WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2023   ■   INSTRUCTION

Completing Form 4473 December 2023 Edition SHOT University Online Training

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, is pleased to announce that the training series titled “Completion of the ATF Form 4473 2023 Edition” is now available through the SHOT UniversityTM Online education center. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) revised the form in December 2022 to reflect new statutory requirements implemented due to the enactment of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the NICS Denial Notification Act and the ATF Final Rule 2021R-05F.

This training series is now live and reviews critical elements of the new form’s use and purpose, as well as tips for identifying and correcting common errors made by both buyers and sellers. The suite is composed of three, easy-to-digest segments:

  • Module 1: Overview of Form 4473
  • Module 2: Completing Form 4473, Sections A-B
  • Module 3: Completing Form 4473, Sections C-E

All FFL counter salespeople, compliance officers, records keepers and license holders should consider these SHOT University Online courses to be vital training to enhance FFL training and help reduce errors when using the new form. Updated 4473 overlay forms will also be available in a couple weeks, and NSSF encourages all FFLs not using digital solutions to order by logging in to the online store. New overlay orders are $15 for members, $30 for non-members and ship with a “Sweat the Details” pamphlet for sales team to refer to.

FFLs can order the December 2022 edition of the Form 4473 through the ATF Distribution Center, and the form is available for download at www.atf.gov. Use of the December 2022 edition is mandatory beginning April 1, 2023. At that time, use of the May 2020 edition must be discontinued. The new Form 4473 and continuation sheets are available for order in both English and Spanish here.

SHOT University Online and the “Completing the Form 4473 2023 Edition” training series is available only to NSSF members and is offered free as part of NSSF’s member benefits. To take advantage of these and dozens of other course offerings, members should log in at SHOT University’s home page with their username and password, click on the course of their choice and explore the various modules of each.

The training members will receive from this course is worth far more than the cost of their NSSF membership. Not only does this training ensure an uncomplicated transition to the new form, it helps ensure the FFL is prepared for an ATF compliance audit during which your 4473 records will be thoroughly reviewed. If you are an FFL and have not yet become a member of NSSF, your trade association, we encourage you to join now and take full advantage of all SHOT University Online and NSSF’s many other resources, including the “Don’t Lie for the Other GuyTM” retailer kit developed in partnership with ATF. “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” is celebrating 20 years as the industry-leading program created by NSSF and ATF working to educate retailers and consumers about illegal straw purchases and what retailers can do to prevent these crimes.

For more information about NSSF’s tools and programs for retailers, visit NSSF.org.