Please review our short NFA informational guide below, as it will help most common questions involved with getting started on your first suppressor or other NFA item purchase.

State by state legal breakdown

• Suppressors

  As of early 2023, 42 states allow ownership of suppressors. Of those, 41 allow suppressor usage for hunting--only Vermont does not allow usage of suppressors for hunting.

  States in which suppressors are not allowed:

  • California
  • Deleware
  • District of Columbia (Washington DC)
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Rhode Island

  If your state is not in the list above, congratulations! Please note that while legal at the state level, some local jurisdictions may prohibit ownership.

• Short Barrel Rifles

  As of early 2023, 44 states allow ownership of short barrel rifles.

  States in which short barrel rifles are not allowed:

  • California
  • District of Columbia (Washington DC)
  • Hawaii
  • Maryland
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Rhode Island

  If your state is not in the list above, congratulations! Please note that while legal at the state level, some local jurisdictions may prohibit ownership.

• Short Barrel Shotguns

  As of early 2023, 41 states allow ownership of short barrel shotguns.

  States in which short barrel shotguns are not allowed:

  • California
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia (Washington DC)
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Minnesota
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Rhode Island
  • Washington

  If your state is not in the list above, congratulations! Please note that while legal at the state level, some local jurisdictions may prohibit ownership.

Registering your NFA items with the ATF

• In Your Own Name

  Advantages: You can avoid initial work required to setup a trust or corporation.

  Disadvantages:

  • Only you can be in possession of the NFA item.
  • Requires signature from chief law-enforcement officer where you live.
  • Requires fingerprint cards.

  Best for:

  • People who don’t plan to buy a lot of NFA items.
  • People who just want to get the buying process started.
  • People who always plan to be present when the suppressor is in use.
• A Trust

  Advantages:

  • Anyone listed as a trustee in the trust can be in possession of the NFA item.
  • A revocable trust can be changed at any time without notifying the ATF.
  • You only need to create the trust once. The same trust can be used for all future suppressors or other NFA items (such as short barreled rifles).

  Disadvantages:

  • Some initial work and cost is required to setup the trust.
  • In some states, a trust needs to be registered with the state.
  • Requires fingerprint cards and chief law-enforcement officer notice to add members.

  Best for:

  • People with family members who want to share possession of the NFA items.
  • People who want to go together with friends on the purchase.
  • People who want more flexibility in the long run.

  Here are a few trust law firms we are aware, however we are not affiliated in any way with any of them, nor are we endorsing them.

  • Gun Trust Lawyer
  • NFA Lawyers
  • 199trust.com
  • RMP (Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri)
  • Texas NFA Trust (Texas)
• A Corporation

  Advantages:

  • Any officer of the corporation can be in possession of the NFA item.
  • If you already have a corporation, this can be easier than a trust since you will avoid the initial trust set up.
  • No signature is required from the local chief law-enforcement officer, but notification will be required.

  Disadvantages:

  • You need to keep your corporation in good standing, which can be more work than a trust.

  Best for:

  • Anyone who already owns a corporation, and wants that corporation to act as the owner of the NFA items.

Taking possession

• General Information

  We can't ship a suppressor/NFA firearm directly to your house, you will need to locate an FFL holder in your state with a Class 2 or 3 SOT (Special Occupational Taxpayer License) that can handle the transfer for you. We can even help you locate an FFL/SOT holder in your area if you don’t already deal with one.

  You won't be able to take possession of the suppressor/NFA firearm until the transfer process between Wilson Combat and your dealer has been completed by the ATF and then your registration paperwork is approved by the ATF after filing for your $200 tax stamp. This typically takes between 4-6 weeks to transfer the product to the dealer and then 12 or more months for the ATF to grant your approval in the form of a tax stamp. The ATF FAQ has additional information.

• Basic Purchase Process

  A summary of the purchase process for NFA items is presented below.

  1. Identify the item you are interested in purchasing and make sure it is legal in your state. Pay for the item either online or by contacting us.
  2. Identify a dealer in your state that is able to complete the transfer paperwork from us to them and provide us with that dealer’s contact or license information.
  3. Upon manufacture of item, fill out various required forms and send to ATF with the assistance of your transfer dealer and wait for ATF approval to possess the item.

Please note we have done our best to ensure this information is accurate and current, however the final responsibility for compliance with all customer specific NFA related regulations will be on the customer.