary submission before sworn representations are made.

Will federal restoration remove a state prohibition?

No. Federal relief does not automatically authorize possession under state law. Federal and state restrictions must be evaluated separately.

Can I apply if my records are decades old or missing?

Potentially. The applicant may need to document diligent efforts to obtain unavailable records and provide reliable alternative evidence.

Can a person with a domestic-violence conviction apply?

Potentially, but a ten-year or continuing presumption may apply depending on the conviction, underlying conduct, sentence, later events, and current status.

Can veterans apply after a court-martial or dishonorable discharge?

Potentially. Military applicants may also need to evaluate discharge-review, military-record-correction, VA, pardon, or other remedies.

What if my NICS denial resulted from an inaccurate record?

A NICS challenge or record correction may be more appropriate than restoration. The record should be obtained and analyzed before choosing a remedy.

Why Clients Nationwide Trust National Security Law Firm

Federal firearm rights restoration is not a routine local filing. It is a federal administrative process requiring careful legal analysis, historical investigation, evidentiary development, and persuasive presentation.

Clients choose NSLF because we offer:

A federal practice led by former United States Attorney Dak Kees;
Experience developed before the public portal opened;
Nationwide representation;
Integrated knowledge of federal firearms, military law, pardons, NICS, record correction, mental-health prohibitions, and federal administrative proceedings;
Detailed records and eligibility review before filing;
Individualized rehabilitation and character evidence;
Continued representation during DOJ review within the agreed scope;
Transparent flat fees; and
A 4.9-star rating across 298 Google reviews.

Those reviews reflect the firm’s work throughout its nationwide federal practices. They demonstrate the responsiveness, professionalism, preparation, and communication clients expect when entrusting consequential matters to our legal team.

We do not promise approval. We do not claim special access. We do not encourage every prospective client to file immediately.

We evaluate the case, identify the risks, tell the client what the record actually shows, and develop the strongest accurate application the available facts can support.

Speak With a Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Lawyer

The new § 925(c) process creates a meaningful opportunity—but opening an application portal does not make every person eligible, every case ready, or every record persuasive.

Before filing, you should know:

Why federal law prohibits you;
Whether state law imposes a separate restriction;
Which DOJ presumptions may apply;
When your sentence was legally completed;
What your criminal-history records contain;
Whether another remedy should be pursued first;
Which unfavorable facts DOJ may discover;
Whether the necessary records can be obtained; and
What evidence demonstrates your rehabilitation and present reputation.

National Security Law Firm can help you answer those questions before you make sworn representations or submit an application that may affect your future options.

Our nationwide federal firearm rights restoration practice is led by former United States Attorney Dak Kees. For most § 925(c) matters, the firm charges a $5,000 flat fee. Certain complex matters require a $7,500 flat fee.

Do not file simply because the process is available. File when the record, timing, evidence, and legal strategy are ready.

Contact National Security Law Firm today to schedule a confidential consultation and determine whether federal firearm rights restoration is the appropriate next step.

Schedule a Free Confidential Consultation

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

This page provides general legal information and is not legal advice. Eligibility, strategy, fees, and potential outcomes depend on the individual facts, applicable law, and current DOJ procedures. Submission of an application does not guarantee relief, suspend an existing firearm prohibition, or authorize possession of firearms or ammunition while the matter is pending.

AUTHOR AND REVIEW INFORMATION

Attorney reviewer: Dak Kees, former United States Attorney

Last legally reviewed: August 2026

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