ATF Hits Reverse: eZ Check Rule Withdrawn After Commenters Request Changes
Well, that was quick.
ATF has officially withdrawn its May 6, 2026 direct final rule that would have allowed Federal Firearms Licensees to use ATF’s online FFL eZ Check system as an alternative to obtaining a certified copy of the receiving licensee’s FFL before completing certain FFL-to-FFL transfers.
The rule was scheduled to take effect on August 4, 2026. It will not.
ATF says it received feedback from multiple commenters requesting changes, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Giffords. Because those comments sought substantive revisions, any revised version must be reissued as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and opened for public comment.
ATF is also reviewing the comments it received.
Why Did ATF Withdraw the Rule?
A direct final rule is designed for changes that an agency expects will not generate significant adverse comment. Once commenters requested substantive revisions, ATF could not simply modify the language behind the curtain and let the rule take effect.
To move forward with a revised version, ATF must use the traditional rulemaking process: publish an NPRM, open a new public-comment period, review the comments, and then determine whether to issue a final rule.
What Would the Withdrawn Rule Have Changed?
The May 6 direct final rule would have amended 27 C.F.R. Part 478 in two important ways:
eZ Check as an Alternative
It would have allowed a transferring FFL to verify the receiving licensee through ATF’s FFL eZ Check system instead of obtaining a certified copy of the transferee’s license.
Multi-License Transfers
It would have changed verification procedures for certain transfers involving licensees within the same multi-licensed business organization.
August 4 Effective Date
Neither change will take effect on August 4. The current regulation remains in place.
What Does This Mean for FFLs Right Now?
Nothing changes.
FFLs must continue following the existing requirements under 27 C.F.R. § 478.94. That generally means obtaining the required certified copy of the receiving licensee’s FFL before transferring or shipping firearms, unless a currently existing regulatory exception applies.
FFL eZ Check remains a useful tool for validating license information, including whether the license number is valid, whether the license is current, and whether the licensed premises information matches what the receiving FFL provided.
Do not change your procedures based on the withdrawn rule. Do not rely on an old vendor announcement, software update, social-media post, or employee recollection suggesting that eZ Check alone is sufficient.
The August 4 shortcut has officially left the building.
Could the Rule Come Back?
Yes—but not automatically and not overnight.
ATF may publish a revised NPRM addressing the concerns raised by commenters. That proposal would need to be published, opened for public comment, reviewed by the agency, and followed by a final rule before any new requirements or alternatives could take effect.
Until that process is complete, the current regulation remains the rulebook.
The FFLGuard Bottom Line
ATF attempted to modernize the FFL-to-FFL verification process. Commenters from different sides of the firearms-policy universe requested changes, forcing ATF to withdraw the direct final rule and reconsider the proposal through the traditional notice-and-comment process.
Keep obtaining certified FFL copies. Keep using eZ Check as a verification tool. Do not treat eZ Check as a substitute for the license copy.
Read the Official Notice
Review ATF’s withdrawal notice and keep your written transfer procedures aligned with the regulation currently in effect.
Read the Federal Register Notice Contact FFLGuard