National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Enhanced Processes

 If you are between the ages of 18 and 21, prepare yourselves for longer waits between when you pay for a firearm, and when you will be cleared to actually take posession of that firearm.

As a result of the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) of 2022, signed into law on June 25, 2022, the FBI'S NICS Section is working towards implementation of an enhanced background check process for persons between the ages of 18-20. The enhancement provides the opportunity for additional outreach and research to be conducted regarding the existence of any juvenile adjudication information and/or mental health prohibition. As a result, transactions on persons between the ages of 18-20 will initially be delayed.

In order to conduct the aforementioned outreach and research, the address of the individual will be collected so that the appropriate local and state entities may be contacted. All descriptive information, including address, will follow normal purge requirements (i.e., deleted from NICS within 24 hours of the FFL receiving a proceed status). If potentially prohibiting juvenile information is uncovered, the BSCA allows for the delay period to extend up to ten business days. However, if no potentially prohibiting information is located, the transaction will be proceeded as soon as possible.

So, if it hasn't already started, when will it start?

Currently, for all FFLs conducting checks through the FBI web-base NICS system, the enhanced process for persons under the age of 21 will begin on Monday, November 14, 2022.