For the first time in more than 30 years, the Department of Justice has established a formal process through which eligible individuals may seek restoration of federal firearm rights under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).
The process is administered by the Office of the Pardon Attorney and requires far more than completing a short online form.
Applicants must identify every federal firearm disability, disclose their complete history, obtain records from courts and law-enforcement agencies, submit electronic fingerprints, select three qualified character references, address any presumptive disqualifiers, and present enough evidence for DOJ to determine that restoration is consistent with public safety and the public interest.
Once started, the electronic application must be completed within 30 days. If it is not submitted within that period, the applicant must begin again.
The best time to investigate eligibility, gather records, resolve inaccuracies, and prepare supporting evidence is before opening the online application.
National Security Law Firm represents clients nationwide through every stage of the federal firearm rights restoration process under § 925(c).
Schedule a confidential federal firearms consultation or call (202) 600-4996.
Is the Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Program Open?
DOJ is launching the new process in stages.
According to the Department’s August 2026 public guidance:
- DOJ will begin by inviting certain individuals with a known interest in the program to apply
- On November 4, 2026, the application will open to the first 5,000 public applicants on a first-come, first-served basis
- A later rollout stage will allow 500 applicants to test the electronic fee-payment process
- DOJ intends to expand access after evaluating the online platform and internal procedures
The DOJ application-process page should be checked for the current status of the portal and rollout.
Being among the first applicants is less important than submitting a complete, accurate, and well-supported application. A rushed submission can create delays, an indeterminate result, a denial, or complications during reapplication.
What Does § 925(c) Require?
Under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c), the Attorney General may grant relief when satisfied that the circumstances surrounding the firearm 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 providing enough accurate and credible information for DOJ to make both findings.
DOJ may examine much more than the conviction or event that created the firearm prohibition. Its final rule permits consideration of:
- Every arrest
- Charges that did not result in conviction
- Dismissed charges and their underlying conduct
- Deferred prosecution and diversion
- Conduct while serving a sentence
- Compliance with supervision
- Payment of restitution and other obligations
- Substance use
- Alcohol or intoxicant abuse
- Protection orders
- Threats or threatening behavior
- Mental-health history
- Character and community reputation
- Information from local law enforcement
- Whether denying relief would infringe the applicant’s Second Amendment rights
The application should be prepared for that complete review.
The Federal Application Process at a Glance
The current process has three broad phases:
| Phase | Principal tasks |
|---|---|
| Prepare to apply | Identify the prohibition, review eligibility, check presumptive disqualifiers, obtain records, develop evidence, and select references |
| Complete the application | Submit the electronic form, pay the fee or request a waiver, complete USPS fingerprints, and monitor reference forms |
| Wait for a decision | Monitor the portal, respond to restoration specialists, and receive a grant, denial, indeterminate decision, or no-action closure |
Each phase contains deadlines and evidentiary requirements. Applicants should understand the entire process before beginning.
Step One: Identify the Federal Firearm Prohibition
The first step is determining why federal law prohibits the person from possessing or otherwise handling firearms.
DOJ currently permits individuals prohibited under one or more of the following provisions of § 922(g) to apply:
- Felony conviction under § 922(g)(1)
- Fugitive status under § 922(g)(2)
- Unlawful use of or addiction to controlled substances under § 922(g)(3)
- Certain mental-health adjudications or commitments under § 922(g)(4)
- Certain immigration statuses under § 922(g)(5)
- Discharge from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions under § 922(g)(6)
- Renunciation of United States citizenship under § 922(g)(7)
- Qualifying domestic-violence protection order under § 922(g)(8)
- Misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under § 922(g)(9)
An applicant may have more than one federal disability. The application must identify and address each one.
Do not assume that a NICS denial necessarily means the person needs restoration. If the denial arose from inaccurate information, mistaken identity, or a record that was not updated, the appropriate remedy may be a NICS challenge or FBI firearm-record correction.
