Federal Firearm Rights Restoration

Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Required Documents Checklist

Gather the records before you start. DOJ currently gives applicants 30 days to finish the e-application after it is initiated, so having the required documents organized first can prevent avoidable delays and restarts.

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Checklist

Documents and submissions to prepare.

Not every category below applies to every applicant. The exact documents depend on why federal law currently prohibits you from possessing or receiving firearms.

Quick answerFor a felony-based federal firearm disability, the core court records are usually the charging document, judgment of conviction, official proof of the date the final sentence requirement was completed, and—when applicable—the plea agreement, factual basis, and presentence report. DOJ also requires background records, electronic fingerprints, and three qualified character references.

All applicants

Residential history and criminal-history records

State criminal-history record for each state where you lived during the last 25 years, or since age 18 if that period is shorter.
Records showing arrests in those locations—or an official record showing no arrests.
Records for other arrests during the same lookback period, even if the arrest happened somewhere you did not live.
Local law-enforcement records when a statewide report is not available.
A complete list of the crimes, conduct, or statuses that you believe create the federal firearm prohibition.

Felony conviction

State or federal felony court records

Charging document, such as the indictment, information, or complaint on which you were convicted.
Judgment of conviction.
Official proof showing when the final requirement of the sentence was completed, including supervision, restitution, fines, or community service as applicable.
Plea agreement, if your case involved one.
Factual basis for the plea, if applicable.
Presentence report or another sentencing-assistance document, if applicable and available.

Mental-health disability

Mental-health commitment or adjudication records

Commitment or adjudication order.
Medical records identifying the diagnosis that resulted in the commitment or adjudication.
Current certification from a licensed mental-health professional addressing whether the condition no longer exists, has been successfully treated, or is stably managed so that you are unlikely to be a danger to yourself or others.
Petition that sought the commitment or adjudication, if applicable.
Order restoring mental competency or rights, if applicable.

Military history

Military conviction or dishonorable-discharge records

DD Form 214, DD Form 214-1, and/or DD Form 215.
DD Form 458 charge sheet, if applicable.
Court-martial judgment, if applicable.
Certificate showing completion of appellate review, if applicable.

Citizenship

Renunciation of U.S. citizenship records

Formal document showing the renunciation of U.S. nationality.
Written explanation of why citizenship was renounced.

18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9)

Misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction records

Charging document.
Underlying investigative or police reports.
Document or statement establishing your relationship to the victim.
Judgment of conviction.
Official proof showing when the final sentence requirement was completed.
Any order or record showing the conviction no longer has legal effect or that civil rights were restored, if applicable.
Any police report involving domestic violence after the original arrest, if applicable.

Prior relief attempts

Pardon, expungement, set-aside, or rights-restoration records

Copy of every application you made for a pardon, expungement, set-aside, restoration of civil rights, or restoration of firearm rights at the state or local level.
Copy of every decision or order issued on those applications, if a decision was made.

Veterans

Uniformed-service records

DD Form 214 and, where applicable, DD Form 214-1 and/or DD Form 215 for active or reserve duty during the last 25 years, or since age 18 if shorter.

Foreign history

Records from outside the United States

Foreign law-enforcement records for places you lived during the required 25-year/age-18 lookback period.
Records of other foreign arrests during the same period.
Foreign equivalents of felony or misdemeanor domestic-violence conviction records, if applicable.
Foreign mental-health commitment or adjudication records, if applicable.
Foreign military records involving the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge, if applicable.
Foreign expungement, pardon, set-aside, or rights-restoration records, if applicable.
Certified English translation and translator certification for any required document that is not in English.

Required process item

Electronic fingerprints

Do not obtain the federal restoration fingerprints in advance.
After the application process directs you to fingerprinting, use the QR code and case information provided through the federal process.
Use the participating USPS electronic fingerprint process. DOJ currently states that fingerprints collected through other providers are not accepted for FFRR.
Bring an accepted identification document and the required payment to the participating Post Office.

DOJ fingerprint instructions ↗

Required process item

Three qualified character references

First and last name for each reference.
Email address for each reference.
How each person knows you.
Each reference must not be related to you by blood or marriage.
Each reference must have known you for at least three years.
Each reference must not currently be federally prohibited from possessing firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
Confirm each person is willing to complete the federal reference form and make the required statements under penalty of perjury.

DOJ character-reference instructions ↗

If a record is unavailable

Sworn statement for a missing official record

Describe the information that the missing record would contain.
Describe the steps you took to obtain the official record.
Explain why the record is unavailable for reasons outside your control.
Keep proof of requests to courts, agencies, archives, clerks, or law-enforcement offices when possible.

Before you upload anything

Document quality matters.

DOJ's rule requires genuine records from the source or reliable copies provided by the source. If a required record is in another language, it must be translated into English and the translation must be certified as accurate.

Organize your file by category and compare names, dates, case numbers, sentence-completion dates, and dispositions across the records. Inconsistencies are easier to fix before an application is started than after the federal review begins.

The official DOJ required-documents page currently lists common digital formats including PDF, Word, image, text, and spreadsheet files. Check the federal instructions again immediately before submitting because technical requirements can change.

Important: This checklist is for preparation and issue spotting. It does not determine eligibility and it does not authorize firearm possession. The official DOJ application and current federal rules control.

Application sequence

Gather first. Apply second.

DOJ currently gives applicants 30 days to complete the e-application after starting it. Build the file before the clock begins.

Identify your prohibitor

Know which conviction, adjudication, status, or other event creates the federal firearm disability.

Gather the correct records

Use the checklist above and obtain official or reliable source copies for every category that applies.

Review before filing

Check the record for gaps, conflicting dates, missing dispositions, unresolved sentence obligations, and facts that may require explanation.

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FAQ

Federal restoration document questions.

Direct answers based on the current DOJ Federal Firearm Rights Restoration framework.

What documents are required for a federal firearm rights restoration application?

The exact list depends on the federal firearm disability. Most applicants should expect criminal-history records for the required lookback period, court or government records tied to the disability, electronic USPS fingerprints, three qualified character references, and any category-specific records that apply.

What records are required for a felony-based firearm disability?

DOJ currently identifies the charging document, judgment of conviction, and official proof of the date the final sentence requirement was completed as core felony records. A plea agreement, factual basis, and presentence report may also be required when applicable.

How far back do criminal-history records need to go?

DOJ currently requires state criminal records for each place an applicant lived, and for places where the applicant was arrested, covering the last 25 years or since age 18, whichever period is shorter.

Do I need fingerprints before I start the application?

No. DOJ currently instructs applicants to wait until the federal process provides the case information and QR code, then obtain electronic fingerprints through a participating United States Post Office.

How many character references are required?

Three qualified character references are required. DOJ says they cannot be related to the applicant by blood or marriage, must have known the applicant for at least three years, and cannot themselves be federally prohibited from possessing firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).

What if an old court document cannot be found?

If a required official record is unavailable for reasons outside the applicant’s control, DOJ requires a sworn statement describing the contents of the missing record and the efforts made to obtain it.

Do foreign-language records need to be translated?

Yes. Required records in another language must be translated into English, and the translation must be certified as accurate by the translator.

Should I gather documents before opening the DOJ e-application?

Yes. DOJ currently says an applicant has 30 days to complete and submit the e-application after starting it and encourages applicants to collect required documents first.