the atf returned the check. what now?

[greyling22]

I don't know the full details here, so bear with me: My buddy filled out his form 4 for a suppressor via a trust a year ago. About a month ago he got a call from FFL saying his paperwork had come back and his FFL guy told him it was declined because there was a missing comma and the FFL forgot to sign his name. So it was corrected and resubmitted. Today he got home and there was a check from the ATF for $200 waiting for him. no note, no accompanying paperwork.

He has a clean record, and was passed with a background check to buy a gun several times this past year.

So I'm guessing his stamp was declined, and the only thing I can figure is that the FFL didn't get the paperwork right. Either because the the trust or something, but how does he determine why? How does he get his can? What is his next step and will he have to wait another year? I was thinking of using the same guy for mine before too long.

 

[txblackout]

My ffl apparently has had multiple ones submitted electronically where the ATF said the address field was blank. The software doesnt allow there to be blank address fields so they were able to negotiate a compromise to be able to submit a change of address form.

Basically my FFL has been working diligently to resolve the issue so as not to have to start all over.

 

[Aaron Baker]

In my experience, the ATF sends the submitter (in this case the FFL) a letter that explains the problem and gives a deadline to fix it. If it isn't fixed within the deadline, then they decline the application and return the money. It doesn't mean your buddy isn't able to buy an NFA firearm.

Also in my experience, the ATF isn't serious about their deadlines. If they give you 30 days to fix the problem, they aren't going to send the check back on day 31.

Without knowing more about your friend or his situation, I would guess that his FFL is not doing a very good job. It sounds like they screwed up the paperwork. (Really, how hard is it to remember to sign it?) And then when they got the letter, they sat on it instead of responding to the ATF in a timely manner. Thus, your friend's transfer was declined.

If I were you, I'd use a different guy. If I was your friend, I'd also use a different FFL. Except that he has already paid for that can from that FFL. But yes, he probably has to wait another waiting period, because his application was actually declined. He needs to talk to both the FFL and the ATF examiner assigned to his application ASAP to see if this can still be fixed without simply resubmitting and waiting all over again.

Aaron

 

[smkummer]

The dealer should have told his customer when it was not approved. This comes with a special number written on a letter and like stated above, one generally has 30 days to correct, if not within that time, then a refund check is made out. You could request that the newly submitted form be fast tracked (ATFs wording) and state the reason why and maybe submit with the letter that was sent needing the correction. This is all crazy stupid govt. bull cr*p we must endure until suppressors are removed from the NFA.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

This is a dealer screw up. The ATF does not reject tax payments for small errors, they sent them back for a correction. I suspect your dealer ignored the error letter.

Mike

 

[greyling22]

that is what we suspect as well. or else the post office lost it. either way this is not an ffl I will be using, and he won't be using again. He will go to another one and efile.

 

[wally]

He will go to another one and efile.

E-forms can be worse if the dealer is sloppy or if there is a minor error in the trust, as there are no provisions built in for corrections in E-forms, its either approved or rejected. You get to start over if its rejected.

Is the E-form system working again now for form 4?

 

[Aaron Baker]

Is the E-form system working again now for form 4?

Not yet.