National Security Law Firm generally charges a $5,000 flat fee for comprehensive representation in a federal firearm rights restoration matter under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).

More complex cases may be quoted at $7,500.

That fee is not simply for completing an online form. It covers the legal and evidentiary work required to determine whether you are ready to apply, reconstruct the relevant history, identify weaknesses, develop evidence of rehabilitation, prepare your application, and represent you during the administrative review process described in your engagement agreement.

The Department of Justice will evaluate whether your record and reputation establish that you are not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.

The strength of that presentation matters.

This page explains what NSLF’s flat fee ordinarily includes, which costs are paid separately, why some cases require additional work, and what happens if an application is denied.

If you are ready to receive a case-specific fee and eligibility assessment, schedule a consultation with our federal firearm rights restoration lawyers or call (202) 600-4996.

What Does NSLF Charge for a § 925(c) Application?

Most federal firearm rights restoration matters are handled for a flat attorney fee of:

$5,000 for comprehensive § 925(c) representation

A matter requiring substantially more legal analysis, record development, or evidentiary work may be quoted at:

$7,500 for a complex § 925(c) matter

Before you retain the firm, NSLF will review the known circumstances, identify the anticipated scope of work, and provide the applicable flat fee in a written engagement agreement.

You will know the legal fee before representation begins.

What Is Included in the $5,000 Flat Fee?

For most standard matters, NSLF’s comprehensive § 925(c) representation includes:

  • An initial eligibility and timing assessment;
  • Identification of the federal firearm disability;
  • Review for current, permanent, five-year, ten-year, and reapplication presumptions;
  • Review of known federal and state restrictions;
  • A personalized document checklist;
  • Guidance on obtaining the required criminal-history records;
  • Review of court, sentencing, and sentence-completion records;
  • Identification of missing or inconsistent documents;
  • Evaluation of rehabilitation evidence;
  • Guidance concerning employment, education, military, family, treatment, and community-service evidence;
  • Assistance developing the applicant’s personal narrative;
  • Guidance selecting and preparing the three required character references;
  • Review of information concerning prior arrests and unfavorable facts;
  • Preparation of the legal and factual presentation supporting relief;
  • Completion and review of the federal application;
  • Organization of supporting documentation;
  • Guidance concerning the $30 DOJ fee and required USPS fingerprints;
  • Submission assistance when the application process is available to the client;
  • Monitoring of the administrative matter;
  • Reasonable communication concerning application status;
  • Review of routine requests from DOJ restoration specialists;
  • Preparation of reasonable responses to requests for additional information within the agreed administrative scope; and
  • Review and explanation of the final administrative decision.

The exact included services will be stated in the engagement agreement. If an unusual development materially expands the work beyond the original scope, NSLF will discuss that with the client before undertaking separately billed work.

Why Does a § 925(c) Application Require More Than Completing a Form?

The federal application asks for information. The legal representation builds the case behind those answers.

DOJ may consider:

  • The conduct that created the firearm disability;
  • The applicant’s complete criminal history;
  • Time elapsed since conviction and sentence completion;
  • Subsequent arrests or misconduct;
  • Employment and financial stability;
  • Family responsibilities;
  • Substance-use history;
  • Mental-health history;
  • Military service;
  • Community reputation;
  • Character references;
  • Rehabilitation;
  • Public-safety concerns;
  • The applicant’s reason for seeking restoration; and
  • Whether granting relief would be consistent with the public interest.

A technically complete application can still be unpersuasive. It can also unintentionally disclose information that creates a presumption, contradicts another record, or raises questions the applicant was not prepared to address.

Our representation focuses on building a complete and credible record before the application is submitted.

Read more about the evidence required for a strong § 925(c) application.

Which Matters May Cost $7,500?

A case may require a $7,500 flat fee when the facts or records create substantially more work than a standard application.

Examples may include:

  • Multiple potentially prohibiting convictions;
  • Convictions in several jurisdictions;
  • A permanent presumptive disqualifier;
  • A five-year or ten-year presumption requiring complex timing analysis;
  • A request based on extraordinary circumstances;
  • A domestic-violence conviction;
  • Significant violent or threatening conduct;
  • A qualifying mental-health adjudication or commitment;
  • A general court-martial conviction;
  • A dishonorable discharge;
  • Complex military records;
  • Extensive missing or destroyed records;
  • Substantial inconsistencies among court and criminal-history records;
  • Foreign criminal, mental-health, or military records;
  • A prior denied § 925(c) application;
  • Significant unfavorable post-conviction conduct;
  • Extensive negative publicity;
  • A complicated state-versus-federal rights issue;
  • Multiple source-agency record problems; or
  • An anticipated need for substantial additional evidence and explanation.

