From NSSF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has informed NSSF that it has begun mailing starter packets of the new Form 4473 to all Federal Firearm License holders. FFLs who pre-ordered the new forms should receive their starter packets over the following couple weeks, and NICS is now accepting background checks for customers filling out the new form online and at the call center.
The new Form 4473, bearing a revision date of May 2020, contains substantial changes over the previous form. NSSF, the firearm industry trade association, is the first to offer a suite of must-have training courses on the new form and a breakdown of its changes through our SHOT University Online education center. The series, entitled “Completing the Form 4473 2020 Version,” is now live and reviews critical elements of the new form’s use and purpose, as well as tips for identifying and correcting common errors made by both buyers and sellers. The suite is composed of three, easy-to-digest segments:
- Module 1: Overview of Form 4473 (30-minute duration)
- Module 2: Completing Form 4473, Sections A-B (50-minute duration
- Module 3: Completing Form 4473, Sections C-E (30-minute duration)
All FFL counter salespeople, compliance officers, records keepers and license holders should consider these SHOT University Online courses to be mandatory training. FFLs utilizing the NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) E-check platform, which will be live with the updated electronic form on July 24, should also consider this to be mandatory training.
To enhance FFL training and help reduce errors when using the new form, NSSF also encourages all FFLs to log in to our online store and order the all-new overlays designed for the May 2020 Form 4473. New overlay orders are $15 for members, $30 for non-members, and ship with a set of “Sweat the Details” flyer sheets for distribution to staff salespeople. The new Form 4473 must be in use and the previous form (Oct. 2016 version) discontinued by Nov. 1, 2020. The new Form 4473 and continuation sheets are available for order in both English and Spanish here.
SHOT University Online and the “Completing the Form 4473 2020 Version” training series is available only to NSSF members and is offered free as part of their member benefits. To take advantage of these and dozens of other course offerings, members should log in at the University’s home page with their username and password, click on the course of their choice and explore the various modules of each.
The training our members will receive from this course is worth far more than the cost of their membership—not only does this training ensure an uncomplicated transition to the new form, it helps ensure your FFL is prepared for an ATF compliance audit in which your 4473 records will be thoroughly reviewed. If you are an FFL and have not yet become a member of your trade association, we encourage you to join now and take full advantage of all SHOT University Online and NSSF’s many other resources, including our “Don’t Lie for the Other GuyTM” retailer kit developed in partnership with ATF. “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” is celebrating 20 years as the industry-leading program created by NSSF and ATF working to educate retailers and consumers about illegal straw purchases and what retailers can do to prevent these crimes. For more information about NSSF’s tools and programs for retailers, visit NSSF.org.