Connecticut NFA Compliance Overview

Overview of the National Firearms Act

The National Firearms Act (NFA), codified at 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53, is the federal law governing the manufacture, transfer, and possession of certain categories of firearms and accessories. Originally enacted in 1934, the NFA imposes registration and tax requirements on items classified as "NFA firearms" under 26 U.S.C. Section 5845.^[1] Under its October 9, 2026 policy, ATF does not enforce the specified federal NFA making, transfer and registration requirements for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors and AOWs. Federal registration remains available voluntarily. Machine guns and destructive devices remain subject to the NFA. Gun Control Act requirements and state restrictions still apply. ATF October 9 guidance

NFA Item Categories and Connecticut Legality

The NFA regulates the items listed in 26 U.S.C. 5845(a), grouped here into six categories. Connecticut's treatment of each category varies:^[12]

NFA Category	Federal Definition	Connecticut Status
Suppressors (Silencers)	Any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(7), 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(25))	Federal registration is voluntary under ATF policy. Connecticut possession restrictions (CGS 53a-211) and the hunting prohibition (CGS 26-75) still apply
Short-Barreled Rifles (SBR)	Rifle with a barrel under 16 inches, or a weapon made from a rifle with an overall length under 26 inches or a barrel under 16 inches (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(3)-(4))	Federal registration is voluntary under ATF policy. State assault weapon laws still apply
Short-Barreled Shotguns (SBS)	Shotgun with a barrel under 18 inches, or a weapon made from a shotgun with an overall length under 26 inches or a barrel under 18 inches (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(1)-(2))	Possession of a sawed-off shotgun is a class D felony under CGS 53a-211, which does not apply to persons licensed or otherwise permitted by federal or state law to possess sawed-off shotguns. ATF says it cannot opine on whether holding an unregistered firearm under its enforcement discretion qualifies for state-law purposes as lawfully held under federal law
Machine Guns	Any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, including its frame or receiver and parts for converting a weapon into a machine gun (26 U.S.C. 5845(b))	Restricted; see state-specific rules under CGS 53-202
Destructive Devices	Explosive, incendiary or poison gas bombs, grenades, mines, similar devices and certain rockets and missiles, and weapons with a bore of more than one-half inch other than shotguns found particularly suitable for sporting purposes (26 U.S.C. 5845(f))	Federal NFA registration is required. Connecticut assault weapon restrictions also apply if the device meets the state assault weapon definition
Any Other Weapon (AOW)	Any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive, smooth-bore pistols or revolvers designed to fire a fixed shotgun shell, and certain combination shotgun and rifle weapons, but not pistols or revolvers with rifled bores (26 U.S.C. 5845(e))	Federal registration is voluntary under ATF policy. Some configurations remain affected by HB 6667

Machine Gun Restrictions in Connecticut

Connecticut imposes additional state-level requirements on machine guns beyond the federal NFA process. Under CGS Section 53-202, machine gun owners must register their firearms with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) within 24 hours of acquisition and renew that registration annually on July 1.^[3]

CGS 53-202(h)(3) exempts machine guns acquired, transferred or possessed in accordance with the National Firearms Act from that section's restrictions, but still requires state registration under CGS 53-202(g). Selective-fire firearms capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the option of the user are classified as assault weapons under CGS 53-202a and are subject to the state's assault weapon ban provisions.^[7]

Failure to register a machine gun with DESPP creates a legal presumption that the firearm is possessed for an offensive or aggressive purpose, which carries a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of 5 to 10 years, or both. Possession or use of a machine gun in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence carries 10 to 20 years of imprisonment.^[3]

Federal NFA Registration Process

The following Form 1 and Form 4 pathways remain available for voluntary registration of covered zero-tax items and continue to apply to machine guns and destructive devices. ATF October 9 guidance^[4]

• ATF Form 4 (Transfer): Used for NFA registration when transferring an existing item. For covered zero-tax items, ATF no longer enforces the NFA transfer approval and registration requirements. Dealer transfers remain subject to applicable Form 4473 and NICS requirements under the GCA. ATF October 9 guidance
• ATF Form 1 (Making): Used for NFA registration when an individual makes an NFA item, such as an SBR. ATF no longer enforces the Form 1 prior-approval requirement for covered zero-tax items. Connecticut restrictions still apply. ATF October 9 guidance^[5]

NFA items may be registered to individuals, to a trust (commonly called a "gun trust" or "NFA trust"), or to a corporation or legal entity. Under 27 CFR 479.11, the responsible persons of a trust include trustees and others with the power or authority under the trust instrument or state law to receive, possess, ship, transport, deliver, transfer, or otherwise dispose of a firearm for, or on behalf of, the trust.^[2]

Federal NFA Transfer Tax

The federal NFA making tax was historically $200 per item under 26 U.S.C. § 5821. The transfer tax under 26 U.S.C. § 5811 was $200 per item except for a $5 tax on transfers of any other weapons. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, signed July 4, 2025) reduced both taxes to $0 for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons (AOWs), effective January 1, 2026. The $200 tax still applies to machine guns and destructive devices. Under its October 9, 2026 policy, ATF does not enforce the specified federal NFA making, transfer and registration requirements for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors and AOWs. Federal registration remains available voluntarily. Machine guns and destructive devices remain subject to the NFA. Gun Control Act requirements and state restrictions still apply. ATF October 9 guidance^[11]

Connecticut-Specific Compliance Considerations

Connecticut requires each machine gun to be registered with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection within twenty-four hours after its acquisition and annually on July first (CGS 53-202(g)). Other NFA items can fall under the state laws on assault weapons, sawed-off shotguns and silencers (CGS 53a-211), hunting and pistol carry. However, several state-level considerations apply:

• Assault weapon interaction: An NFA item that also meets the definition of an assault weapon under CGS 53-202a, such as a semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than thirty inches, falls under the possession ban in CGS 53-202c unless an exception applies. One exception is a certificate of possession under CGS 53-202d, for which existing owners had to apply by October 1, 1994, January 1, 2014 or May 1, 2024, depending on the weapon.^[7]
• Suppressor hunting ban: CGS Section 26-75 prohibits the use of suppressors while hunting, regardless of valid federal registration.^[8]
• State pistol permit: A person who carries an NFA item that is a pistol or revolver under CGS 29-27, meaning a firearm having a barrel less than twelve inches in length, such as an AOW with such a barrel, needs a permit to carry issued under CGS 29-28, except within the person's dwelling house, on land the person leases or owns, within the person's place of business, or under another exception in CGS 29-35.^[9]
• Prohibited persons: Individuals disqualified from possessing firearms under Connecticut law may not possess an NFA item that also qualifies as a firearm under Connecticut law, regardless of federal registration.

Federal Penalties for NFA Violations

The NFA retains criminal penalties under 26 U.S.C. Section 5871. ATF no longer enforces the specified registration-related prohibitions for covered zero-tax items under its October 9, 2026 policy. The policy does not cover machine guns or destructive devices. ATF October 9 guidance^[10] State-level penalties remain separate from federal nonenforcement. ATF does not determine whether an unregistered item held under its policy satisfies a state-law possession exception. ATF October 9 guidance