A case is not automatically priced at $7,500 merely because it falls within one of these categories. The fee depends on the anticipated work required in the individual matter.

Is the DOJ Application Fee Included?

No. DOJ charges a separate, nonrefundable application fee.

The current federal firearm rights restoration application fee is:

$30 paid directly to the federal government

After submitting the application, the applicant is directed to Pay.gov to complete payment electronically.

DOJ currently permits payment by:

  • Direct bank transfer;
  • Credit or debit card; or
  • PayPal.

The Attorney General may periodically review and adjust the government fee. Any future change would be separate from NSLF’s legal fee.

DOJ permits applicants to request a reduction or waiver of the government fee based on circumstances such as indigency. The applicant must explain why the request should be granted.

Are Fingerprinting Costs Included?

No. Fingerprinting is a separate third-party expense paid by the client.

DOJ requires individuals to submit electronic fingerprints through a participating United States Post Office.

The fingerprints cannot be completed in advance.

After the first part of the federal application is submitted, the applicant should receive:

  • A case number;
  • A barcode;
  • A QR code;
  • Instructions from the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division; and
  • Information concerning participating USPS locations.

The applicant must then visit an authorized participating Post Office with the required code, acceptable identification, and payment for the fingerprinting service.

DOJ states that fingerprints obtained outside the designated USPS electronic process will not be accepted for the § 925(c) application.

NSLF will guide the client through the required sequence, but the USPS fingerprinting charge is not part of the firm’s flat legal fee.

Are Certified Court and Government Records Included?

NSLF’s attorney fee includes identifying, reviewing, organizing, and using the records necessary for the application.

The charges imposed by courts, police departments, archives, state repositories, military departments, medical providers, commercial record vendors, or other third parties are ordinarily paid separately by the client.

Possible record expenses include:

  • Certified indictments or charging documents;
  • Judgments of conviction;
  • Plea agreements;
  • Sentencing records;
  • Presentence reports;
  • Proof of sentence completion;
  • State criminal-history reports;
  • Local police records;
  • FBI Identity History Summaries;
  • Military court records;
  • DD Forms 214, 214-1, or 215;
  • Mental-health records;
  • Expungement or pardon records;
  • Foreign records;
  • Translations; and
  • Archive or retrieval charges.

Record costs vary significantly by jurisdiction. Some agencies provide documents without charge, while others charge certification, copying, research, archive, or vendor fees.

Before unnecessary costs are incurred, NSLF will help identify which documents are required and which records may be relevant to the strength of the application.

What If a Required Record No Longer Exists?

DOJ recognizes that some historical documents may be unavailable.

For certain required materials, DOJ permits an applicant to submit a sworn statement that:

  1. Provides the information that would have appeared in the unavailable document;
  2. Describes the applicant’s efforts to obtain the document; and
  3. Explains why the record is unavailable.

Preparing a credible missing-record submission may require:

  • Documented searches;
  • Written responses from courts or archives;
  • Certification that no record could be located;
  • Secondary government documents;
  • Docket information;
  • Sentencing or supervision records;
  • Contemporary reports;
  • Alternative evidence; and
  • A carefully prepared sworn statement.

The standard flat fee includes reasonable work addressing ordinary missing-record issues. A matter requiring extensive searches across multiple jurisdictions or reconstruction of numerous destroyed files may be priced as a more complex engagement.

Learn how NSLF approaches missing court or police records in a § 925(c) application.

Are Expert or Professional Reports Included?

No. Fees charged by experts and licensed professionals are not included in NSLF’s flat attorney fee.

Some cases may benefit from or require evidence from:

  • A licensed mental-health professional;
  • A substance-use evaluator;
  • A treating physician;
  • A forensic psychologist or psychiatrist;
  • A vocational expert;
  • A military-record specialist;
  • A translator;
  • A private investigator;
  • A mitigation specialist; or
  • Another qualified professional.

For example, DOJ requires certain applicants prohibited under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4) to provide a current certification from a licensed mental-health professional addressing the condition associated with the original disability and the applicant’s present risk.

NSLF will explain what type of professional evidence may be required or strategically valuable. The client selects and pays the professional directly unless the engagement agreement states otherwise.

The use of any particular expert is not automatic. It depends on the facts and the evidentiary question that must be addressed.

Are Character References Included?

NSLF’s work preparing the applicant and character references is included within the agreed administrative representation.

