Silencers went into the 1934 law alongside machine guns, even though they were never the focus of the gangster-era headlines. For ninety years they were the most common NFA item, and in 2026 they became the first to come out from under the registry.
The rules as of October 2026
- The tax is $0.
- ATF no longer enforces registration or Form 4 approval for suppressors.
- A Form 4473 and NICS check at your dealer are the main federal steps.
- Suppressors are still banned in some states, and others tie them to federal registration.
Choosing a suppressor
For reviews, buying advice and how suppressors work, head to Suppressor Buyers Guide.com, our sister site in the Gun Websites Firearms Network.