Lost Your Gun? New Bill Says Report It Within 48 Hours—Or Face Penalties

The "Gun Trafficker Detection Act" just dropped, and it's changing the rules around lost or stolen firearms. This new bill aims to crack down on gun trafficking by making it mandatory for non-licensed gun owners to report missing firearms, fast.

Reporting Your Lost Piece: The 48-Hour Window

This bill isn't messing around. If your firearm is lost or stolen, you have exactly 48 hours from the moment you realize it's gone to report it. The report has to go to the Attorney General, and if you don’t use a soon-to-be-created web portal, you also need to notify local law enforcement. Think of it like reporting a stolen car, but with much tighter deadlines and potentially steeper consequences. For example, if a construction worker keeps a firearm in their truck for security and it gets stolen during a weekend job, they need to report it by Monday evening or risk facing penalties. The bill even mandates that licensed firearm dealers inform purchasers of penalties for failing to report lost or stolen firearms.

The Price of Paperwork

Within 180 days, the Attorney General will set up a web portal specifically for these reports. It's also going to include a clear notice about penalties for making false statements, which is now a more serious offense under this bill (see 924(a)(1)(A)). States are getting looped in too—they'll need to use at least 5% of their federal grant funding under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act to manage data on lost and stolen firearms. If they already have a system that forwards reports to the National Crime Information Center, they need to get it certified by the Attorney General.

Penalties: From Fines to Firearm Restrictions

Here’s where it gets real. Fail to report a lost or stolen firearm? That’s a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for the first offense. Get caught again, and the fine jumps to $5,000. Two strikes, and you’re banned from receiving a firearm for a year. Three strikes? That ban extends to five years (see 922(bb)). This part of the law is meant to be a strong deterrent. Imagine a small business owner who experiences multiple break-ins and firearm thefts—they could quickly find themselves unable to legally acquire a firearm for protection.

The bill also updates the national instant criminal background check system within six months to flag individuals hit with these penalties. So, it's not just about fines; it's about potentially restricting your ability to purchase firearms in the future.

The Act becomes effective 90 days after its enactment.