Joint Registration for Spouses under the National Firearms Act

GrabAGun Digital Holdings Inc., a firearms retailer, supports the proposed rule allowing spouses to jointly register NFA firearms. They argue the rule reduces costs and administrative burdens for families and retailers without compromising public safety.

Sportsman’s Warehouse, Inc. supports the proposed rule because it provides married customers with more flexibility in managing marital property and estate planning. The company argues that joint registration reduces enforcement risks regarding "constructive possession" while enhancing public safety by requiring background checks for both spouses.

CPAC submits a comment in support of the ATF's proposed rule to allow married couples to jointly register NFA firearms without the need to create a trust. They argue the rule reduces costs and legal risks for spouses while maintaining all existing safety and background check requirements.

The American Suppressor Association and the National Rifle Association support the proposed rule allowing joint spousal registration of NFA firearms. They argue that the current requirement to create a trust or legal entity for joint ownership is unnecessarily burdensome for married couples.

Mid-States Distributing, representing a network of over 450 firearms retailers, supports the proposed rule allowing spouses to jointly register NFA firearms. They advocate for standardized documentation for marital verification and request technical guidance on handling applications where one spouse fails a background check.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and Brady submit a joint comment opposing several proposed ATF rules. They argue that the proposed changes—including joint spousal registration, relaxed marking requirements, and weakened machinegun transfer safeguards—prioritize firearms industry interests over public safety and create dangerous regulatory loopholes.

The commenter supports the proposed rule to allow joint registration of National Firearms Act firearms by spouses. They argue that the change is a common-sense modernization that reduces administrative burdens and costs for law-abiding owners without compromising public safety.

A firearms dealer supports the proposed joint registration for spouses, arguing it simplifies the paperwork process compared to using trusts. The commenter notes that joint ownership reflects the reality of shared household access and will reduce the costs associated with creating trusts.

The commenter provides a technical and operational analysis of the proposed rule, noting that it simplifies the registration process for spouses by removing the need for trusts. They argue that while the rule introduces new administrative tasks for the ATF and requires clear documentation standards, it successfully aligns federal registration with marital property rights and eases estate planning.