Step Two: Determine Whether Another Remedy Should Come First
Section 925(c) is not the correct remedy for every prohibited person.
Depending on the record, another option may include:
- A presidential pardon
- A gubernatorial pardon
- Expungement
- Setting aside or vacating a conviction
- State restoration of civil rights
- State firearm-rights restoration
- Mental-health relief through a state or agency program
- Military-record relief
- NICS challenge
- FBI or source-agency record correction
A qualifying pardon, expungement, set-aside, or restoration may already have removed the federal disability. Conversely, state relief may leave the federal prohibition intact.
Our gun-rights remedy-selection guide compares the principal options, while our federal-versus-state restoration guide explains why relief under one legal system may not resolve the other.
Step Three: Review Every Presumptive Disqualifier
An individual prohibited under § 922(g) may be eligible to submit an application while still being subject to a presumption against relief.
DOJ identifies five categories of presumptive disqualifiers:
- Current status
- Permanent
- Ten years
- Five years
- Reapplication
An affected application ordinarily will be denied unless extraordinary circumstances overcome the presumption.
Applicants must disclose every presumptive disqualifier. They must also disclose convictions even if those convictions were later pardoned, expunged, set aside, or otherwise modified.
NSLF’s federal firearm rights restoration eligibility guide explains each category in detail.
Current-Status Presumptions
An application ordinarily will be denied while the applicant is:
- Awaiting sentencing
- Serving any part of a sentence
- Participating in diversion or another program in place of conviction
- A fugitive from justice
- An unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance as defined by the rule
- In a disqualifying immigration status
- Subject to a qualifying domestic-violence protection order
- Required to register as a sex offender based on an offense that prohibits firearm possession
- Subject to certain unresolved mental-health relief requirements
In many cases, the applicant should resolve the current status before filing.
Five-Year, Ten-Year, and Permanent Presumptions
A felony not included in a more serious category generally creates a five-year presumption measured by the conviction and service of any portion of the sentence.
Certain offenses create a ten-year presumption, including covered:
- Drug-trafficking felonies
- Threats of violence
- Explosives conduct
- Firearm- and ammunition-related conduct
- Weapons on school property
- Animal abuse
- Misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence
Other serious felony conduct creates a permanent presumption, including certain offenses involving death, sexual assault, human trafficking, kidnapping, domestic violence, burglary, robbery, extortion, arson, assault, stalking, terrorism, witness tampering, violent racketeering, gangs, firearms, or explosives.
The relevant period may run from the date the applicant completed the final sentencing requirement—not merely the conviction date.
Review the complete guide to five-year and ten-year § 925(c) waiting periods before selecting a filing date.
Step Four: Confirm When the Sentence Ended
DOJ defines “sentence” broadly.
It can include:
- Incarceration
- Detention
- Home confinement
- Probation
- Parole
- Supervised release
- Unsupervised release
- Restitution
- Fines and other monetary obligations
- Education
- Treatment
- Programming
- Community service
- Military extra duties
- Restrictions on movement
- Electronic monitoring
- Other unsatisfied penalties
A person released from prison years ago may still have served part of the sentence more recently through probation, restitution, or another condition.
Obtain an official record from the relevant court, corrections department, probation office, parole authority, or other agency establishing the date the final requirement was completed.
Step Five: Obtain the Required Criminal-History Reports
Every individual applicant must provide state criminal-history reports covering:
- The preceding 25 years; or
- The period since turning 18,
whichever is shorter.
The reports must cover:
- Each state where the applicant lived during that period
- Every other state where the applicant was arrested
If a statewide record is not available, DOJ permits records from the relevant local law-enforcement jurisdiction.
The record should show the applicant’s arrests and convictions or confirm that the applicant has a clear record in that jurisdiction.
Foreign residence or conduct may require corresponding foreign law-enforcement records.
Step Six: Compare the Criminal Histories With the Court Records
Do not assume that every repository contains the same information.
