Full Breakdown
DOJ Declines to Appeal Texas Ruling Dismantling NFA Registration Requirements
8/14/2026, 4:12:10 AM
Texas Court Strikes Down NFA Registration Requirements
On August 5, U.S. District Judge James Wes Hendrix (N.D. Texas) issued an injunction blocking the federal registration and transfer requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs) and other “any other weapon” (AOW) categories covered by the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA). The order covers the plaintiffs in *Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF* and *Jensen v. ATF* and “future customers” of sellers linked to Gun Owners of America. The judge ruled that Congress’s elimination of the $200 tax on those items—through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in July 2025—removed the constitutional basis for the NFA’s registration scheme.
Background & Context
The NFA, enacted on June 26, 1934, imposed a $200 transfer tax and mandatory registration for certain firearms and accessories. In 2025 Congress zeroed out the tax for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and related devices, prompting the legal challenge that led to the August 5 ruling.
Timeline
- July 2025 – One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminates the $200 NFA tax.
- August 5 – Judge Hendrix issues the injunction; a one-week stay expires at midnight on August 13.
- Midnight August 13 – The injunction takes effect after the Justice Department declines a stay.
- Following weeks – DOJ has roughly seven weeks to file an appeal.
Data & Statistics
- The NFA’s registration regime had been in place for 92 years.
- The tax removal reduced the fee from $200 to $0 for the affected categories.
Official Statements & Responses
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said it will continue processing NFA forms under existing regulations but will not provide legal advice on the ruling’s effect.
Verbatim Quotes
- “An appeal would prolong regulatory uncertainty for law-abiding gun owners and businesses and would consume DOJ resources defending a position that this Congress and now a federal district court has said cannot stand,” — Rep. Andrew Clyde
- “Today, our government is failing us,” — Brady President Kris Brown
- “The Department of Justice's decision is a failure to defend public safety,” — Emma Brown, Brady President
What’s Next
The DOJ still has about seven weeks to file an appeal, a deadline that falls in early September. Law-makers led by Rep. Andrew Clyde (GA-09) have urged the department to decline any appeal and to pursue rulemaking that would make the injunction’s effect permanent nationwide. Gun-rights groups such as Gun Owners of America and the Second Amendment Foundation plan to use the ruling as a template for further challenges to the NFA, while gun-safety advocates are preparing litigation and legislative proposals aimed at reinstating registration and tax requirements.
