Federal Firearm Licensee Act
Not law yet. Pending legislation.
Official status checked 2026-10-21 23:46 PT
Sen. Durbin et al.
Bill summary
Federal Firearm Licensee Act This bill establishes new security requirements and expands recordkeeping and reporting requirements for federally licensed dealers, importers, and manufacturers of firearms (i.e., federal firearms licensees, or FFLs).
The bill also broadens the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to administer federal firearms laws and enforce violations.
Specifically, bill requires FFLs to implement and comply with a plan to secure their business premises, conduct quarterly physical checks of their business inventories, maintain video surveillance of the area where firearms are sold or transferred, and initiate firearms-related background checks for employees.
Additionally, the bill requires FFLs to report to the ATF any inventory firearm that is lost, stolen, or unaccounted for and to notify the ATF about default-proceed transactions (i.e., allowable firearm transfers to an unlicensed person prior to the completion of a background check when the submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days).
The official digest continues on the official text.
Now vs if chaptered
NOW: introduced only; not present GCA dealer law. IF CHAPTERED: new/expanded FFL security, inventory, records, inspection, and no-check-transfer penalty duties would be live federal dealer counts — still not a street-possess charge.
Defender utility
Federal defenders and FFL counsel: this is a pending dealer-duty overlay, not a client possessory 922(g) count. If it moves, separate shop-security/inventory/records violations from any transferred-firearm charge against the buyer. CA PDs: not a California charge; useful only as a dealer-duty analogue next to DROS/FFL calendars.
Who this is for. FFLs/makers and federal defenders prepping a pending dealer-security/records overlay — not a client possessory charge; not present law.
Penalties (if chaptered)
Would increase penalties for knowing transfer without a background check and expand ATF license-issuance/revocation tools. Not in force.
Bank hints
- FFL
- dealer-duty