The federal government stopped requiring approval and registration for suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns on Oct. 9, but Maryland gun owners should not read that as a green light. Maryland’s own law on short-barreled rifles and shotguns is written around federal registration, and the ATF says plainly that its new policy does not override state rules.
The change, announced in an open letter and FAQ from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, quickly climbed Google’s U.S. trending searches. Here is what changed at the federal level, what did not, and why the answer looks different in Maryland than in many other states.
What did the ATF change on Oct. 9?
According to the ATF’s updated guidance, the agency will no longer enforce the National Firearms Act’s approval and registration requirements for four categories of items: suppressors (silencers), short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and “any other weapons,” a legal category for certain concealable firearms that are not ordinary pistols or revolvers.
In practice, that means the ATF says it will not enforce the requirement to get agency approval before making or transferring those items, registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, the NFA marking requirement, or the NFA ban on carrying unregistered items across state lines. Registration is now voluntary.
Why did it happen?
The roots go back to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 federal tax and spending law, which cut the NFA making and transfer tax on these items to $0, effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Plaintiffs including the Silencer Shop Foundation then argued in federal court that, with no tax left to collect, the NFA’s registration rules for these items could no longer be justified under Congress’s taxing power. A federal court in the Northern District of Texas agreed in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF and blocked enforcement for the plaintiffs. The ATF says it extended the same treatment nationwide as a matter of enforcement discretion, to avoid an uneven patchwork created by the injunction.
What did not change under federal law?
| Item or rule | Federal status after Oct. 9 |
|---|---|
| Suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, “any other weapons” | ATF approval and registration no longer enforced; registration voluntary |
| Machine guns and destructive devices | No change; $200 tax and full NFA rules remain |
| Background check at a licensed dealer | Still required (Form 4473 and NICS check, unless exempt) |
| Prohibited persons | Still barred from possessing any firearm |
| Taking a short-barreled rifle or shotgun to another state | Form 20 still required under the Gun Control Act |
| Dealer sales that violate state law | Still prohibited |
The ATF also warns that this is an enforcement policy, not a repeal. Enforcement could resume if Congress reimposes a tax, if the court injunction is overturned or dissolved, or if the guidance is withdrawn. The agency says federal law generally does not allow unregistered NFA items to be registered later, and there is no automatic grandfathering.
Does the NFA change apply in Maryland?
Federal enforcement policy applies everywhere, but Maryland law sits on top of it. The ATF’s guidance is direct on this point.
“Does not supersede state and local laws that restrict NFA firearms.”
ATF, Update to NFA Transfer Guidance
Maryland’s key statute is Public Safety Article § 5-203. It bars possession of a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun unless the owner fits an official exception, such as law enforcement or military on duty, or the weapon has been registered with the federal government under federal law. In a prosecution, the defendant carries the burden of proving lawful registration. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.
That wording matters now. For a private Maryland owner, the statute’s only exemption is federal registration. The ATF says it cannot say whether an unregistered firearm or silencer would count as lawfully held under any state’s law. Until Maryland courts, lawmakers or the Maryland State Police address the question, an owner who skips federal registration on a short-barreled rifle or shotgun could face state charges even though federal agents are no longer enforcing the NFA.
Maryland State Police guidance (Advisory LD-FRS-14-002) adds more layers. It treats short-barreled rifles and shotguns as handguns for wear, carry and transport rules, so the same restrictions apply as for pistols. If the barrel is under 16 inches, the firearm is a “regulated firearm,” and a transfer goes through Maryland’s application and background check process. A short-barreled rifle that meets the state’s “copycat weapon” definition is treated as an assault weapon.
What about suppressors in Maryland?
Maryland is not among the jurisdictions that ban suppressors outright. A summary by Concealed Carry Inc. lists those as California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.
Two of those, Delaware and the District, border Maryland. The ATF urges caution when driving through states that prohibit these items, even when the item is legal at both the starting point and the destination, because it is unclear whether state courts will extend federal safe-passage protection to unregistered NFA items. For Marylanders heading north on Interstate 95 or into the District, that is a practical concern.
What should Maryland gun owners do now?
- Do not assume federal and state rules match. Maryland’s short-barreled rifle and shotgun law still points to federal registration.
- Keep existing paperwork. Owners who already registered items have records that answer the state’s registration question directly.
- Voluntary registration is still open. The ATF says it continues to accept NFA forms at the $0 rate.
- Plan travel routes. Delaware and D.C. ban suppressors, and the ATF urges caution about traveling through jurisdictions that prohibit these items.
- Ask before you buy or build. Check with the Maryland State Police Licensing Division or a Maryland firearms attorney. Dealers are barred from sales that would violate state law.
The federal shift arrives just after a separate round of state changes. For more on what Annapolis changed this year, see our guide to new Maryland gun laws that just took effect.
Any state response would likely have to come from the General Assembly, whose next regular session begins in January, or from guidance by the Maryland State Police.
This article is for general information and is not legal advice.
Featured image: ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C. Photo: dbking / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.