Federal firearm rights restoration: the stages, the cap, and what the application asks for

The stages, in the Department's own words

These dates sit on a Department web page, not in the final rule (91 FR 54054). They can change without a rulemaking. We check DOJ's pages before every update and show the date of the last check.

Is the application live?

OMB approved the form (1123-0017) with change on 25 September 2026. The online application is still marked "Coming soon" (justice.gov/ffrr, checked 8 October 2026).

What the application asks for

Documents — "provide as many as you are able": the charging document you were convicted on, the judgment of conviction, and an official document showing the date you completed the final requirement of your sentence. If applicable: the plea agreement, the factual basis for a plea, and any presentence report. If a document is not available from an official source you must submit a sworn statement giving its details and describing your efforts to obtain it. There are separate document lists for a mental-health prohibition, a military conviction, a renunciation of citizenship, a misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction, and any previous state pardon, expungement or set-aside.

Fingerprints — after you submit the application you receive a QR code by email, and only then obtain fingerprints through a participating United States Post Office.

Three character references — the rule requires an affidavit from three people, each unrelated to you by blood or marriage, who have known you for at least three years and are not themselves prohibited under 922(g).

A 30-day clock — "Once you have initiated the e-application, you will have 30 days to complete and submit it." Miss it and you start again. The Department also warns that it cannot recover a lost link and PIN.

What it costs

$30, and not until 4 January 2027. Other costs are yours and the Department does not set them: fingerprints, and certified criminal records, which "may vary by jurisdiction". A waiver or reduction can be requested, stating why; the Department says the fee "may be waived or reduced because of indigency" and that fuller guidance "will be made available soon".

The four outcomes

Grant · Deny · Indeterminate · No Action. A grant means the FBI updates NICS, and you may be issued an RPIN to use when buying a firearm. "Indeterminate" means there was not enough information and you may start again with more. "No action" is administrative — a withdrawal, a failure to respond, or similar.

The scale

The final rule estimates that "approximately 330,000 individuals will apply" for 925(c) relief in the first year, and says the Department "cannot predict with certainty how many applications it may receive". The stages announced so far take the first 5,000 (4 November 2026) and 500 more (4 January 2027); the Department's FAQ gives no date for the general opening (read October 8, 2026). The rule's own estimate of the affected population is "at least 20 million adults".

This is a private website, not a government site. The official site is justice.gov/ffrr. Information with sources and check dates — not legal advice, and never a decision about you.