ATF Application Deadlines Tighten: New Bill Mandates 60-Day Turnaround for Firearm Licenses

The new Reducing Unnecessary Slowdowns in Handling Act is a straight-up efficiency mandate aimed squarely at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The core of the bill is setting hard deadlines for application processing. For most applications—think permits, authorizations, or required forms—the ATF now has 90 calendar days from receipt to make a decision. But for federal firearm license applications (under 18 U.S.C. § 923), the clock is even tighter: 60 calendar days for processing. This is designed to put the brakes on bureaucratic drift and provide applicants with a predictable timeline.

The Clock Starts Now: New Deadlines and Public Scorecards

For anyone who has ever waited months or years for a government decision, these deadlines offer a clear improvement. If you’re a small business owner applying for a specific permit, you know you should hear back within three months. If you’re trying to get licensed as a firearm dealer, you get a two-month guarantee. But the bill doesn't stop there. It introduces a massive transparency requirement, mandating that the ATF release a public report every 90 days. This report must detail how many applications were received, approved, denied, and are still pending. Crucially, it must also explain the average processing speed and, if there were delays, why they happened (SEC. 3).

This quarterly public scorecard is a big deal. It means Congress and the public can actually see, in real-time, if the ATF is hitting its targets. It’s like putting the agency’s performance review online. If the ATF is struggling to meet the 60-day window for firearm licenses, the public will know the exact numbers and the official reasons for the slowdowns. This is the kind of accountability that makes a difference, forcing the agency to either perform or publicly explain why it can’t.

Efficiency at a Cost: The Unfunded Mandate

Here’s the catch, and it’s a big one that could affect the quality of service: Section 4 requires the ATF to implement this entire Act—the new deadlines, the appeal systems, and the detailed public reporting—using only their existing budget. They can’t hire new staff or buy new equipment. Instead, the bill explicitly tells the Bureau to “get rid of any repetitive checks, cut out unnecessary paperwork steps, and update any old or overlapping procedures” to free up the resources needed (SEC. 4). This is the classic efficiency mandate: do more, faster, with the same money.

This lack of new funding creates a real tension. While applicants benefit from faster processing, the ATF must now find ways to streamline its processes. If the agency is already stretched thin, this could mean that necessary due diligence—the “repetitive checks” or “unnecessary paperwork”—gets cut to meet the deadlines. For instance, if a background check or a site inspection takes 70 days, the pressure to hit that 60-day deadline might force the agency to rush the vetting process, potentially leading to errors or less thorough reviews. The benefit of speed could come at the expense of thoroughness, which is a key concern for a regulatory body like the ATF.

What Happens When They Miss the Deadline?

The bill provides two important safety valves for applicants. First, if your application is denied, the ATF must set up a formal appeal system. Second, and perhaps more powerfully, if the ATF blows past the deadlines set in Section 2, the bill mandates a way for people to force the Bureau to finish processing the application. This means the deadlines aren't just suggestions; they carry an internal consequence that applicants can activate. The details of how this “force processing” mechanism works will be critical, but the intent is clear: the application cannot just sit in a pile indefinitely. Overall, the bill is a strong move toward transparency and speed, but its success hinges entirely on the ATF's ability to find significant internal efficiency gains without sacrificing the quality of their regulatory work.