Glossary

National Firearms Act

A 1934 federal law that taxes and registers machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, suppressors and other specified firearms.

Also called: NFA, NFA items, National Firearms Act of 1934

The National Firearms Act of 1934 was the first major federal gun-control law. It imposes a tax and a registration requirement on a category of weapons, including machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, suppressors (silencers), destructive devices and "any other weapons." Lawmakers, in the era of gangsters during Prohibition, used the taxing power because they doubted that Congress could ban the weapons outright.

To buy an item regulated by the NFA, a person must apply to the ATF, undergo a background check and fingerprinting, pay a $200 transfer tax (a rate unchanged since 1934, though the 2025 reconciliation law reduced it to $0 for suppressors and certain other items from 2026), and wait for approval, which can take months. Items must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 banned new civilian machine guns from being registered.

Gun-rights advocates argue that the law is outdated and burdensome, especially for suppressors, which are common in Europe and used for hearing protection, and push for measures like the SHORT Act and Hearing Protection Act. Supporters of strict regulation argue that the restrictions have kept machine guns from being used in crime and should be retained. Courts have upheld the law under District of Columbia v. Heller's statement that "dangerous and unusual" weapons may be regulated. See assault weapons ban.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Assault weapons ban A law prohibiting the sale or manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms defined by cosmetic or functional features; the federal ban expired in 2004. Ghost gun A firearm assembled from parts or kits and lacking a serial number, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace. Universal background checks A proposal requiring a background check for nearly all firearm sales, including private transfers not handled by licensed dealers. National Instant Criminal Background Check System The FBI system used by licensed firearm dealers to check whether a buyer is legally barred from owning a gun. District of Columbia v. Heller The 2008 Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep a handgun at home for self-defense.