BELLEVUE, Wash. — Oct. 9, 2026 — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today released guidance for dealers and consumers in response to the landmark National Firearms Act (NFA) injunction granted in Jensen v. ATF, a Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) supported case.
The documents released today provide guidance for both licensed firearms dealers as well as those wishing to purchase, transfer or make a previously regulated NFA firearm. The guidance states that the ATF will cease enforcement on Oct. 9 “…of NFA provisions as applied only to short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers, and ‘any other weapon[s].’” It further states the “…nonenforcement only extends to firearms on which Congress eliminated the making and transfer taxes.”
On Aug. 5, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that the remaining registration scheme for short-barreled rifles and suppressors in the National Firearms Act (NFA) is unconstitutional. The injunction went into effect on Aug. 13 after the government did not seek to extend the stay of the ruling by the deadline set by the judge. Since that time, SAF and others requested guidance from the ATF to ensure compliance for both retailers and consumers, and SAF created a FAQ page to ensure the most accurate information was available.
“In each of our three cases challenging the NFA, the argument remains the same – when the tax on silencers and short-barreled rifles was eliminated in the One Big Beautiful Bill, Congress’ taxing authority was stripped with it,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “The registration scheme for these arms, however, remained. SAF has challenged that remaining registration requirement as citizens shouldn’t be subject to federal gun registration for proving they paid a tax that doesn’t exist. While the guidance released today alleviates some questions in relation to the logistical application of the Jensen injunction, by its very nature purely as ‘guidance’ it cannot, and does not, provide a permanent fix for many remaining elements of the NFA. For that reason, our other two NFA cases – Brown v. ATF and Roberts v. ATF – will continue, so citizens can finally be relieved of this unconstitutional infringement on their Second Amendment rights.”
SAF itself is a named plaintiff in Brown v. ATF and is backing two additional challenges – Roberts v. ATF and this case, Jensen v. ATF. Plaintiffs in Jensen are SAF sister organization – Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, FPC Action Foundation, Texas Rifle Association, Hot Shots Custom and three individuals.
“After more than 90 years under the NFA restrictions, all citizens can now take one step forward in their ability to freely exercise their Second Amendment freedoms,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “SAF has fought for more than 50 years to ensure the right to keep and bear arms continues for generations. While the fight for a more permanent solution continues, we are optimistic about the guidance issued and commend the administration for recognizing the unconstitutionality of the NFA’s registration scheme. We will continue to provide updates to our members, donors and supporters as we read through the entire document, but rest assured today is a good day for Second Amendment rights.”
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