Another Reason You Lost Your Gun Rights?
Felony convictions and mental health commitments are the most common reasons people lose their federal firearm rights, but they aren’t the only ones. Domestic violence misdemeanor convictions, dishonorable military discharges, active restraining orders, and other federal disqualifiers under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) can all result in losing the right to purchase or possess a firearm.
If your situation doesn’t fit neatly into one category, our Restoration Package can still help you identify the applicable disqualifier and the right process to resolve it, with the option to consult a licensed attorney for situations that need individual legal judgment.
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.
Other Situations That Can Affect Your Firearm Rights
Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Convictions
A qualifying misdemeanor domestic violence conviction carries the same lifetime firearm prohibition as a felony under federal law.
Dishonorable Military Discharge
A dishonorable discharge from the armed forces is its own federal disqualifier, separate from any civilian criminal history.
Restraining and Protective Orders
An active qualifying protective order can prohibit firearm possession for as long as the order remains in effect.
Not Sure Which Category Fits You?
If you’re unsure which disqualifier applies to your situation, our Restoration Package can help you identify it, and a licensed attorney is available to review more complex cases.
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
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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.