DraftDraft definitions, under editorial review. Informational content is not legal advice.
Draftfederal administration
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, is the FBI-administered system used to determine whether available records identify a firearm-related legal disqualification. [1] Its origins are in the Brady Act, and its operation involves both the FBI and participating state agencies. [1] The FBI describes different responses, including a delay when additional research is required, so a delay is not the same determination as a denial. [1] NICS supplies an eligibility-check function within a broader federal and state regulatory framework. [1]
- 1. FBI: About the National Instant Criminal Background Check Systemretrieved 2026-10-04
About this glossary
This entry is one of 153 defined terms in the CalGunHub glossary of California and federal firearm-law vocabulary. The 11 core terms are short plain-English definitions; the extended terms are cited research drafts, labelled as drafts, with their statutory sources listed under each entry. Every definition here is informational only and is not legal advice.
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