What Changed
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, reduced the NFA making and transfer tax to $0 for:
- Suppressors (silencers)
- Short-barreled rifles (SBRs)
- Short-barreled shotguns (SBSs)
- Any Other Weapons (AOWs)
Starting January 1, 2026, purchasers of these items no longer pay the $200 federal tax that has been required since 1934.
Machine guns and destructive devices still require the $200 tax stamp.
What Stayed the Same
The tax is gone. Everything else remains.
ATF Form 4 is still required for every suppressor transfer. You must submit the application with your dealer.
Background checks are still mandatory. The FBI processes each application.
Fingerprints and photographs are still required for every applicant. Trust filings require these from each responsible person.
CLEO notification is still required. A copy of your application goes to local law enforcement.
Wait times still apply. Your suppressor remains with the dealer until the ATF approves your Form 4.
State laws are unchanged. The eight states that prohibit suppressors still prohibit them. The 42 states that allow them still require federal compliance.
The NFA registry continues. Suppressors are still registered NFA items, tracked by serial number and owner.
The process is identical. The $200 cost is simply removed.
Why This Matters
The $200 tax represented a meaningful barrier to entry. In 1934, $200 was equivalent to over $4,700 in today's dollars. The fee was deliberately set to discourage purchases.
Eliminating the tax makes suppressors more accessible for:
Hunters who want hearing protection without sacrificing situational awareness in the field.
Target shooters who fire hundreds of rounds per session and want to protect their hearing over time.
New shooters who may have been deterred by the combined cost of suppressor plus tax.
Families who want to register suppressors to a trust without paying $200 per family member.
The average suppressor costs between $400 and $1,200. Eliminating the tax represents a 14% to 33% reduction in total acquisition cost.
Current ATF Processing Times
With the tax eliminated, the ATF updated its eForms system and processing workflows. Current wait times for eForm 4 submissions are running in the range of days to a few weeks, depending on volume.
Check our wait times tracker for the most recent data.
The Suppressor Boom
With the tax barrier removed, thousands of new buyers have entered the NFA market. Suppressor ownership is now mainstream, with first-time buyers joining experienced collectors in record numbers.
Inventory is moving fast as popular models sell out quickly. Manufacturers are ramping up production to meet demand.
Processing capacity is keeping pace so far, with the ATF maintaining fast turnaround times despite increased volume.
Dealers are busier than ever helping new customers navigate the process for the first time.
If you have been on the fence, the math has changed: no tax, and approvals measured in days.
Legal Challenges
Several lawsuits have been filed challenging the remaining NFA registration requirements now that the tax is gone. Plaintiffs include Gun Owners of America, SilencerCo, Palmetto State Armory, and others. Fifteen states have joined as plaintiffs.
The legal argument is that the NFA's constitutional basis was the Taxing Clause, and with the tax at $0, the regulatory framework lacks authority.
One of those cases has already produced a ruling. On August 5, 2026, a federal judge in the Northern District of Texas held that once Congress set the transfer and making tax at $0, several NFA registration and approval provisions could no longer be justified under the taxing power, and entered a permanent injunction against enforcing them.
Read the limits carefully. It is not a repeal of the NFA and it is not a nationwide order. It reaches the named plaintiffs and their qualifying members and customers, not the general public. Machine guns and destructive devices are untouched. It does not change state law, and fifteen states tie lawful possession to federal registration regardless of what a federal court tells ATF.
It is also not final. The government's deadline to file a notice of appeal is October 5, 2026, binding Fifth Circuit precedent points the other way, the plaintiffs abandoned their Second Amendment claims so there is no fallback, and ATF has published no guidance for dealers.
So the practical advice has not changed: if the order does not cover you, current law still requires full NFA compliance, and the Form 4 remains the only path that puts your name on the item in the federal registry.
Read the full analysis of the August 5 ruling →
What Happens to Previous Tax Payments
If you paid $200 for a tax stamp before January 1, 2026, you will not receive a refund. The tax was valid at the time of payment.
Some advocacy groups pushed for refund provisions in the legislation, but the final bill did not include them.
How to Buy a Suppressor Now
The process is straightforward:
- Choose a suppressor from Capitol Armory
- Submit fingerprints and photograph online
- Review and sign. Capitol Armory completes the paperwork, you sign digitally.
- Wait for ATF approval (currently days to weeks)
- After approval, we ship direct to your residence
No tax payment required for submissions after January 1, 2026.
Capitol Armory handles the entire process, including all paperwork and direct-to-door delivery in all 42 suppressor-friendly states.
Key Takeaway
The $200 tax is gone, but the process remains. You still file Form 4, submit fingerprints and photos, pass a background check, and wait for approval. The difference is you keep that $200 in your pocket.