The Wire · CalGunHub

ATF proposes defined 20- or 30-year retention periods for FFL records

Published May 6, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

The proposal would replace indefinite retention of Forms 4473 and acquisition and disposition records with set retention periods.

Written by the CalGunHub desk from public reporting

Who this affects: The proposal, published May 6, 2026, would change record-retention duties for federal firearms licensees only, and it is not in effect. California dealers remain subject to state Dealer Record of Sale record and reporting requirements, which are separate from the federal retention schedule and unchanged by the proposal. Until a final rule publishes, licensees must continue to retain Forms 4473 and acquisition and disposition records under the existing rules. This is general information, not legal advice.

ATF on May 6, 2026 proposed replacing the indefinite retention requirement for licensed dealers' firearm transaction records with defined retention periods. The proposal, "Firearm Records Retention Periods" (91 FR 24413, FR Doc. 2026-08929, RIN 1140-AA95), accepted public comments through August 4, 2026.

Under current rules, federal firearms licensees keep ATF Forms 4473 and their acquisition and disposition records without a fixed endpoint. The proposal would set defined periods instead, and ATF said it is considering 20 or 30 years for those core records. The notice also proposes a 90-day retention period for records of private-party transfers processed through a licensee, and five years for multiple-sale reports and theft and loss reports.

The proposal was published as part of the "New Era of Reform" rulemaking package ATF announced April 29, 2026, and was tracked by industry compliance outlets such as FastBound, which maintains a running summary of the agency's rulemaking actions. It is not final: the current indefinite retention requirement remains in effect unless and until ATF publishes a final rule after reviewing comments.

For California dealers, the federal proposal would operate alongside, not in place of, state requirements. The notice concerns only records kept under the federal licensing scheme. California dealers remain subject to the state's Dealer Record of Sale record and reporting obligations regardless of what happens to the federal retention schedule, and those state duties would continue unchanged even if a final federal rule is adopted.

Update: The comment period closed August 4, 2026. ATF had not published a final rule as of October 12, 2026.

Informational only, not legal advice. Facts are attributed to the sources listed above.