New FFL Form 4473 must-use date

Recently posted by Jim Shepherd of "The Shooting Wire":

Open Letter To All Federal Firearms Licensees

Recently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) released the revised version of the Firearms Transaction Record (ATF Form 4473) with a revision date of August 2008. By open letter dated October 3, 2008, ATF advised that all FFLs must begin to use the new Form 4473 no later than November 15, 2008. ATF realizes that this date is during hunting season and that this is a very busy time of year for the firearms industry. As Federal firearms licensees (FFLs), you play a significant role in the transfer of firearms to consumers. ATF recognizes the shared obligation to ensure that persons ineligible under the law do not acquire firearms. Therefore, in an effort to prevent undue burden on you the FFL, and to allow for proper training of employees, ATF will extend the mandatory must-use date of the new Form 4473 to January 15, 2009.

This extension will allow you to review the entire revised Form 4473, including the definitions, instructions, and the Important Notices to the Transferor/Seller. This will ensure timely implementation of the Form 4473 and a better understanding of the significant changes.

The mandatory must-use date for all FFLs for ATF Form 4473 has been changed from November 15, 2008, to January 15, 2009. All FFLs may begin to use the revised Form 4473 upon receipt but by no later than January 15, 2009. You may no longer use the previous edition of the Form 4473 after January 15, 2009 or as soon as you begin using the revised edition.

[Ed: Emphasis added]

Please contact your local ATF office with any questions you may have about the revised Form 4473. If you need additional forms, please contact the ATF Distribution Center at (703) 445-7801 or, to order online, go to http://www.atf.gov/dcof/index.htm.

Carson W. Carroll
Assistant Director
Enforcement Program and Services

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