Compare:
- State criminal-history reports
- FBI Identity History Summary
- Court dockets
- Judgments
- NICS correspondence
- Military records
- Pardon or expungement documents
- The applicant’s personal recollection
Look for:
- Missing dispositions
- Incorrect offense classifications
- Duplicate entries
- Wrong dates
- Charges shown as pending
- Convictions belonging to another person
- Vacated convictions still appearing as active
- Pardons or restorations not reflected in the record
- Inconsistent sentence information
DOJ instructs applicants who believe their criminal history is incorrect to obtain the report and dispute errors with the relevant law-enforcement agency.
A record problem should be investigated before it is repeated in a federal application.
Step Seven: Gather the Records for the Underlying Disability
The required documents depend on why the person is prohibited.
| Source of disability | Examples of required documents |
| Felony conviction | Charging document, judgment, plea records, presentence report, and proof of sentence completion |
| Mental-health adjudication or commitment | Order, petition, medical records, current professional certification, and restoration records |
| Military conviction or dishonorable discharge | DD Forms, charge sheet, judgment, and appellate-completion records |
| Citizenship renunciation | Formal renunciation and sworn explanation |
| Misdemeanor domestic violence | Charging document, investigative reports, relationship evidence, judgment, sentence completion, later police reports, and restoration records |
| Foreign matter | Foreign criminal, medical, military, pardon, expungement, and restoration records |
| Prior post-conviction relief | Application and decision for pardon, expungement, set-aside, civil-rights restoration, or firearm-rights restoration |
Applicants should provide true digital copies of court and government records. Documents in another language require a complete English translation and certification from a competent translator.
Step Eight: Document Missing Records
DOJ recognizes that old records may no longer exist.
When specified required documents are unavailable because an official entity failed to maintain them through passage of time, fire, natural disaster, or another reason not attributable to the applicant’s fault or negligence, the applicant may submit a sworn statement.
The statement must describe:
- The underlying facts
- The charges or proceedings
- The ultimate disposition
- Every effort made to obtain the document
- Why the document is unavailable
A diligent search may involve courts, archives, prosecutors, police departments, corrections agencies, probation offices, military repositories, hospitals, prior counsel, and other custodians.
Alternative evidence should corroborate the statement whenever possible.
Our guide to missing court and police records in a § 925(c) application explains how to document the search and reconstruct the historical record.
Step Nine: Develop the Rehabilitation Evidence
Required records explain what happened. Rehabilitation evidence explains why the person’s present record supports relief.
Relevant evidence may include:
- Stable employment
- Promotions
- Business ownership
- Professional licensing
- Education and training
- Military or public service
- Volunteer work
- Mentoring
- Family caregiving
- Financial responsibility
- Payment of restitution
- Substance-use treatment
- Mental-health treatment
- Sustained recovery
- Community involvement
- A long period without criminal conduct
- Evidence of insight and accountability
- Evidence addressing the specific circumstances that contributed to the offense
The evidence should be tailored to the case.
A financial offense may require documentation of restitution, financial stability, and renewed trust. A drug-related matter may require treatment and recovery evidence. A case involving threats may require evidence addressing emotional regulation, counseling, and the absence of later incidents.
Read more about evidence for a strong § 925(c) application.
Step Ten: Prepare the Applicant’s Personal Statement
A personal statement can help connect the official record with the applicant’s rehabilitation and present character.
A useful statement should explain:
- The event that created the firearm disability
- The applicant’s role
- The harm caused
- The applicant’s acceptance of responsibility
- The circumstances at the time
- What changed afterward
- The steps taken during and after the sentence
- The applicant’s present family, employment, and community responsibilities
- The lawful reason restoration is requested
- Why the applicant does not present a public-safety danger
- Why granting relief is consistent with the public interest
The statement should be candid and consistent with the official records.
