ATF Form 1

**ATF Form 1** — formally the "Application to Make and Register a Firearm" — is the paperwork a civilian files with the ATF to manufacture an NFA-regulated item for their own use. Most Form 1s are filed by civilians building a **short-barreled rifle (SBR)** from an existing pistol or rifle lower. The process: submit the Form 1 electronically through the ATF's **eForms** portal, pay the $200 tax stamp, wait for approval, then build the item. Building before approval is a federal felony. Wait times have varied enormously in the last decade — from 30 days to over a year — and have shortened dramatically since the move to electronic filing. As of 2026, a typical Form 1 for an SBR via eForms clears in under 30 days. Form 1 cannot be used for machineguns (that registry is closed) but is used for SBRs, SBSs, AOWs, suppressors (rare — most people buy, not build), and destructive devices.