ATF Inviting Former FFLs to Re-Apply Shatters Narrative

The anti-gunners tried to frame the Biden-era “Zero Tolerance” policy for FFLs as being an effort to rein in “rogue gun dealers.” That’s the language they used, which evokes a particular image in people’s minds. If they hear about a rogue gun dealer, they have images more akin to Nicholas Cage in Lord of War than Bob at the local gun store who used abbreviations in his paperwork.

As that policy comes to an end, there’s a lot of doomsaying going on, but there’s something else that people aren’t really thinking about. See, not only did the policy end, but people who lost their FFLs are being told they’re welcome to reapply.

From the ATF:

On February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued the Executive Order “Protecting Second Amendment Rights.”  Pursuant to that order, ATF reviewed the 2021 Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy (EREP), sometimes called the “Zero Tolerance Policy.”  In May 2025, ATF replaced this policy with a new administrative action policy.  The new policy provides a fair framework for addressing violations uncovered by a compliance inspection, particularly when those violations do not impact public safety. 

Federal firearms licensees that surrendered their licenses, had their licenses revoked, or had their applications denied based on the EREP may reapply.  ATF will review new applications and all pending licensing matters under the new administrative action policy.  Individuals who have questions about an earlier decision or general inquiries are encouraged to contact their local ATF field office or email [email protected](link sends e-mail).

ATF is committed to fairness and transparency in its regulatory enforcement program and to protecting Americans’ Second Amendment rights while also protecting public safety. 

Now, let’s understand something here: If these gun dealers were literally rogue gun dealers, they wouldn’t be invited to reapply.

Hell, most of them would be facing federal charges if they were what they were accused of being. They weren’t. None of them faced charges, just losing their livelihoods.

And yes, some of those who lose their licenses really did lose it for using an abbreviation instead of fully spelling out a county’s name. They lost it for other trivial issues that could be easily corrected and that were clearly just based on a misunderstanding rather than an attempt to do something shady and underhanded.

Yet the narrative persists, in part because fear sells. Telling people they should be afraid works. It gets eyeballs on web pages. It’s what drives revenue.

The truth rarely does any of that.

The vast majority of people who lost their FFLs during this era were just ordinary people who made trivial errors. Everyone who lost their license because of the rule falls into that category.

It never should have happened, and I hope some of these folks can rebuild their businesses in the aftermath of what happened. I doubt it’ll be easy, but we can hope and pray. They deserve it, and if your local gun store was one of them, and should they get their FFLs back, do them a solid and visit them with the intention of picking something up.

Make sure they can get back on their feet as quickly as possible.