An applicant should not attempt to improve the case by minimizing established conduct, contradicting a guilty plea without support, blaming every other person, or omitting unfavorable information DOJ is likely to discover.
Step Eleven: Select Three Qualified Character References
Every individual applicant must identify three character references.
Each reference must:
- Be unrelated to the applicant by blood or marriage
- Have known the applicant for at least three years
- Not be prohibited from possessing firearms under § 922(g)
The applicant must provide each reference’s name, email address, and relationship to the applicant.
The strongest references are not necessarily the people with the most impressive titles. They are credible individuals who know the applicant well enough to make DOJ’s required statements truthfully and with meaningful firsthand knowledge.
Potential references may include:
- Longtime employers or supervisors
- Colleagues
- Clergy
- Mentors
- Neighbors
- Community leaders
- Friends
- Professional associates
Applicants should confirm each person’s willingness and qualifications before entering their information.
What the References Must Affirm
DOJ requires references to make detailed statements under penalty of perjury.
Among other things, the references must be able to affirm that the applicant:
- Has not committed a disqualifying crime within the preceding five years
- Does not unlawfully use or suffer from addiction to a controlled substance as defined by the rule
- Does not regularly abuse alcohol, prescription medication, or other intoxicants
- Is not currently experiencing a mental-health condition that impairs judgment or behavior
- Has good character and a good reputation in the community
- Has not recently attempted or threatened unlawful violence
- Has not recently threatened or attempted suicide
- Would not endanger themselves, family members, intimate partners, or the public if permitted to possess a firearm
The final rule contains additional required attestations. References should review the federal form carefully and answer from personal knowledge.
These are not ordinary recommendation letters. A reference who cannot truthfully make every required statement should not be selected.
Step Twelve: Assemble the Application Before Starting the 30-Day Period
DOJ gives applicants 30 days to complete and submit the electronic application after it is initiated.
If the application is not completed within that period, the applicant must start again.
Before beginning, confirm that you have:
- Identified every federal firearm disability
- Reviewed every presumptive disqualifier
- Calculated sentence completion and waiting periods
- Obtained the required criminal-history reports
- Gathered the category-specific records
- Investigated discrepancies
- Documented missing records
- Prepared the rehabilitation evidence
- Drafted the personal statement
- Selected three qualified references
- Obtained accurate contact information for each reference
- Confirmed access to the email account that will receive government notices
- Created clear, legible digital copies
- Obtained certified translations where necessary
- Organized the documents using descriptive file names
Starting the application before the record is ready creates avoidable pressure and increases the risk of an incomplete or inconsistent submission.
Step Thirteen: Complete the Electronic Application
DOJ’s individual application is identified as OMB Form No. 1123-0017.
Follow the current instructions on the DOJ federal firearm rights restoration portal.
The application requires accurate and complete disclosure of:
- Every applicable federal firearm prohibition
- Criminal history
- Arrests
- Convictions
- Presumptive disqualifiers
- Post-conviction relief
- Residence history
- Military history
- Foreign records
- Mental-health information when applicable
- Supporting documents
- Character references
- Other information DOJ requires to evaluate the application
The application authorizes DOJ to obtain and review background information, including employment, medical, military, and criminal records.
The applicant should preserve a complete copy of the submitted form and every uploaded document.
Step Fourteen: Pay the Government Application Fee
DOJ currently charges a nonrefundable $30 application fee.
After submitting the electronic application, the applicant is redirected to Pay.gov. Current payment methods include:
- Electronic bank transfer
- Credit card
- Debit card
- PayPal
Applicants may request a waiver or reduction of the fee and must explain why the request should be granted. DOJ states that the fee may be waived or reduced based on indigency.
The $30 payment is the government’s processing fee. It does not include legal representation, fingerprints, criminal-history reports, certified court records, translations, medical evaluations, or other costs of preparing the application.
Step Fifteen: Complete the Required USPS Fingerprints
Do not obtain fingerprints before DOJ provides the required instructions.
