I'll be moving to another NFA friendly state this year.  I know where I'm moving to but I'm not exactly sure when I'll move yet. With 5320.20 wait times, I'm trying to figure out a way to make this move easy on me. I'll be transporting them myself.

My idea is to get several transportation 5320.20's approved for say 4/1/2023 thru 12/31/2023. This solves transporting but not my permanent address change.

How would I go about doing the permanent address change? can I just explain to the ATF via another pile of 5320.20's that I'm not returning to Nevada and use the destination address from my first batch of 5320.20's as my traveling from AND traveling TO address?

I'm assuming I can't do a permanent address change via 5320.20 without giving reasonable transportation dates of say a few day's maybe weeks... In other words, I can't give dates of say 4/1/2023 thru 12/31/2023 as my moving transportation dates and expect approval...or can I?

One last question. As I understand it, filling out the 5320.20 via PDF editor, printing off two completed forms then ink signing both copies is GTG? I'm thinking since I need to fill out 5 sets of forms, Mailing them all at once rather than e-mailing or faxing 5 sets of forms MIGHT get me the same examiner and maybe get them all returned at or close to the same time..

IF there's an easier way of getting this done, DO TELL!

This is question 3 from the 5320.20 form :

"Dates firearm (s) will be away from original location, if to be returned to that location. (or dates in transit, if to be permanently relocated)."

I would fill this in with the earliest date you could possibly be moving in the "From" space, and the latest date you could possibly be moving in the "To" space. So this would have you covered for any date within that span using only one form.

Then under question 5 - "Reason for Transportation of Firearm" I would write "permanent change of residence".

That should cover it.

So ATF will approve a span of several months "in transit"? I figure I'll most likely move end of may beginning of June. There is a possibility I'll have to send my wife out may/june while I stay in NV to conclude some business. If this happens, it may take several more months before I can join her and transport all my NFA shit

If I were you I would pick a span of time during which I am fairly confident I could arrange to make the drive between locations and write those dates for question 3.

I get your predicament. I have an NFA item in a bank safe deposit box in AZ - been there for decades while I've been living in Japan. During that time I've changed my state of residence but have not been in AZ any time where I could move that item back to my new state of residence. I have been trying to arrange that trip but stuff like COVID comes up and screws with my plans.

Be sure to give yourself more than adequate time on the form . Between USPS to/from WV and current processing times at AFT, you could screw yourself over.

My brother is going through this currently. He gave himself too short of a window, and by the time he received the approved Form 20, it was stale. Now he's getting grief after
submitting a new form  AFT is telling him they already approved a form allowing him to transport/change location of an NFA item.

The AFT will approve the forms for up to a year. Fill in the dates not to exceed 365 days. Your window is now open.

Submit it electronically.

You do not technically need to receive the form back to be in the clear. It simply needs to be approved. I had one get lost in the mail a few years ago and I called them up and just confirmed I was approved. They said sure thing and any ATF agent would clearly be able to see said approval so I was fine to travel.

Thanks for the info guys. I knew ATF would approve travel for up to a year but thought they might look at permanent address change differently and not allow a "huge open window" so to speak for the item to arrive at the new location..

Anyway, I'll submit the 5320's today.

When I was getting ready to move and didn't know what house I was buying, I just put the address for a gun range, and did not do a permanent move.  That got approved, and once I knew my address, I submitted it with my real address.

I was told by an ATF agent that the same 5320.20 form is used a 2nd time to notify from one address to another within state. That the form serves two purposes. Interstate and change of address within state

This is what I'd do.  Big window - I'd go the rest of the year - to a gunshop's address in the town I was living in.  If I ended up in an apartment waiting for a house, I'd do change to the apartment.  When I moved to the house it would be the 3rd 5320.20 but you'd have all your bases covered.

Tag.

Is the 14 days wait time accurate? I will be in the same boat soon too.

Not sure yet... The home we were buying ended up having MAJOR plumbing issues, so fucking glad I had the under-slab sewer lines scoped
We found another house and I emailed the 5320.20's last Monday morning...I confirmed ATF had them in the system on Wednesday. I'll check on them next week to see if they have been approved since ATF will snail mail the forms back to me rather than simply emailing them

At any rate, I would not count on 14 days, submit as soon as possible.

Problem is I don’t have an address yet. As I will be selling and buying a house.

@isullivan

All of my forms are approved according to the rep I spoke with just now.

8 forms submitted 5/1 were approved 5/15. I had called on 5/15, must have been before approval as I was told all forms were still pending.

I did have one approved in 8 days. F1 that had been in limbo since 1/16 was finally approved 5/10. I sent the 5320.20 for it same day and it was approved on 5/18.

I would still submit the forms ASAP.

Did you get the 1 year window?

@isullivan

Use a family or close friends address in the new state on the form. Once settled, send in new form.

I didn't ask for it, no need. I gave myself a 2 month window for the permeant address change, plenty of time since I'll be moving the first week of June.

Has anyone actually been charged/convicted for not notifying the ATF when they moved that didn't commit another crime it was tacked onto?

This is, obviously, not an inducement to not follow the law, just a question.

I imagine a lot of people who own SBRs/suppressors don't even know you're supposed to or just forgot because they registered it thirty years before they moved.

FYI, form 5320.20 is not required for silencers.

Straight from the horses mouth (well, keyboard)

If you read the form it says nothing about silencers. No need to hear it from anyone else.

a. A written request and prior authorization from ATF to transport interstate
or in foreign commerce any destructive device, machinegun, short-barreled rifle, or short-barreled shotgun is required under the provisions of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C) Section § 922 (a)(4) and Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 478.28. A letter of request, in duplicate, containing all information required on this form, may be submitted in lieu of the form.