The Justice Department finalized a rule creating an application process under 18 U.S.C. 925(c).
Why it matters: The change gives some people barred from owning guns a formal federal path to ask for relief. It also leaves the attorney general with broad discretion to deny applications based on safety and other factors.
- DOJ finalized the rule on Aug. 17, 2026, creating the application process under 18 U.S.C. 925(c).
- Attorney General Todd Blanche will decide cases individually; DOJ says dangerous applicants can be denied.
- DOJ first proposed reviving the process on July 18, 2025, after saying congressional appropriations restrictions had blocked it since 1992.
- The department says the rollout will begin in stages during 2026 and the online application will eventually cost $30.
The Justice Department has created a federal route for some people barred from possessing firearms because of criminal convictions to seek relief under 18 U.S.C. 925(c). DOJ says the attorney general will review applications case by case, weighing each person's record and reputation.
The department's new restoration page says the process will start in stages during 2026. It says invitations to apply will go out 30 days after the rule is published, with public applications opening later in phased steps.
DOJ says it can deny relief to people it deems dangerous, including violent felons and registered sex offenders. The department also says people in the country illegally may be denied absent extraordinary circumstances, but the rule leaves the final determination to the application review process.
In a statement reported by AP, Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "The Second Amendment is not a second-class right." The legal effect of the rule is narrower than that rhetoric suggests: it does not restore rights automatically, but creates a formal process for applying for relief.
DOJ first proposed reviving the process on July 18, 2025, saying the old system had been effectively blocked by congressional appropriations restrictions since 1992. The new rule changes how applicants can seek federal relief, while leaving the attorney general's discretion at the center of the decision.
By the numbers
- 1992 - year DOJ says congressional appropriations restrictions effectively blocked the process
- 2025-07-18 - date DOJ first proposed reviving the restoration process
- $30 - eventual online application fee
Yes, but: The rule creates a federal application path, but it does not guarantee restoration. DOJ still reviews each case individually and can deny relief for safety-related reasons.
What's next: DOJ says invitations to apply will begin 30 days after the rule is published, with broader applications opening in later phases during 2026.