You do not need to register a firearm in Arizona. The state keeps no gun registry, charges no registration fee, and requires no paperwork after a lawful purchase. Arizona law also prevents cities and counties from building their own registration systems. The one exception is federal: firearms covered by the National Firearms Act must be registered with the ATF, no matter which state you live in.
Why Arizona Has No Registration System
Arizona preempts local firearm regulation more aggressively than most states. Under ARS ยง 13-3108, no city, county, or other political subdivision may require the licensing or registration of firearms, ammunition, or firearm components.1Justia. Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3108 – Firearms Regulated by State; State Preemption; Violation; Classification The same statute bars local governments from even keeping records that identify firearm owners, buyers, sellers, or anyone involved in a transfer, unless a specific law enforcement investigation is in progress.
The practical effect: once you legally acquire a gun in Arizona, no state or local agency tracks that you own it. There is no form to send in, no database to appear on, and no renewal to worry about. Arizona also imposes no state-level waiting period, no purchase permit, and no cap on how many firearms you can buy at once.
The Federal Exception: NFA Firearms
Federal law requires registration for a narrow category of weapons regulated under the National Firearms Act. The ATF maintains the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, a central database that tracks every NFA firearm not held by a government agency.2United States Code. 26 USC 5841 – Registration of Firearms NFA items include:
- Machine guns
- Short-barreled rifles (barrels under 16 inches)
- Short-barreled shotguns (barrels under 18 inches)
- Suppressors
- Destructive devices
- A catch-all category the statute calls “any other weapons”
Ordinary rifles, shotguns, and handguns are not NFA items and never require registration in Arizona.
How NFA Registration Works
If you want to build an NFA firearm yourself, you file ATF Form 1 (Application to Make and Register a Firearm) and wait for approval before you start.3Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ATF Form 5320.1 (Form 1), Application to Make and Register NFA Firearm If you are buying an existing NFA item from a dealer or a private seller, the seller files ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm) on your behalf.4Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ATF Form 5320.4 (Form 4) – Application to Transfer and Register NFA Firearm (Tax-Paid) Both forms require ATF approval and a background check before you can take possession.
You can register as an individual or through a gun trust. Filing as an individual is simpler, but you alone can legally possess the item. A gun trust allows multiple trustees to possess and transport the firearm and makes inheritance cleaner, because the trust keeps owning the item if something happens to you. Moving an individually registered item into a trust later requires a new Form 4, plus another $200 tax for machine guns or destructive devices.
Current Tax Rates
Starting January 1, 2026, the federal tax on most NFA items dropped to $0 for both making and transferring. Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and “any other weapons” no longer carry a tax. Machine guns and destructive devices still require a $200 tax on each Form 1 or Form 4.3Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. ATF Form 5320.1 (Form 1), Application to Make and Register NFA Firearm That is a sharp break from the longstanding $200 flat tax that applied to nearly every NFA transaction before.
Processing Times
As of January 2026, ATF electronic Form 1 applications averaged roughly 14 days, and electronic Form 4 applications averaged 10 to 11 days.5Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Current Processing Times These numbers move around, so check the ATF site before you plan a purchase around a specific date.
Private Sales Between Individuals
Arizona does not require a background check for private sales. You can sell or give a firearm to another person without going through a licensed dealer, and nothing gets filed with the state. There is no state waiting period and no transfer paperwork.
Federal law still applies. You cannot knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to someone prohibited from possessing one. If you have reason to believe the buyer is a felon, a domestic violence offender, or otherwise disqualified, completing the sale is a federal crime. The ATF encourages private sellers to voluntarily route the transfer through a licensed dealer who can run a background check; most dealers will do this for a fee in the $25 to $50 range.6Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide
Even though no record is required, keeping a personal note of each private sale, with the buyer’s name, the date, and a description of the firearm, is a sensible habit. If the gun later turns up in an investigation, a paper trail showing you sold it can spare you a lot of trouble.
Inheriting a Firearm
Standard rifles, shotguns, and handguns pass through regular probate. The executor distributes them to the beneficiary named in the will, or under Arizona’s intestacy rules if there is no will. No registration or ATF filing is needed, but the executor should confirm that the heir is legally allowed to possess a firearm before handing anything over.
NFA items are different. The executor must file ATF Form 5 (Application for Tax Exempt Transfer and Registration of a Firearm) before an NFA item goes to the heir. The transfer is tax-exempt because inheritance is treated as an involuntary transfer by operation of law.7ATF. NFA Handbook – Transfers of NFA Firearms – Distribution of Estate Firearms The heir still submits fingerprints, and the ATF has to approve the form before possession changes hands. File the Form 5 early in probate rather than at the end.
Penalties for an Unregistered NFA Firearm
Possessing an NFA firearm that is not properly registered to you is a serious federal offense. Conviction carries up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for an individual.8ATF. NFA Handbook – Chapter 15 – Penalties and Sanctions This can catch owners of ordinary firearms who modify them into NFA configurations without filing first, such as installing a short barrel on a rifle before an approved Form 1 comes back. Ignorance is not a defense, and Arizona’s permissive state law does not shield you from the federal charge.