After submission, the applicant should receive an email from Criminal Justice Information Services containing:
- The case number
- A barcode
- A QR code
- Instructions for completing fingerprints
The applicant must then visit a participating United States Postal Service location.
DOJ states that fingerprints collected through another provider will not be accepted for the individual FFRR application.
The applicant should bring:
- The CJIS email
- The required barcode and QR code
- An accepted form of identification
- Payment accepted by the USPS location
Accepted identification currently includes:
- State-issued driver’s license
- State-issued nondriver identification
- United States passport or passport card
- Military identification
Not every post office provides fingerprinting services. Use the location-search link provided by DOJ to find a participating site.
The USPS transmits the fingerprints to the FBI, and the results are associated with the restoration application.
Step Sixteen: Monitor the Character References
Selected references may receive an email from Criminal Justice Information Services containing a link and PIN for the federal reference form.
A reference may:
- Complete the form
- Decline
- Fail to respond
Applicants are responsible for monitoring the application-status page to determine whether each reference completed the process. DOJ warns that the applicant may not receive an email if a reference fails to submit the form.
If a reference declines, the applicant may be permitted to update the reference information through the status page.
Confirming availability before submission reduces the risk of delay.
Step Seventeen: Monitor Your Email and Application-Status Page
The Office of the Pardon Attorney may contact the applicant with questions or requests for additional information.
Applicants are responsible for:
- Maintaining a current email address
- Preserving the application link and PIN
- Monitoring the email account
- Checking spam and junk folders
- Reviewing the application-status page
- Tracking reference completion
- Responding promptly to restoration specialists
DOJ currently warns that it may not be able to recover a lost link and PIN. Losing access can require starting the application again.
Step Eighteen: Respond Carefully to Restoration Specialists
A request from a DOJ restoration specialist may seek:
- A missing disposition
- Clarification of a criminal-history entry
- Additional sentence-completion evidence
- Explanation of an arrest
- A more legible court record
- Information about substance use
- Mental-health documentation
- Clarification from a reference
- Evidence addressing a presumptive disqualifier
- Details about a prior pardon or restoration proceeding
- Information discovered during the government’s investigation
Respond promptly, but do not sacrifice accuracy for speed.
The response should be reviewed against the original application and supporting records. An inconsistent answer can raise credibility concerns even when the underlying issue could have been explained.
Failure to respond may result in the application being closed without a decision.
Step Nineteen: Receive DOJ’s Decision
DOJ will send an email notification when the decision letter is available through the portal.
The possible outcomes are:
| Decision | Meaning |
| Grant | DOJ determined that relief satisfies the public-safety and public-interest standard |
| Denial | DOJ was unable to make the findings required to grant relief |
| Indeterminate | DOJ lacked enough information to grant or deny |
| No action | DOJ closed the application administratively without deciding the merits |
Each outcome has different consequences.
What Happens After a Grant?
After DOJ grants relief:
- The identified federal firearm disability is removed
- The FBI will update NICS
- 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
The grant does not automatically remove state or tribal firearm prohibitions.
Before possessing, receiving, transporting, shipping, or acquiring a firearm, the person should confirm that no separate restriction remains under state, tribal, local, or federal law.
A later event creating a new federal firearm disability is not covered by the earlier grant.
What Happens After a Denial?
A denial means DOJ was unable to determine that restoration would be consistent with public safety and the public interest.
The applicant may be able to:
- Seek judicial review in the United States district court where the applicant resides
- Reapply after the relevant period
- Develop additional evidence
- Pursue a pardon or another remedy
The reason for denial matters. A denial can create a new reapplication presumption.
DOJ advises an applicant denied because of a five- or ten-year presumption to wait until that period expires. A person denied because of a current status should generally wait until the status changes.
What Happens After an Indeterminate Decision?
An indeterminate decision means DOJ did not have enough information to grant or deny the application.