DOJ requires three character references who:

  • Are not related to the applicant by blood or marriage;
  • Have known the applicant for at least three years; and
  • Are not prohibited from possessing a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).

References must affirm information under penalty of perjury concerning the applicant’s conduct, character, substance use, mental health, violence risk, and public-safety implications.

NSLF can help:

  • Identify potentially suitable references;
  • Explain the federal requirements;
  • Evaluate whether a proposed reference is appropriate;
  • Prepare the applicant for information DOJ will request;
  • Help references understand the seriousness of their attestations; and
  • Ensure that the application accurately identifies each reference.

The references must provide their own truthful answers. NSLF cannot supply facts, direct a reference to make an inaccurate statement, or guarantee what any reference will say.

Are Responses to DOJ Requests Included?

Reasonable responses to routine requests for additional information from DOJ restoration specialists are ordinarily included in NSLF’s comprehensive administrative representation, as defined in the engagement agreement.

DOJ may ask for:

  • A missing document;
  • Clarification of an application answer;
  • An updated address;
  • Additional information concerning an arrest;
  • Proof of sentence completion;
  • An explanation of inconsistent records;
  • Updated rehabilitation evidence;
  • Additional information from a character reference; or
  • Another item needed to complete review.

NSLF will review the request, advise the client, prepare or organize the responsive information, and communicate through the appropriate process when authorized.

A request that materially expands the representation may require a separate agreement. Examples may include:

  • A new criminal or administrative matter;
  • Litigation in another jurisdiction;
  • Extensive correction of unrelated records;
  • A new professional evaluation;
  • A response involving previously undisclosed material facts;
  • A separate state-restoration proceeding; or
  • Work outside the original § 925(c) administrative case.

If additional fees may apply, NSLF will discuss the expanded scope before proceeding.

What Is Not Included in the Flat Fee?

Unless expressly included in the written engagement agreement, the § 925(c) flat fee does not include:

  • The $30 DOJ application fee;
  • USPS fingerprinting charges;
  • Court certification and copying fees;
  • Criminal-history report fees;
  • Archive and record-retrieval charges;
  • Medical or mental-health professional fees;
  • Expert-witness or evaluator fees;
  • Private-investigator fees;
  • Translation costs;
  • Travel expenses;
  • State pardon proceedings;
  • Presidential pardon petitions;
  • State expungement or set-aside proceedings;
  • State firearm rights restoration;
  • Military discharge upgrades;
  • Board for Correction of Military Records applications;
  • NICS challenges unrelated to the § 925(c) matter;
  • VAF or UPIN applications unless specifically included;
  • Correction of unrelated FBI or state records;
  • Representation concerning new criminal charges;
  • Appeals in unrelated administrative proceedings;
  • Federal district court litigation;
  • Judicial review after a denial; or
  • Work arising from material facts the client did not disclose before the engagement.

The engagement agreement will control the actual scope of representation.

Is Judicial Review Included If DOJ Denies the Application?

No. Federal litigation or judicial review is not included in the standard $5,000 or $7,500 administrative flat fee.

If DOJ denies a § 925(c) application, federal law permits the applicant to seek judicial review in the United States district court for the district where the applicant resides.

That is a separate federal lawsuit. It may involve:

  • Review of the administrative record;
  • Analysis of the denial letter;
  • Federal jurisdiction and venue;
  • Pleading requirements;
  • Service on the government;
  • Motions practice;
  • Discovery or additional evidence when permitted;
  • Expert testimony;
  • Briefing;
  • Hearings; and
  • Potential appellate proceedings.

NSLF will review and explain the administrative decision as part of the original representation. If judicial review is legally and strategically appropriate, the firm can discuss a separate litigation agreement and fee.

The cost of litigation depends on the claims, record, forum, government response, anticipated motion practice, and need for experts. It cannot be included responsibly in the original application fee.

What Happens If DOJ Issues an Indeterminate Decision?

An indeterminate decision means DOJ concluded that the information available was insufficient to grant or deny the application.

DOJ states that an applicant who obtains additional supporting information may begin the application process again. The new application should include enough new evidence to address the reason for the indeterminate outcome.

Review of the initial decision is included in the administrative representation. Preparing and submitting an entirely new application after an indeterminate decision is not automatically included unless the engagement agreement says otherwise.

NSLF will explain:

  • What information DOJ found insufficient;
  • Whether the missing evidence can be obtained;
  • Whether a new application is advisable;
  • What additional work would be required; and
  • The scope and fee for any new representation.

