Trump Administration Seeks Online Direct Gun Sales, Dealers Object
If federal rules shift to permit direct-to-door firearm shipments, the change would restructure the licensed dealer network that has served as the primary point of background-check compliance...
The Trump administration is pursuing a policy change that would allow consumers to purchase firearms online and receive shipments directly to their homes, bypassing the federally licensed firearms dealer transfer process that current law requires, according to reporting by The New York Times published in August 2026. Under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (18 U.S.C. Section 922), interstate transfers of firearms must be processed through a federally licensed dealer, known as an FFL holder, who conducts a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check at the point of transfer. Any regulatory revision permitting direct shipment would require either an act of Congress amending the statute or a formal rulemaking by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Opposition to the proposal has emerged from an unexpected source. Small independent gun retailers, historically aligned with Republican administrations on Second Amendment policy, are warning that direct-to-consumer online sales would remove the transfer fee revenue that many small dealers depend on to remain solvent, according to the same New York Times report. Those dealers also contend that eliminating the in-person FFL transfer step would reduce the number of background checks conducted at physical points of sale, raising public safety concerns.
No ATF notice of proposed rulemaking on direct firearm shipment had been published in the Federal Register as of August 21, 2026, based on a search of federalregister.gov. The administration has not publicly identified the specific statutory or regulatory mechanism it intends to use to implement the change. It is unknown whether the proposal originates from a White House executive order draft, an ATF internal review, or congressional legislation. A formal rulemaking document or a bill number in the Congressional Record would be the public record that would clarify the legal pathway under consideration.
The licensed dealer network is estimated at approximately 54,000 active FFL holders nationwide, according to ATF's most recent Annual Firearms Manufacturers and Export Report. Dealer transfer fees, typically ranging from $25 to $50 per transaction based on industry surveys cited in prior ATF public comment periods, represent a material share of revenue for lower-volume storefronts. Industry groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) had not issued a public position statement on the specific proposal as of the publication date of this article.
What remains unknown is the precise text of any proposed rule or legislation, the timeline the administration has set for action, and whether ATF leadership has provided formal legal guidance on whether the change can be accomplished through rulemaking alone or requires congressional action. The Federal Register, ATF's public docket, and the House and Senate Judiciary Committee hearing schedules would be the documents to monitor for the next formal step in this process.