How to check the ATF Form 1, ATF Form 4, or ATF Form 5 Application Status?

ATF Form 1, ATF Form 4, or ATF Form 5 Application Status Information

When applying for an NFA firearm, you must submit your ATF paperwork, NFA Gun Trust, ATF 5320.23, etc.  But when will your tax stamp application be approved?  Will you wait 6 months or 12 months, a.k.a. a year.  Although, we don't know and can't predict the inner workings of the ATF NFA tax stamp approval process.  We can offer ways to check your application.  

The first is to check the form of payment that you provided on your ATF Form 1 or your ATF Form 4.  It is recommended to submit your application with a payment that can be a tracker, e.g. check, credit card, debit card.  The cashier's check or money order option isn't recommended.  You can easily see when the ATF deposits your check or charges your credit/debit card.  This is the first sign that the ATF has received your application and it is being processed.  

The second check is to call the National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch and ask them if there is a status update.  We provide the contact information below. But before you call you will need to have the serial number(s) of the NFA regulated items that you want to check the status of.  If you don't have this you won't be able to check the status.  So, have that handy before you call.  

National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch Contact Information:

National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch
Voice: (304) 616-4500
244 Needy Road
Martinsburg, West Virginia 25405 

Note: ATF describes the status and wait times below. 

NFA application status depends on the type of transaction or ATF form that is used because each form has different requirements and different processes that require different processing times. NFA applications begin processing when the applicable form is entered into the National Firearms Registration Transfer Records database (NFRTR), at which point the application enters a “Pending” status until reviewed by an ATF Legal Instruments Examiner.

The time required to process an NFA application depends upon many factors including the particular ATF form used, the volume of forms submitted from throughout the country, any errors on forms, and complexities with background checks or the legal status of corporations, trusts or other legal entities.

Taken from the ATF website.  The original post can be found here - https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/what-status-my-nfa-application-form