A federal gun-rights restoration process that was effectively unavailable to most Americans for more than three decades is moving from proposal to reality, with the Department of Justice finalizing new rules and announcing when applications will begin.
There have been several important developments over the past week for Americans prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law, including people with felony convictions.
On August 17, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the finalization of its new Federal Firearm Rights Restoration (FFRR) program. The final rule was subsequently published in the Federal Register on August 20 and is scheduled to take effect September 21, 2026.
The development is significant because it establishes a functioning administrative process under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) through which federally prohibited individuals may ask the Attorney General to restore their federal firearm rights.
For more than 30 years, that statutory avenue technically existed but was effectively unavailable to most individuals. DOJ now intends to begin processing applications again under a new set of eligibility standards and review procedures.
Felony Convictions Are Not an Automatic Bar to Applying
One of the most important points in the final rule is that having a felony conviction does not automatically prevent someone from submitting an application.
Federal law generally prohibits a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment from possessing firearms or ammunition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
Under the new restoration program, however, people prohibited under § 922(g)—including felons—may apply for relief.
The program also extends beyond felony convictions. DOJ says applications may potentially be submitted by people prohibited because of certain mental-health adjudications, dishonorable military discharges, domestic-violence convictions or orders, certain immigration statuses, unlawful drug use and other federal prohibitors.
Being allowed to apply, however, is very different from being guaranteed approval.
DOJ Will Examine the Individual, Not Just the Conviction
The new system establishes an individualized review.
An applicant must convince the Attorney General that the circumstances surrounding the federal firearm prohibition, together with the applicant’s subsequent record and reputation, demonstrate that the person is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that restoring firearm rights would not be contrary to the public interest.
Among other things, DOJ may examine an applicant’s criminal history, seriousness of the underlying conduct, conduct associated with charges dismissed through plea agreements, behavior during incarceration and supervision, time since completing the sentence, drug use, restraining orders, threats, mental-health information, information from local law enforcement and other individual circumstances.
In other words, the new process should not be confused with an automatic restoration law.
It creates an opportunity to make a case for restoration.
The Five-Year Mark Could Be Critical for Many Felony Cases
For many applicants with felony convictions, one of the most significant provisions involves the amount of time that has passed since completion of the sentence.
For felony-level offenses that do not fall into DOJ’s more serious presumptive-disqualification categories, an applicant generally must demonstrate “extraordinary circumstances” if fewer than five years have passed since completing the last requirement of the sentence.
Once that five-year period has passed, that particular presumption no longer applies, although the applicant must still satisfy DOJ that restoring firearm rights is appropriate.
Other categories receive considerably stricter treatment.
DOJ has established presumptions against restoration for certain offenses and statuses considered indicative of heightened public-safety risks. Depending on the underlying conduct, some presumptions can last longer or effectively create a substantially higher hurdle for obtaining relief.
That means two people who are both legally considered “felons” could face very different prospects under the program depending upon the actual offenses, underlying conduct, time elapsed and post-conviction history.
Applications Will Open in Stages
Another major update is that DOJ has now provided a rollout schedule.
Although the final rule becomes effective September 21, that does not mean every prohibited person can submit an application that day.
DOJ currently plans to launch the program in stages:
- September 25, 2026: Applications open to invited candidates.
- November 4, 2026: Applications open to the general public, initially limited to the first 5,000 applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
- January 4, 2027: Another public phase opens for 500 applicants, and DOJ begins testing collection of the application fee.
The application fee is currently set at $30, although applicants may incur additional costs for fingerprints, criminal records and other required materials. DOJ says applicants may also seek a fee waiver or reduction based on indigency.
For the average person interested in applying, November 4 is therefore the date that deserves particular attention.
Another Development This Week: The Application Paperwork Is Moving Forward
There was another important procedural development on August 24.
The Office of the Pardon Attorney published a new Federal Register notice concerning the information collection for the “Application to Restore Federal Firearms Rights.”
The notice confirms that the application process is moving through the federal paperwork-approval process and identifies the Office of the Pardon Attorney as the DOJ component responsible for the program.
Public comments regarding that information collection will be accepted through September 23, 2026.
DOJ’s website currently lists the online application as “Coming soon.”
Applicants should therefore be cautious about websites, businesses or individuals claiming that they can already submit the new public DOJ application on someone’s behalf.
DOJ Is Already Granting Firearm-Rights Relief
Perhaps the clearest indication that this is more than a theoretical policy change is that the Attorney General has already begun exercising the authority contained in § 925(c).
A Federal Register notice published August 27, 2026 reports federal firearm-rights restoration for nine additional individuals.
Eight received relief on May 18, while another received relief on August 5.
According to the notice, the Attorney General reviewed the relevant facts and determined that the individuals were not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.
Those grants follow an earlier round of restorations announced in February 2026.
That distinction matters.
The story is no longer simply that the federal government plans to create a firearm-rights restoration mechanism.
Federal firearm-rights relief under § 925(c) is already being granted, and DOJ is now building the formal system through which members of the general public will be able to seek the same individualized consideration.
Federal Restoration Does Not Necessarily Restore State Gun Rights
There is an important limitation that anyone considering an application needs to understand.
A successful FFRR application restores the applicable federal firearm disability.
It does not automatically override a separate state or tribal prohibition.
A person could therefore receive federal relief and nevertheless remain prohibited from possessing a firearm under the law of the state where that person lives.
DOJ specifically warns applicants about this distinction.
Anyone considering the process will need to determine both why federal law prohibits them and whether their state independently imposes a firearm prohibition.
What Happens if DOJ Denies an Application?
The final rule also provides an important safeguard for unsuccessful applicants.
A denial by DOJ does not necessarily end the matter.
Section 925(c) permits a person whose application is denied to seek judicial review in the United States District Court for the district where the person resides.
DOJ also says applicants may eventually be permitted to reapply, although waiting periods and presumptive disqualifiers can apply depending upon why the previous application was denied.
What People Considering Restoration Should Do Now
For people with old felony convictions or another federal firearm prohibition, the latest developments make it worthwhile to begin gathering records now rather than waiting until November.
Applicants should expect their criminal history and post-conviction conduct to receive significant scrutiny. Court records, sentencing documents, proof that probation or supervised release was successfully completed, accurate criminal-history records, fingerprints and character references may all become important parts of the process.
The exact nature of the original offense will matter as well.
Simply saying, “I have a felony from 15 years ago,” will not necessarily answer whether someone is a strong candidate. DOJ’s new framework distinguishes between categories of offenses and allows officials to consider the actual conduct underlying a conviction.
The Bottom Line
The situation surrounding federal firearm-rights restoration has changed substantially.
Congress has long provided authority under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) for certain federally prohibited people to seek restoration of their firearm rights, but for decades that pathway was largely unavailable in practice.
That is now changing.
The Justice Department has finalized regulations establishing the new process, created eligibility and disqualification standards, assigned administration of the program to the Office of the Pardon Attorney, begun moving the application through the federal approval process and announced a timetable for opening applications to the public.
Most importantly, federal firearm-rights restoration is not automatic simply because someone has completed a sentence or remained crime-free for a particular number of years.
But for some Americans with felony convictions and other federal firearm prohibitions, there is now something that effectively did not exist for decades:
a functioning process through which they can ask the federal government to give those rights back.
The next major date to watch is September 21, 2026, when the final rule takes effect, followed by November 4, 2026, when DOJ currently plans to open the process to the first 5,000 members of the general public.