What 18 U.S.C. 925(c) is, and what changed in 2026
Published Sep 19, 2026
Page updated Oct 9, 2026
18 U.S.C. 925(c) is the provision that lets the Attorney General lift a federal firearm prohibition. It has been on the books for decades. For most of that time it did nothing, because Congress stopped paying for it.
What actually happened in 1992
Beginning in 1992, an appropriations rider barred ATF from spending money to investigate or act on 925(c) applications from individuals. The rule's own preamble puts it plainly: Congress "prohibited ATF from using appropriated funds to process applications under section 925(c), rendering ATF's relief from disabilities program unusable."
One correction worth making, because almost every other site gets it wrong. The programme was not entirely dead. The same rider has always carried a second proviso keeping ATF funded to act on applications filed by corporations. So the accurate sentence is that 925(c) was unavailable to individuals from 1992 — not that it was unavailable to everyone.
What changed
Three steps, not one:
| Step | Citation | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Interim final rule withdrawing ATF's delegated authority | 90 FR 13080 | 20 March 2025 |
| Proposed rule | 90 FR 34394 | 22 July 2025 |
| Final rule | 91 FR 54054 (FR doc 2026-16981), RIN 1105-AB78, Docket OAG191 | 20 August 2026 |
The final rule is effective 21 September 2026 and creates a new 28 CFR part 107, "Relief from Disabilities under the Gun Control Act". The function now sits with the Office of the Pardon Attorney, not ATF. The Department's own FAQ says so: ATF "previously administered" the programme and "no longer" does.
What the new part 107 contains
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 107.1 | Definitions — and they matter; several terms do not mean what they sound like |
| 107.10 | The application, including the documents, fingerprints and three character references |
| 107.20 | Review — including 107.20(c), which requires grants to be published in the Federal Register |
| 107.30 | Scope of relief — federal disabilities only |
| 107.40 | The application fee, waiver and reduction |
| 107.50 | The presumptive disqualifiers: permanent, 10-year, 5-year and current-status |
| 107.60 | Applicants prohibited because of a mental-health commitment or adjudication |
| 107.70 | Subsequent applications after a refusal |
| 107.80 | Relief void if obtained by fraud |
The electronic CFR has carried part 107 since it took effect on 21 September 2026; the Federal Register text on govinfo remains the official version.
One thing the rule does not decide
Whether the old appropriations rider reaches the Pardon Attorney's new programme. The Department argues at length in the preamble that it does not, because the rider binds only "the funds appropriated herein" in ATF's own account. That is the Department's position, stated in its own rule. This site read no court decision on that question and did not search for one.
What it does not do
Relief under 925(c) removes federal disabilities only. The Department says: "The FFRR application process does not automatically restore state or tribal firearm rights." Your state is a separate question — see your state's route.
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.
Sources
- Final rule, 91 FR 54054 (20 August 2026), FR doc 2026-16981 — official text — checked Oct 8, 2026
- DOJ — Federal Firearm Rights Restoration — checked Oct 8, 2026
- DOJ — Who can apply — checked Oct 8, 2026
Private website. Not a government site, and not affiliated with the United States Department of Justice, the Office of the Pardon Attorney or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Official site: justice.gov/ffrr. General information with sources and check dates — not legal advice, and never a decision about any person. We do not file applications, we do not represent anyone, and we take no fee that depends on any outcome. We never tell you whether a state remedy cures your federal bar; that is a question for an attorney.