The applicant may begin the process again after obtaining additional information. The new application should resolve the evidentiary deficiency that produced the indeterminate result.
Common concerns may include:
- Missing court records
- Unclear conduct
- Inability to verify sentence completion
- Conflicting criminal histories
- Insufficient mental-health evidence
- Incomplete reference information
- Unresolved state or agency proceedings
A complete pre-filing record review can reduce the risk of an avoidable indeterminate decision.
What Does “No Action” Mean?
A no-action closure is administrative rather than a decision on the merits.
DOJ may close an application without action when:
- The applicant requests withdrawal
- The applicant dies before a decision
- The applicant fails to respond to DOJ
- Another administrative reason requires closure
The applicant may generally begin the process again.
Common Application Mistakes
Applicants can avoid many preventable problems by preparing before starting the portal.
Common mistakes include:
- Applying without confirming the source of the prohibition
- Using § 925(c) when a record correction is the proper remedy
- Misclassifying an offense
- Calculating a waiting period from the conviction rather than sentence completion
- Starting the 30-day period before obtaining records
- Failing to disclose an expunged or pardoned conviction
- Omitting an arrest that did not result in charges
- Providing an incomplete criminal history
- Using unqualified character references
- Selecting references who cannot make all required statements
- Obtaining fingerprints before receiving the QR code
- Using a non-USPS fingerprint provider
- Losing the application link or PIN
- Failing to monitor reference completion
- Ignoring inconsistent court and FBI records
- Minimizing the underlying conduct
- Submitting illegible documents
- Failing to translate foreign-language records
- Waiting too long to respond to a restoration specialist
- Assuming federal relief automatically eliminates state restrictions
A complete application should be internally consistent and supported by records DOJ can verify.
How Long Does the Application Process Take?
DOJ has not promised a specific decision timeline.
The new program is being implemented in stages after more than three decades without an operating individual restoration process. Processing time may depend on:
- Application volume
- Completeness of the submission
- Criminal-history complexity
- Number of jurisdictions involved
- Availability of records
- Presumptive disqualifiers
- Mental-health or military issues
- Reference completion
- Information obtained during the investigation
- Requests for additional material
- The need to consult state or local agencies
Applicants should monitor the portal and maintain current contact information throughout the review.
How Much Does Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Cost?
The government currently charges a nonrefundable $30 application fee.
Additional expenses may include:
- USPS fingerprints
- State criminal-history reports
- FBI records
- Certified court records
- Archive fees
- Translations
- Medical evaluations
- Professional assessments
- Other supporting evidence
NSLF generally charges a flat legal fee beginning at $5,000 for comprehensive § 925(c) representation. More complex matters—including certain domestic-violence, mental-health, military, multiple-prohibitor, or extensive-record cases—may begin at $7,500.
The scope and fee are confirmed in writing before representation begins.
Review our federal firearm rights restoration cost guide for additional details.
Why Work With National Security Law Firm?
A § 925(c) application is a federal legal proceeding involving public safety, criminal records, credibility, rehabilitation, and the applicant’s broader reputation.
NSLF’s federal firearm rights restoration practice is led by former United States Attorney Duane “DAK” Kees. As a presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed United States Attorney, Dak supervised federal prosecutors and participated in federal decisions involving criminal conduct, evidence, credibility, public safety, and enforcement priorities.
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 federal eligibility
- Identifying the proper remedy
- Reconstructing historical records
- Calculating waiting periods
- Documenting missing files
- Developing rehabilitation evidence
- Preparing character references
- Addressing unfavorable facts
- Adapting pending matters to an evolving federal process
Our representation may include:
- Eligibility and presumptive-disqualifier analysis
- Criminal-history review
- Court, agency, and military record development
- Sentence-completion analysis
- Missing-record reconstruction
- Personal-statement preparation
- Rehabilitation evidence
- Character-reference preparation
- Application completion and filing
- Responses to DOJ restoration specialists
- Advice concerning the final decision and next steps
Our clients have awarded National Security Law Firm 4.9 stars across 298 Google reviews, reflecting the responsiveness, communication, and personal attention clients expect during significant federal matters.
