H.R. 624 — RIFLE Act of 2025

This section establishes graduated civil penalties and enhanced due process procedures for violations of federal firearms laws by federal firearms licensees (FFLs), striking and replacing 18 U.S.C. §923(e) and (f). (1) For non-willful violations (presumed absent clear and convincing evidence), the Attorney General must notify the licensee and work to rectify within a commercially reasonable time; multiple firearms in a single transaction or multiple record-keeping instances count as one violation. (2) For willful violations, after a rectification attempt, the Attorney General may suspend a first-time offender's license up to 30 days or revoke others if lesser measures (e.g., warning) are insufficient and revocation is pursued; actions are barred after 3 years (or upon discovery if obstructed) without prior notice and compliance opportunity. (3) Penalties require 60 days' certified notice detailing grounds and willfulness facts, with a 60-day hearing request staying imposition (except revocations posing immediate public safety threats, proven by clear and convincing evidence); administrative law judge hearings include witness/deposition rights, full evidence disclosure, and decisions within 120 days.

This section revises the procedures for the Attorney General's consideration of federal firearms license (FFL) applications by requiring (1) a preliminary determination to approve or deny the application, with written notice of any denial including reasons, an opportunity for the applicant to supplement the application or request a hearing at a convenient location, and written notice of the hearing if requested timely; (2) prohibiting denial of an application based on (A) any prior violation by the applicant if more than five years have elapsed since a prior license termination (unless the applicant is prohibited under 18 U.S.C. §922(g)), (B) prior employment by or responsible party status for a licensee whose license was revoked (unless clear and convincing evidence shows the applicant willfully violated the law), or (C) being the spouse, former spouse, or child of a licensee whose license was revoked (unless clear and convincing evidence shows the applicant willfully violated the law as a responsible party); and (3) applying the appeal procedures of 18 U.S.C. §923(e) to all applicants and applications. (Thus, FFL applicants—typically firearms dealers, manufacturers, and importers—receive enhanced due process and protections against denial for certain past associations or stale violations.)

This section defines "willfully," for purposes of federal firearms license revocation proceedings under 18 U.S.C. 923(e), to mean that a licensee or designated responsible party (1) had actual knowledge of a clearly established legal duty, (2) understood the obligation imposed by that duty, and (3) engaged in the conduct knowingly and in deliberate disregard of the duty. It further provides that the following evidence is inadmissible to prove actual knowledge or a willful violation: (1) receipt of a document or communication about a requirement or a signed acknowledgment of legal obligations under chapter 44 of title 18, U.S. Code (i.e., Gun Control Act of 1968), and (2) substantial experience as a licensee or past successful compliance with that chapter. Finally, it requires the Attorney General to consider the licensee's entire historical administrative record in determining willfulness.

This section directs the Attorney General to (1) reconsider, using the amendments made by section 4, all prior denials of federal firearms license (FFL) applications under 18 U.S.C. chapter 44 submitted by former licensees before enactment; (2) for FFL revocations, suspensions, or denials occurring while ATF Orders 5370.1E, 5370.1F, or 5370.1G are in effect—absent clear and convincing evidence of an immediate grave public safety threat—reinstate licenses, end suspensions, reconsider denials, and reimburse associated legal fees incurred during those orders; (3) within 120 days of enactment, establish the website “gunrightsrestored.gov” for reimbursement claims (nondelegable below the Office of the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General) and publish claim procedures in the Federal Register; and (4) within six months of enactment, submit implementation reports, along with the Department of Justice Inspector General, to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

This section directs the Attorney General to establish written standards governing Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) inspections, examinations, and investigations of potential violations of federal explosives (chapter 40) and firearms (chapter 44) laws, as well as standards for denying license applications, suspending or revoking licenses, or taking other adverse actions against applicants or licensees under those chapters. The standards must include mitigating factors to consider before initiating any adverse action and must be made publicly available and provided to applicants and licensees at the time of application or upon request.

This section limits the availability of information identifying persons who have purchased or received firearms or ammunition and who are not prohibited from doing so. Such information may not be provided to an agency unless the agency certifies that it will not disclose the information to any entity other than a court, federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, or prosecutor.

This section establishes a 90-day period (extendable for reasonable cause, excluding time during revocation appeals) for Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders whose licenses expire, surrender, or are revoked to liquidate firearms business inventory. (1) During this period, the license remains valid for that purpose, with the Attorney General issuing letters of authorization for reliance by other licensees and third parties; and (2) before the period ends, remaining firearms may transfer to the license holder's personal collection (or that of its interest holders). This section excepts from the 90-day process any licensee whom a U.S. district court finds—by clear and convincing evidence—to pose an immediate and grave threat to public safety, limiting transfers to the licensee's personal collection or another licensee for consignment or liquidation. (Thus, FFL holders (i.e., businesses importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms or ammunition) may orderly dispose of inventory upon license termination absent a judicial public safety finding.)

This section establishes procedures applicable when a licensed firearms business is transferred to a surviving spouse or child of the licensee, an executor or other legal representative of a deceased or incompetent licensee, a bankruptcy receiver or trustee, an assignee for benefit of creditors, or a secured creditor under UCC Article 9, and a violation of the chapter by the transferor is identified before the transfer or on the first post-transfer inspection. In such cases, the Attorney General (1) must notify the transferee of the transferor's violation and (2) must not presume that the transferee is committing a violation.

This section revises the standards for criminal violations of firearms recordkeeping requirements under 18 U.S.C. 922(m) by (1) requiring a materially false entry (from any false entry); (2) requiring a materially significant entry (from an appropriate entry); and (3) requiring retention of custody of records (from properly maintaining records). (Thus, these changes raise the threshold for felony liability of licensed firearms dealers and others for recordkeeping failures.)