How Do You Fill Out ATF Form 4473 Online?
To complete the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, Form 4473 online, visit the bureau’s website at ATF.gov. Under the What We Do menu, click on Mission Areas, then select Firearms. Click on Applications-eForm 4473. Click the Download link to load the file and complete the form.
The eForm 4473 automatically fills in specific fields, according to ATF. If an individual needs assistance completing the form, he may contact his local ATF field office, or he can contact the national office via email.
The buyer must complete, sign and date Part I of Form 4473 before delivery of the firearm, reports ATF. A buyer uses Part I of Form 4473 when he is purchasing firearms over-the-counter. The buyer completes Part II of Form 4473 when he is buying a firearm in his state of residence, but the sale is not over-the-counter. The buyer must sign and date Part II of the form at the time of sale.
The ATF requires individuals to provide demographic information in order to complete Form 4473. Law enforcement officers use this information to help conduct investigations, explains ATF. The National Instant Criminal Background Check system uses demographic information to complete background checks on potential purchasers of firearms.