Learn more about why clients choose NSLF for federal firearm rights restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions About Applying Under § 925(c)
Can I apply now?
DOJ is launching the program in stages. Invited applicants will participate first, followed by the first 5,000 public applicants beginning November 4, 2026, according to current DOJ guidance. Check the official DOJ portal for updates.
Who may apply?
An individual federally prohibited under one or more provisions of § 922(g) may apply. Corporations and other entities will be handled through a separate process.
Does being allowed to apply mean I am likely to be approved?
No. Applicants may be affected by current-status, five-year, ten-year, permanent, or reapplication presumptions. Every applicant must satisfy DOJ’s public-safety and public-interest standard.
How long do I have to complete the online form?
Thirty days after initiating the electronic application. If it is not submitted within that period, the applicant must start again.
Should I gather records before starting?
Yes. DOJ expressly encourages applicants to collect the required documents before beginning the 30-day application period.
What criminal-history reports do I need?
Generally, state criminal-history reports for the preceding 25 years or since age 18, whichever period is shorter, covering every state of residence and every other state where an arrest occurred.
Do I need an FBI report?
Obtaining and reviewing an FBI Identity History Summary may be important for identifying errors and reconciling records, even when separate state reports are required.
What if my criminal record is inaccurate?
Obtain the relevant report and dispute the error with the court, law-enforcement agency, or repository responsible for the information. A NICS challenge or record correction may be more appropriate than restoration.
What if an old court record no longer exists?
For specified required documents, DOJ permits a sworn statement when the record is unavailable for reasons beyond the applicant’s fault or negligence. The statement must describe the matter, search efforts, and reason for unavailability.
How many character references do I need?
Three.
Can relatives serve as references?
No. A reference cannot be related to the applicant by blood or marriage.
When should I get fingerprinted?
After submitting the application and receiving the case number, barcode, QR code, and instructions from CJIS.
Can my local police department take the fingerprints?
Not for this process. DOJ states that individual applicants must use the designated electronic USPS process.
What is the government application fee?
The current nonrefundable fee is $30. An applicant may request a reduction or waiver and explain the basis for that request.
How long will DOJ take to decide?
DOJ has not promised a specific timeline.
Can DOJ ask for more information?
Yes. The Office of the Pardon Attorney may contact the applicant with questions or requests for supplemental material.
What if one of my references does not respond?
Monitor the application-status page. DOJ may permit the applicant to replace a reference who declines, but the applicant may not receive an email notifying them of the problem.
What if DOJ denies my application?
Depending on the circumstances, the applicant may seek judicial review, reapply after an applicable period, or consider another remedy.
Will federal relief restore state firearm rights?
No. The § 925(c) process does not automatically eliminate state or tribal firearm restrictions.
Prepare the Complete Case Before Opening the Application
The application portal is the submission mechanism. It is not where the legal and evidentiary work should begin.
Before starting the 30-day period, determine:
- Why you are prohibited
- Whether § 925(c) is the correct remedy
- Which presumptions apply
- When every sentence ended
- Which records DOJ requires
- Whether those records are accurate
- How missing documents will be addressed
- Which three references qualify
- What evidence demonstrates rehabilitation
- Which unfavorable facts require explanation
- Whether state restrictions will remain
NSLF can complete that analysis, build the record, prepare the application, and represent you through DOJ’s review.
Schedule your confidential federal firearm rights restoration consultation or call (202) 600-4996.
This page provides general legal information based on the DOJ final rule and public guidance available as of August 2026. Application dates and procedures may change as DOJ implements the program. This page does not constitute legal advice for a particular person. Do not possess, receive, transport, ship, or attempt to acquire a firearm unless your eligibility has been confirmed.