Does the Flat Fee Guarantee Approval?

No.

No attorney can guarantee that DOJ will restore a person’s federal firearm rights.

The Attorney General or authorized designee makes the decision after considering the application, supporting evidence, government records, investigation, public-safety concerns, and public interest.

Legal representation can improve the organization, completeness, accuracy, and persuasiveness of the submission. It cannot control the federal government’s exercise of discretion.

NSLF will provide a candid assessment of:

  • Technical eligibility;
  • Applicable presumptions;
  • Timing;
  • Strengths;
  • Evidentiary weaknesses;
  • Missing records;
  • Public-safety concerns;
  • State-law complications; and
  • Whether applying now is strategically advisable.

Sometimes the most valuable advice is to wait, correct a record, exhaust another remedy, or develop stronger evidence before filing.

Are Payment Plans or Financing Available?

NSLF offers flat-fee representation so clients know the legal cost at the outset.

Payment terms will be stated in the engagement agreement. Depending on the matter and timing, the firm may require payment before substantial work begins or may offer an approved internal payment schedule.

Third-party legal financing is also available for qualifying clients. Financing may allow approved clients to spread payments over several months.

Financing is provided by a third party and is subject to that provider’s eligibility requirements, interest rates, terms, and approval. Checking available options does not change the legal fee quoted by NSLF.

Why Clients Hire NSLF for a § 925(c) Application

The federal government’s application fee is $30. That does not mean the case is simple.

Applicants hire NSLF because they want experienced attorneys to evaluate the complete history, identify the problems before filing, and build an evidentiary presentation that addresses the federal standard.

Our federal firearms practice is led by former United States Attorney Duane “DAK” Kees, a former chief federal law-enforcement officer and Army Judge Advocate.

National Security Law Firm began preparing and submitting federal firearm rights restoration matters more than a year 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.

NSLF also offers:

  • Nationwide federal representation;
  • Integrated firearm, pardon, NICS, military, and record-correction practices;
  • Experience with difficult historical records;
  • Detailed eligibility and timing analysis;
  • Transparent flat fees;
  • Written scopes of representation; and
  • Client service reflected in 4.9 stars across 298 Google reviews.

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

Frequently Asked Questions About § 925(c) Lawyer Fees

How much does NSLF charge for federal firearm rights restoration?

Most matters are handled for a $5,000 flat fee. More complex matters may be quoted at $7,500.

Is the $30 DOJ application fee included?

No. The $30 nonrefundable application fee is paid directly to the federal government.

Are fingerprints included?

NSLF provides guidance concerning the required process, but the client pays the USPS fingerprinting charge separately.

Are court-record fees included?

The legal work of identifying, reviewing, and using the records is included. Third-party certification, copying, archive, and retrieval charges are paid separately.

Are mental-health evaluations included?

No. Fees charged by licensed professionals or experts are separate.

Does the fee include character references?

NSLF’s guidance concerning selection and preparation of the required references is included. References must provide their own truthful information under penalty of perjury.

Does the fee include responses to DOJ?

Reasonable responses to routine requests for additional information are ordinarily included within the agreed administrative scope.

Does the fee include an appeal or federal lawsuit?

No. Judicial review and federal litigation require a separate agreement and fee.

Will I receive a refund if DOJ denies the application?

The flat fee pays for the legal services performed, not a guaranteed result. Any refund rights or obligations are governed by the engagement agreement and applicable professional rules.

Does paying $7,500 mean my case has a better chance?

No. The higher fee reflects the additional work anticipated in a more complex case. It does not purchase a particular result or treatment from DOJ.

Can NSLF tell me which fee applies before I hire the firm?

Yes. After reviewing the known facts and scope, NSLF will provide the applicable flat fee in the engagement agreement.

Can I finance the legal fee?

Third-party financing may be available to qualified clients, subject to the provider’s terms and approval.

Find Out What Your § 925(c) Matter Will Cost

For most clients, comprehensive federal firearm rights restoration representation costs $5,000.

If your matter requires substantial additional record development, presumption analysis, professional evidence, or treatment of complex unfavorable facts, the fee may be $7,500.

You will receive a defined scope and flat fee before representation begins.

Schedule a confidential consultation with National Security Law Firm or call (202) 600-4996 to discuss your eligibility, timing, records, and anticipated legal fee.

This page describes NSLF’s general pricing as of the date published. The actual fee and scope are governed by the written engagement agreement. Government and third-party charges may change. No legal fee guarantees approval, timing, or any particular outcome. Past results do not predict future outcomes. This website is an attorney advertisement.