ATF Drops CLEO Notification from Form 1 NFA Applications

The ATF just previewed a batch of housekeeping changes to Form 1 (ATF 5320.1)—the form gun owners use to make and register NFA items like SBRs and suppressors. Buried in the Federal Register notice is the big one: the agency plans to remove the Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) notification requirement for NFA registration.

The ATF’s filing also modernizes items in preparation for the upcoming changes to the NFA’s tax structure, as it will no longer collect a tax on SBRs and suppressors. It clarifies how you can pay the $200 tax for “machinegun(s) or destructive device” or $0 for “other types of firearms,” such as SBRs and suppressors.

There is also an update to accept additional types of digital signatures and let applicants attach a passport-style photo or ID copy instead of using a fixed photo box on the form. There’s also a cleanup of wording and new instructions for married couples registering as an “other legal entity.” All of that is in service of making the form easier to complete and aligning it with incoming tax changes.

The ATF says it is removing the CLEO notification requirement from NFA registration forms (among other changes): https://t.co/kXWi4XHPgb pic.twitter.com/bmNO2wOOqb

— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) October 29, 2025

“One Big Beautiful Bill” Reshapes the NFA Stamp

Remember a few months back when the Republican Party decided to let an unelected bureaucrat derail an attempt to remove short-barreled rifles, shotguns, and suppressors from the NFA? Well, because Republicans decided to display a stunning lack of backbone, we are left here with this update by the ATF.

Separate from ATF’s paperwork tweaks, Congress has already changed the NFA tax structure. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21), the $200 tax is set to $0 for the making or transfer of all NFA firearms that are not machine guns or destructive devices, effective January 1, 2026. The law does not repeal the NFA itself—registration, background checks, and the rest of the process remain in place—but it zeroes out the stamp for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. Machine guns and destructive devices still carry the $200 tax.

This is why ATF’s Form 1 language is shifting. The new text explicitly calls out a $200 “Tax Paid” for machine guns and destructive devices, while reflecting $0 for the other NFA categories once the statute takes effect. Put together, the law cuts the tax; the form is being updated so the eForms pipeline matches reality on day one.

What It Means for Gun Owners

• Dropping the CLEO notification removes a legacy chore with no public-safety upside and no decision-making authority attached to it.
• Lower cost for most NFA items—soon. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, a suppressor or SBR won’t carry a federal tax stamp fee. That’s real money back in your pocket, especially for families building out multiple hosts or accessories.
  • Keep in mind: the NFA application, background check, and wait time still apply; the stamp fee goes to $0, the process doesn’t vanish.
• ATF eForms alignment. Expect ATF to lean further into eForms and Pay.gov. The notice specifically calls out digital payments and signatures—small tweaks that speed up submissions and reduce rejects for clerical errors.

A Few Practical Takeaways

None of this accomplishes what should have been an easy win for Republicans to make meaningful repeals to the NFA. However, if you plan to register an SBR or suppressor, you may want to wait until the new year.

• Time your builds. If you’re price-sensitive and not in a rush, the math favors filing after Jan. 1, 2026, for most NFA items (suppressors, SBR/SBS, AOW) so you avoid the $200 entirely. Machine guns and destructive devices don’t benefit.
• Expect revised forms. Watch for updated Form 1 instructions and field labels in eForms as ATF publishes final revisions. Using the correct version reduces delays.
• CLEO copy no more. Once the change is finalized on the form, you won’t need to mail that extra packet to your sheriff or chief. Check the current form instructions on filing day to be sure you’re using the latest rules.

Describing this as a win for gun owners should ring hollow to anyone who has followed this saga. Congress will repeal the tax on SBRs and suppressors in 2026, but the registration requirement will remain in place. Cleaning up the process and removing onerous steps, such as contacting a CLEO, is a welcome proposal. However, it still involves a process that delays the acquisition of items that are presumptively constitutionally protected.

This lowers the barrier to entry for owning SBRs and suppressors, but the barrier is still in effect, and entry still requires registration.

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