Is Inaccurate Criminal History Blocking Your Gun Rights?
Background check databases are not always up to date. A charge that was dismissed, reduced, or expunged can still show up as a disqualifying conviction if the record was never corrected at the source. This leads to firearm purchase denials and permit denials for people who are not actually prohibited.
Our Restoration Package helps you request and review your official record, identify what needs to be corrected, and understand the process for fixing it — with the option to have a licensed attorney assist with more complicated record disputes.
What Is Federal Gun Rights Restoration?
Federal gun rights restoration is the legal process of asking the U.S. Department of Justice to lift a federal firearms prohibition under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) — commonly called “relief from disabilities.” For more than three decades, this program existed on paper but could not actually be used, because Congress blocked the ATF from spending any money to process applications. In 2025 and 2026, the Department of Justice rebuilt the program from the ground up and reopened it directly under the Attorney General.
If you lost your right to own a firearm because of a felony conviction, certain misdemeanors, a past mental health commitment, a dishonorable military discharge, or renouncing U.S. citizenship, federal gun rights restoration may be the only way to legally own a firearm again under federal law — even if your state has already restored your rights.
Correcting Your Record and Restoring Your Rights
How Errors End Up in Your Criminal Record
Court updates don’t always make it into state and federal databases, so a dismissal, reduction, or expungement at the courthouse may never reach the background check system.
Requesting Your Official Record
Pulling your own FBI identity history summary (rap sheet) and your state record is the first step toward spotting exactly what’s wrong.
Challenging an Inaccurate Denial
Once you know what the record says, you can file the correct challenge with the agency or court responsible for fixing it.
Combining a Correction With Formal Restoration
In some cases it makes sense to correct the record and complete a formal restoration at the same time, so there’s no ambiguity going forward.
How the DOJ Federal Gun Rights Restoration Program Works
Unlike a state pardon or expungement, this is a direct federal petition. Here is what the Department of Justice actually looks at, and how the rollout is working:
- Discretionary relief, not automatic. You must show the Attorney General you are not likely to act in a way dangerous to public safety, and that restoring your rights is not contrary to the public interest.
- Staged rollout. DOJ is opening the program in phases: inviting early candidates first, then opening the online application to the public, with a modest filing fee (around $30, waivable for financial hardship) once the program reaches full capacity.
- Waiting periods apply. Most non-violent cases face a presumed 5-year wait after completing your sentence; convictions involving violence generally require 10 years of a clean record after supervision ends.
- Heavy documentation. DOJ expects certified court records, a criminal history report from every state you have lived in since age 18 (or the last 25 years), three sworn character references, and — depending on your case — military, mental health, or immigration records.
One Mistake Can Get Your Application Rejected
DOJ gives you 30 days to fix an incomplete application before it is treated as abandoned — not denied, just gone, with no refund and no guarantee of your place in line. The most common reasons applications stall are not complicated legal arguments. They are missing certified records, incomplete criminal history reports, character references who do not meet DOJ’s requirements, or forms filled out for the wrong type of prohibition. That is exactly what our package is built to prevent.
Your Federal Gun Rights Restoration Package
You do not need to spend thousands of dollars on an attorney to file a straightforward federal application correctly. Our Restoration Package walks you through the entire DOJ process step by step, built specifically around the 2026 rules.
- A plain-English, step-by-step walkthrough of the entire 925(c) application
- Your personalized document checklist, based on your specific type of prohibition
- State-by-state instructions for pulling your criminal history records
- Ready-to-use character reference letter templates that meet DOJ’s requirements
- A pre-submission review checklist so you catch problems before DOJ does
- Guidance on what to do if DOJ flags your application as incomplete
Complex case, or a conviction on DOJ’s presumptive-denial list? Those cases need closer attorney review before filing — see below.
Do You Qualify for Federal Gun Rights Restoration?
You may be a good fit for self-filing if:
- Non-violent felony conviction, sentence fully completed
- A past mental health commitment that has been resolved, with current documentation
- A dishonorable military discharge
- Renounced U.S. citizenship
- Certain misdemeanor convictions
Your case likely needs an attorney if:
- Your conviction involved violence, a sexual offense, domestic violence, or trafficking
- You are currently on probation, parole, or supervised release
- DOJ has denied a previous application of yours
- You are a fugitive or have an active protective order against you
Package or Attorney? Here’s the Honest Answer
Most federal gun rights restoration cases are paperwork problems, not legal arguments — which is exactly what our package is designed to solve, at a fraction of attorney pricing. If DOJ’s rules put your conviction in a presumptive-denial category, or you have already been denied once, that is a different situation, and we recommend having a licensed attorney handle your case directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Federal Gun Rights Restoration Today
Get instant access to your complete restoration package, or talk to us first about your specific situation.
This site is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Our restoration package provides educational, self-help materials to guide you through the DOJ’s federal application process. Outcomes are determined solely by the Department of Justice and are never guaranteed. For complex cases, we can refer you to an independent, licensed attorney.