DOJ and ATF Roll Back Multiple Biden-Era Gun Regulations in Major Reform Package

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced on April 29, 2026, a comprehensive package of regulatory reforms that rescind or significantly scale back several Biden-era gun control measures.

In a joint statement, the agencies said the changes are designed to reduce unnecessary burdens on law-abiding gun owners and firearms businesses while focusing enforcement resources on violent criminals rather than compliant citizens.

Key rollbacks include:

• Rescinding the 2022 ATF rule that redefined “frame or receiver” to treat many unfinished parts and so-called ghost gun kits as regulated firearms.
• Eliminating the requirement for licensed dealers to report multiple handgun sales to the same purchaser within 30 days in certain states.
• Scaling back enhanced background check requirements imposed on certain private sales and transfers.
• Streamlining the application and renewal process for Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs).
• Removing certain record-keeping and reporting mandates that the agencies determined provided minimal public safety value.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the reforms as a restoration of Second Amendment rights and a correction to what he called overly expansive and burdensome regulations issued during the Biden administration. ATF leadership echoed that the changes will ease compliance costs for small businesses and individual gun owners without weakening core public safety protections.

The announcement is part of the Trump administration’s broader review of federal firearms regulations. Formal rulemaking notices will follow in the coming weeks to implement the changes through the Administrative Procedure Act process.

Gun rights organizations welcomed the package as a major victory for lawful owners and the firearms industry. Gun control advocates criticized the move, arguing it will make it easier for prohibited persons to obtain firearms.

The regulatory rollback aligns with President Trump’s long-standing position on reducing federal overreach in gun policy while maintaining focus on prosecuting actual criminals. No changes to existing criminal laws or ongoing prosecutions were announced. The reforms will take effect after the formal rulemaking and public comment periods are completed. You can read the full DOJ press release here.