What the program is
Federal law, mainly 18 U.S.C. 922(g), bars several groups of people from having firearms or ammunition. The largest group is anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Others include people convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, people under certain protective orders, people with certain mental health adjudications or commitments, and people dishonorably discharged from the military.
Section 925(c) lets the Attorney General grant relief from those disabilities. Congress stopped funding the program in 1992, so for decades almost no one could use it. A Department of Justice rule effective September 21, 2026 (28 C.F.R. Part 107) revived it and moved it from ATF to the Office of the Pardon Attorney. The program covers every federal firearm disability under 922(g), not only felony convictions.
Key dates
- September 25, 2026: applications opened to invited candidates.
- November 4, 2026: applications opened to the public for the first 5,000 applicants, first come, first served. That window may fill quickly.
- January 4, 2027: 500 more applicants may apply, and the $30 application fee begins. Applicants may ask for a waiver or reduction of the fee.
The Department is releasing applications in stages, so space in each stage is limited. If you think you may qualify, gathering your records now puts you in a better position when the next window opens.
What relief does, and what it does not do
- A grant removes your federal firearm disability. The FBI updates the background check system, and you may receive a number to use when you buy a firearm.
- Relief is discretionary. The Department must find that you are not likely to act in a way that is dangerous to public safety and that granting relief is not contrary to the public interest.
- Your name and the date of the grant are published in the Federal Register.
- A grant does not restore your rights under state law, and it does not restore voting rights.
What Texans need to know
Federal relief does not change Texas law. Under Texas Penal Code 46.04(a), a person convicted of a felony may possess a firearm only at the premises where the person lives, and only after the fifth anniversary of release from confinement or from community supervision, parole or mandatory supervision, whichever is later. A person with a felony conviction is also still ineligible for a Texas License to Carry under Government Code 411.172. For some clients, the right plan pairs the federal application with a state remedy, such as a governor's pardon or, for a community supervision case, judicial clemency. We review both paths with you.
Presumptive disqualifiers
The rule lists situations in which the Department presumes it will deny relief unless you show extraordinary circumstances. You must disclose every one, including convictions that were later expunged, pardoned or set aside. In general terms they include:
- Current status: awaiting sentencing, serving any part of a sentence (including probation, parole, supervised release, or unpaid fines or restitution), in pretrial diversion, under an intimate partner protective order, required to register as a sex offender for a disqualifying offense, a current unlawful drug user or fugitive, or, for a mental health disability, not yet through your state's own relief program (Texas has one).
- Permanent: listed serious felonies, such as offenses involving death, sexual offenses, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, arson, carjacking, assault, stalking, terrorism and similar conduct.
- Ten years: a conviction, or any part of a sentence, within the last ten years for felonies such as drug trafficking, threats of violence or certain firearm offenses, or for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
- Five years: a conviction, or any part of a sentence, within the last five years for any other felony, or for misdemeanor assault, battery, stalking or threats.
- Reapplication: a prior denial on a permanent disqualifier, or certain denials within the last five years.
The waiting periods run from the date every part of the sentence was finished. That includes supervision, fines, restitution, treatment and community service. Our Restore My Rights screening asks about these first, so you can see early, before you pay for a consultation, whether one of the most common presumptions may apply.
What you will need
A strong application is complete and accurate. The Department expects records from official sources, and it gives you 30 days to finish an application once you start it, so the work happens before you open the form.
- Every address you have lived at for the last 25 years, or since age 18 if that is shorter
- A state criminal history report for each state you lived in during that period, showing your arrests or a clear record
- For each disqualifying conviction: the charging document, the judgment, and official proof of the date you finished your sentence, plus any plea agreement or sentencing documents
- For veterans who served during the lookback period: your DD Form 214
- Records of any earlier state expunction, pardon or restoration application and its result
- Three character references who are not related to you, have known you at least three years, and are willing to sign a statement under penalty of perjury
- A valid photo ID and an email address you check every day
Older court files can be hard to find. When a record no longer exists, the Department accepts a sworn statement describing what the record would show and the efforts made to find it. We handle the records requests and prepare those statements.
How the process works
- Screening. You answer our four screening questions. If nothing rules you out, you can request a consultation.
- Records. We gather your criminal history, court records and proof of sentence completion, and we prepare any sworn statements needed for missing records.
- References. We help you choose three character references and tell them what to expect, including a request that comes from the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services.
- Application. We prepare and review every answer with you, and the application is submitted online with all documents attached.
- Fingerprints. After the first part of the application, you receive an email with a QR code and schedule electronic fingerprinting at a participating U.S. Post Office.
- Follow-up. We watch the status of your application and respond to any request from a restoration specialist until a decision is made.
If an application is denied, the applicant may seek review in the federal district court where the applicant lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply?
Anyone barred from having firearms under federal law may apply, including people with felony convictions, misdemeanor domestic violence convictions, certain mental health adjudications, and dishonorable discharges or court-martial convictions. Whether relief is likely depends on your history and the presumptive disqualifiers.
Does a Texas expunction or pardon solve the federal problem?
Sometimes. A conviction that has been expunged or pardoned in a way federal law recognizes may no longer count, and a federal pardon removes the disability for a federal conviction. State restoration does not remove a disability that comes from a federal conviction. We review your records to see whether you need the federal application at all.
How long does it take?
The Department has not published a processing time. Gathering records usually takes the most time on our side, especially for older cases.
Is there a fee?
The Department's $30 application fee begins January 4, 2027, and applicants may ask for a waiver or reduction. Fingerprinting and records can carry their own costs. Requesting a case review with GFA LAW is free. If we can help, the consultation is $350, and we quote the cost of the full application at that time.
If I am granted relief, can I carry a handgun in Texas?
Not automatically. Federal relief does not change Texas Penal Code 46.04 or the License to Carry rules for people with felony convictions. We explain exactly where you stand under Texas law before and after the federal decision.
How do I start?
Answer the four questions on our Restore My Rights page. If nothing rules you out, the page takes you to our secure application to request a consultation.
Sources: Department of Justice, Federal Firearm Rights Restoration; 18 U.S.C. 922(g) and 925(c); 28 C.F.R. Part 107; Tex. Penal Code 46.04; Tex. Gov't Code 411.172. This page is general information and is not legal advice for your situation. Relief is discretionary, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.