Suppressors / NFA

Suppressor / NFA FAQ

This page explains the details behind the 4473 and Form 4 paths, including who qualifies, how each path works, what happens at pickup, fees, and wait times. If you just want a quick answer, you can check whether you qualify on our Suppressors / NFA page.

Qualification

Who qualifies

You qualify if all of these are true:

You're buying a suppressor (not an SBR, SBS, AOW, machine gun, or destructive device).
You're buying it as an individual, not through a trust or other entity.
You're a Maine resident.
You're 21 or older and not prohibited from owning firearms.

And the suppressor meets one of these:

A. Bought through our Silencer Shop page. Any suppressor bought there qualifies, regardless of brand, and the Silencer Shop order is all the proof we need.
B. Any SilencerCo or B&T suppressor qualifies, whether you buy it from our catalog or through our Silencer Shop page.

Bought a SilencerCo or B&T somewhere else? Contact us before you have it shipped here. We'll tell you whether it can go on a 4473 or needs a Form 4.

The two paths

How each path works

4473 Eligible

Covered suppressors: Form 4473, same day

A federal court order (Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF) bars ATF from enforcing NFA registration for certain buyers and products. Because of that, I can transfer covered suppressors to Maine residents on a Form 4473 with a NICS background check, the same paperwork as a regular handgun or rifle.

How it works

Buy a covered suppressor. Either buy any suppressor through our Silencer Shop page, or buy a SilencerCo or B&T suppressor from us.
It ships to us. We'll email you when it's here and set up a pickup appointment.
Come in with your ID. Bring a valid government photo ID that shows your current Maine address.
Form 4473 and NICS. You fill out the 4473 and we run the background check.
Take it home. If NICS comes back proceed, you leave with your suppressor that day. If NICS is delayed, we hold it and let you know. If NICS denies the transfer, we can't complete it.

No Form 4, no fingerprints, no passport photo, and no ATF wait on this path.

NFA - Form 4

Everything else: Form 4

If your item or purchase doesn't meet the rules above, it goes through the normal Form 4 process. That includes buyers who aren't Maine residents, trusts, other suppressor brands bought through our catalog, and all SBRs, SBSs, AOWs, machine guns, and destructive devices, including SBRs and SBSs bought through our Silencer Shop page.

Buy it from our catalog or through our Silencer Shop page.
Fingerprints and photo. I take your fingerprints and photo here at the shop by appointment.
Form 4 filing. I file the Form 4 for you on ATF eForms.
Pickup after ATF approval. I'll contact you when ATF approves the Form 4. Bring a valid photo ID, complete the Form 4473, and take your item home.

The item stays in our inventory until ATF approves it.

Prefer a Form 4 even if you qualify? That's still an option, for example if you want the item in a trust. Let me know before you order.

At pickup

What to bring and what happens

Pickup is by appointment at 52 Owens St in Bingham.

It ships to us.

We'll email you when it's here and set up a pickup appointment.

Come in with your ID.

A valid government photo ID that shows your current address (a Maine address for a 4473 transfer).

Form 4473 and NICS.

You fill out the 4473 and we run the background check.

Take it home.

If NICS comes back proceed, you leave with your suppressor that day. If NICS is delayed, we hold it and let you know. If NICS denies the transfer, we can't complete it.

What still needs a Form 4

Always Form 4

Short-barreled rifles (SBR) and short-barreled shotguns (SBS), including those bought through our Silencer Shop page
Any other weapons (AOW)
Machine guns (pre-1986 transferable)
Destructive devices
Any NFA item going into a trust or other entity
Suppressors for buyers who aren't Maine residents
Suppressors that don't meet path A or B
Form 1 builds and inbound Form 3 transfers from other dealers

Fees

There's no NFA transfer fee on items bought through our catalog or our Silencer Shop page. NFA items bought somewhere else and transferred to us are $100 per item.

Wait times

These apply to the Form 4 path. Covered 4473 transfers don't wait on ATF.

Processing times are set by the ATF and can change. The figures below are averages, not a guarantee.

eForm 4, individual: often about 1 to 2 weeks
eForm 4, trust: often about 3 to 4 weeks
Name matches, extra review, and volume spikes take longer

Current ATF figures: https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/current-processing-times (opens in a new tab)

Federal tax

As of 2026, the federal making/transfer tax is $0 for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs on many Form 1 and Form 4 filings. Machine guns and destructive devices generally still have a $200 federal tax. Those amounts can change.

On the Form 4 path, registration, fingerprints, photo, background check, and ATF approval still apply when the tax is $0.

Good to know

Before you buy

Travel

SilencerCo recommends keeping a suppressor bought on a 4473 in the state where you bought it until federal rules on interstate travel are clearer. If you plan to travel or hunt out of state with it, ask me about a Form 4 before you order.

ATF guidance

ATF hasn't issued written guidance yet and the court case could still change. If anything changes, I'll update this page and contact anyone whose order is affected.

Already have a Form 4 pending?

SilencerCo and B&T say to continue an existing Form 4. If you bought through Silencer Shop, Silencer Shop asks you to contact their support. You can also call me.

Maine

Suppressors legal under federal law may generally be owned in Maine, and you can hunt with one without a separate state permit.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Common questions

Do I qualify for a 4473 suppressor transfer?

You qualify if you're a Maine resident buying a suppressor as an individual (not a trust), you're 21 or older and not prohibited, and the suppressor was either bought through our Silencer Shop page (any brand) or is a SilencerCo or B&T bought from us. Look for the 4473 Eligible badge in our catalog. If you bought a SilencerCo or B&T somewhere else, contact us before you have it shipped here.

Can I take a suppressor home the same day?

Yes, if you and the suppressor qualify for a 4473 transfer. Once it's here, come to your appointment with a valid photo ID, complete Form 4473, and take it home when NICS clears. If NICS is delayed, we hold it and let you know.

What still needs a Form 4?

SBRs, SBSs (including ones bought through our Silencer Shop page), AOWs, machine guns, destructive devices, any NFA purchase by a trust or other entity, suppressors for buyers who aren't Maine residents, and suppressors that don't meet the 4473 rules.

What are your NFA transfer fees?

No KVF NFA transfer fee for items purchased through us, including our Silencer Shop dealer page. Incoming NFA from somewhere else is $100 per item.

Do you offer fingerprints and photos?

Yes. For Form 4 items, we take your fingerprints and photo here at the shop by appointment, and we file the Form 4 for you on ATF eForms. Covered suppressors on a Form 4473 don't need fingerprints or a photo.

Questions about whether an item qualifies?

Call 207-858-2970 or email info@kvfirearms.us.

Kennebec Valley Firearms, FFL 6-01-04507, Bingham, Maine, and visits are by appointment only.