Once you buy your suppressor and submit all of the necessary paperwork, it then becomes a waiting game. Before you can actually take possession of your can, you have to get an approval from the ATF. Historically the ATF has taken a long time to process a background check and issuing a tax stamp, which has caused some to not buy a silencer. However, the wait times are dropping faster than leaves in Autumn these days.
The unbelievably long wait times to buy or transfer NFA items – sometimes a year or more - are now down to a matter of weeks and even days and hours. Yes, you read that right - hours!
NFA wait times were infamous for the snail’s pace at which applications are processed. But why is that the case? Is there a way to speed up the process? And is there hope that the ATF might actually process applications in a timely fashion someday? It is happening now!
CURRENT NFA Approval WAIT TIMES
As of May 4, 2026, approval times are as follows: 18 days for a trust filing and 4 days for an individual filing.
There are two ways to submit the Form 4. You can send in a paper version through the mail, which is going to take a long time for approval. The preferred fashion is the eForm 4, which makes up the bulk of submissions these days. The process for approving eForm 4s is being looked at all the time, according to our sources within the ATF and NFA.
The leadership in the ATF and specifically the National Firearms Act (NFA) branch of the ATF has been focusing on efficiency. The ATF and NFA process for approvals has historically been based on paper forms, but that is no longer the case.
The NFA was enacted on June 26, 1934. Even as the process went digital, the approval process still relied on criteria that came from the original planning. Now that things are more efficient, approval speeds are steadily increasing to the point that some individual submissions are being approved in real time, much the same as getting the NICS check approval when buying a gun.
ATF Approval Wait Times for eFile and Paper Forms as of March 30, 2026
ATF Form 1
efile: 40 days
paper: 45 days
ATF Form 3
Average 1-4 days
ATF Form 4 - Individual filing
Average eform: 4 days
ATF Form 4 Trust Filing
Average eform: 18 days
This is statistical information on the average processing times for applications that are filled out correctly and properly submitted.
With wait times this low, you may want to consider a trust versus filing as an individual if you haven't already.
Per the ATF and what we are seeing eFile Form 4 wait times average just 22 days for trust filing, and close to real time approvals for individuals, with an average of 4 days. In some cases, we have seen Trust approvals coming in within a matter of days. On the flip side, some individual approvals are taking longer, usually due to name similarity issues.
The bottom line is simple - It is taking less time for you to get your suppressor!
There isn't much new on the paper Form 4 wait times, last reported at 286 days based off current data from the ATF. Paper forms are going to take a significantly longer time for approval. as the focus is on electronic submissions.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR NFA STATUS
To get the status of your transfer from the ATF, call the NFA Branch directly at: (304) 616-4500.
You will need to provide your name (or the name of your trust or corporation), the serial number of the suppressor, and the name of the transferor. For the transferor information, please use the name we sent you in the confirmation email when your electronic transfer was submitted. ATF will confirm you are in the system and will give you an estimate for when to expect the approval.
IMPORTANT: They don’t know exactly when your transfer will be approved – it is just an estimate.
EFILE VS PAPER ATF approval WAIT TIMES
When you look at the stats, you can see that eFiling is much faster. This is only logical because there is no need to manually input information on paper forms, and it is immediately readable. Paper forms require manual oversight to ensure accuracy, and if any part of it is illegible or difficult to make out, the processing time will increase. This is especially true if the examiner has to contact the applicant to verify or clarify the forms. This isn’t so much an issue on an eFiled form as long as it is correctly filled out.
The biggest reason for disapprovals that we have seen comes from declined background checks, normally due to some issue on your record, or with you have a similar name to someone with a background issue close to you. We have seen some come back due to names not matching exactly on paperwork, so please take your time when giving us your information.
efforts are easier and faster
In this day and age, there is simply no reason not to be using ATF eForms. If you have trouble using a computer or don’t have one, we strongly recommend getting help with the process from somebody familiar with digital documents. It will speed up your application process a lot.
Like most NFA dealers, Silencer Central relies heavily on digital documents to speed up the application process for our customers and to ensure error-free record keeping. In fact, we are the best in the industry at filing eForms, which helps the ATF speed up the approval process even more. When your submission comes from Silencer Central, the ATF recognizes our work, which helps them process things faster. It helps to be the best!
Paper takes longer - lots longer
A paper-filed Form 4 has to be manually input into the system to check the information, and the information for the transferred item also has to be verified. This can take a long time, especially on older NFA items where record-keeping can be particularly shoddy. In fact, some NFA items require extensive research to identify in old records. This certainly can increase the wait time.
With the ATF embracing digital forms, and working to streamline their processes, wait times are coming down - way down. The notion that it takes forever to get an approval is rapidly becoming past tense.
TRUST VS INDIVIDUAL ATF Approval WAIT TIMES
When transferring or making an NFA item you have the option to file as an individual, trust or corporation. We examine the pros and cons of each option in our post on how to buy a suppressor and note that the vast majority of our customers end up opting for our free gun trust. The advantages of putting an NFA item in the name of a trust outweigh all other factors for nearly all people. Using a trust allows for easy estate planning and for multiple users to have full legal access to an NFA item. It also simplifies most transfer and sales procedures. Here are the highlights of trust and individual filing:
Trusts give you more flexibility with who you allow to use your silencer
Individual filing has the fastest approval times, some being done in real time
For a complete breakdown on trusts vs individual filing, click here.
Are NFA WAIT TIMES really SO LONG?
This is a simple question with a not-so-simple answer. There are several different forms used to make or transfer NFA items. The processing time can depend on the filing method (paper vs. eFiling) and whether or not the form is filed in the name of an individual, corporation, trust, or dealer-to-dealer transfer.
The most common ATF forms for NFA firearms are the ATF Form 1, ATF Form 3, and ATF Form 4. Here’s what these forms are used for:
ATF Form 1: Required for the manufacture of a firearm or suppressor
ATF Form 3: Required for transfers between licensed dealers and/or manufacturers
ATF Form 4: Required when transferring the item from a dealer to an end-user
These forms can be electronically filed or submitted with a paper application in the name of a gun trust, corporation, or individual. Each type of form and each type of ownership type is processed differently by the ATF and at different speeds.
For example, a Form 1 in the name of a trust only has to verify the trust and the criminal record(s) of the person or persons named on the application. When submitted digitally, it is a simple matter to verify all that with computer databases. Because the gun or suppressor is being manufactured, there is no need to verify the existence and accurate inputting of information on a firearm to be transferred, so these move very fast.
The most trusted way to buy a suppressor
The fact that we're talking about days to approval instead of months and years is due to the work Silencer Central has done on your behalf. No other company works harder to make your buying process as simple or as fast as we do. When you order through us, you can do so from your home and we will deliver your suppressor right to your front door. And we back every sale with the best customer service.
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
