ATF Wants Same-State Guns Shipped to Your Door — NICS Still Required

Firearms News (Aug. 7, 2026) flags renewed heat around ATF’s NPRM published May 8, 2026: “Revising Non-Over-the-Counter Firearms Transaction Requirements” (Federal Register 2026-09157). Today, even same-state online orders usually ship to a local FFL for an in-person Form 4473 and NICS. The proposal would let an in-state FFL verify identity remotely to NIST SP 800-63-4 standards, run NICS, notify local law enforcement, impose the statute’s seven-day wait, then ship the firearm to the buyer’s address.

Interstate purchases keep the GCA transfer-to-FFL model. ATF pegs consumer savings at roughly $103.7 million a year for about 3.3 million buyers and expects only 10–15% of dealers to opt in early — remote identity proofing isn’t a weekend DIY project for a two-person shop. House Judiciary Democrats led by Rep. Jamie Raskin have attacked the package; gun-control groups scream about straw buys even though 4473, NICS, bound books, LE notice, and the wait stay in place.

Section 922(c) has contemplated non-over-the-counter FFL sales since 1968. What’s new is treating modern remote ID like a lawful substitute for standing at the counter — for intrastate deals only. Comment and finalize status still matter; this isn’t law until ATF publishes a final rule.