January 29, 2026
ATF eForms Form 4 Notification Issue (Yes, it’s real.)
Non-FFLs who submit an ATF Form 4 through eForms are not consistently receiving the NFA Division email notice of approval or denial.
Right now, the FFL/SOT is getting the email — but the transferee (customer) often isn’t.
So if a customer is calling you saying, “I never got my approval email” — they may not be lying. The system might be.
What ATF Says
Per the ATF NFA Division, they began hearing about this during SHOT Show. This behavior was not intended, but it is happening. They are actively working on a fix and hope to deploy it within the next couple of weeks.
What You Should Do Right Now
- Set expectations with customers: Tell them the approval email may only go to the FFL/SOT for the moment.
- Monitor your FFL/SOT eForms notifications closely and be prepared to notify customers when approvals come in.
- Document your outreach to customers once you receive an approval/denial email (simple paper trail = happy life).
- If a customer is “stuck” or panicking, you can confirm status from your side and keep them informed.