AW Registration Guide **3/18/2021 update: Registration may re-open soon**

[BenzBen]

[Veldrin]

Lots of people have been getting approved.

Roughly half, I'd estimate, have been getting approved in less that a month.

The other half have been waiting various lengths of time, anywhere from 1 to 8 months.

DOJ processes apps "in the order they feel like", not in the order they were received as they claim.

Good to know that the applications seem to be going through (even if at a snails pace).

Something I just realized while looking over my application...

I submitted 3 rifles for registration. 2 of them have a flash hider, yet I somehow failed to check the box for "flash hider" when selecting the "EVIL" features of my firearms...*ugh*...Should I submit another application for those 2, and write in the notes about why I submitted twice? I feel like trying to contact them to get it corrected would get me nowhere.

[CandG]

Unfortunately, Operator 212 isn't liable for anything if s/he's wrong - only we are. They are probably a temp worker who will only be there a few more weeks. I wouldn't take his/her advice to the bank.

Personally, I'll just be shooting pistols, shotguns, bolt rifles and 22's until I get my letters.

[CandG]

Good to know that the applications seem to be going through (even if at a snails pace).

Something I just realized while looking over my application...

I submitted 3 rifles for registration. 2 of them have a flash hider, yet I somehow failed to check the box for "flash hider" when selecting the "EVIL" features of my firearms...*ugh*...Should I submit another application for those 2, and write in the notes about why I submitted twice? I feel like trying to contact them to get it corrected would get me nowhere.

No, do not submit more applications.

Use the "Report an Issue" function on the CFARS website, and ask them nicely to mark your app as "incomplete" so you can correct an error. They will either comply, or they'll tell you to wait until the app gets kicked back, so you can fix it then. Either way you should be fine, lots of people caught errors they made after they submitted, and in every case DOJ has allowed them to fix it.

[Cheburashka]

Because DOJ has taken the position that home-builds must, with NO exceptions, have a DOJ-issued serial number to be registered as a RAW. Even if it's already been PPT'd/DROS'd, it needs to have a DOJ serial number added to it, and get registered with that serial number (and the original serial number listed as an "additional number").

There is no way around needing a DOJ serial on home-builds firearms being registered as RAWs.

This is interesting... I tried to register a pistol which I DROS'd from someone else. It does not have a FMBUS number... ****! What should I do now?

[aBrowningfan]

Unfortunately, Operator 212 isn't liable for anything if s/he's wrong - only we are. They are probably a temp worker who will only be there a few more weeks. I wouldn't take his/her advice to the bank.

Personally, I'll just be shooting pistols, shotguns, bolt rifles and 22's until I get my letters.

+1. Better safe than sorry.

[CandG]

This is interesting... I tried to register a pistol which I DROS'd from someone else. It does not have a FMBUS number... ****! What should I do now?

I'd just wait and see what happens. At this point there's absolutely no way you'll be able to apply for, receive, and engrave a FMBUS serial number, and get DOJ to open your app for editing and make that revision, all before saturday.

Hopefully they gloss over that and just approve it for you, but there's a good chance they might deny it outright and not give you a chance to rectify it.

Potentially not having enough time to fix mistakes is one of the unfortunate downsides to having waited until the very end of the 11-month registration window.

You can try anyways, though, if you want; immediately (as in, RIGHT THIS SECOND) fill out a form 1008, email it to DOJ, and hope that they send you your serial by saturday, then immediately request that they open your app for editing, and while you're waiting for that, engrave it and photograph it. Then, if the stars aligned, maybe you'll get lucky and they'll let you edit your app and revise everything and resubmit before midnight.

[aBrowningfan]

Question regarding what constitutes a separated upper and lower receiver: do the receivers have to be physically separated (as in an air gap between the two)? Or, can I thread a cable lock through the magazine well on the lower such that the upper receiver can not be closed onto the lower?

I have given up hope of getting a confirmation email, much less a physical letter before June 30th, so time to go to plan B.

[CandG]

Question regarding what constitutes a separated upper and lower receiver: do the receivers have to be physically separated (as in an air gap between the two)? Or, can I thread a cable lock through the magazine well on the lower such that the upper receiver can not be closed onto the lower?

I have given up hope of getting a confirmation email, much less a physical letter before June 30th, so time to go to plan B.

I don't know, but it only takes a couple more seconds to pull the 2nd pin out, so that's my recommendation. Storing in separate containers may also be a good idea.

[lunde]

Pardon the French, but Jesus H. Christ!

I just finished registering a non-zero number of BBAWs, followed by my wife doing the same for joint registration. I never look forward to doing my taxes each year, but given the unspeakable hell that I just went through to make sure that the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, I would have much preferred to do our taxes.

I started at 5AM or so, took a one-hour break before my wife started her process, and we finished about 15 minutes ago. 90% of the time was spent waiting for images to upload. The average size was in the 300 to 400KB range, and they were all 2000 pixels wide. For about every sixth registration, image upload was almost instantaneous.

I am opening a nice bottle of wine for dinner.

[JustaBlokeAnywhere]

Thanks Coolspot,

That seemed have worked. Not as easy to complete registration though.

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timed out?
I have same issue. Can access the website through mobile Internet by turning off wi-fi on my phone.

[cowboykenny]

Does anyone know what the deal is I keep getting an error message on the DOJ AW site all morning?

[beanz2]

Does anyone know what the deal is I keep getting an error message on the DOJ AW site all morning?

Let us know what the error message reads. Is it in red letters on the page, or the page will not load at all?

[CandG]

Important:

Lots, and lots of people are reporting errors, slow loading, not loading at all, etc, on the CFARS website in the last few days.

However, I have not been able to replicate the problems myself. I've logged in many, many times over the last few days, and it's worked fine for me every time.

The website is VERY glitchy. It works on some computers, and not others. Works with some browsers, and not others. Works with some browsers on some computers, and not the same browser on other computers. Works on some internet connections, and not others. And so on.

It does NOT appear that the website has been crashing due to traffic - if that were the case, it wouldn't be working for anyone.

So, don't wait it out. The problem is not going to solve itself! The problem is probably something YOU can resolve, by using a different computer, web browser, internet connection, or some combination of all 3.

[Cheburashka]

I'd just wait and see what happens. At this point there's absolutely no way you'll be able to apply for, receive, and engrave a FMBUS serial number, and get DOJ to open your app for editing and make that revision, all before saturday.

Hopefully they gloss over that and just approve it for you, but there's a good chance they might deny it outright and not give you a chance to rectify it.

Potentially not having enough time to fix mistakes is one of the unfortunate downsides to having waited until the very end of the 11-month registration window.

You can try anyways, though, if you want; immediately (as in, RIGHT THIS SECOND) fill out a form 1008, email it to DOJ, and hope that they send you your serial by saturday, then immediately request that they open your app for editing, and while you're waiting for that, engrave it and photograph it. Then, if the stars aligned, maybe you'll get lucky and they'll let you edit your app and revise everything and resubmit before midnight.

So if it gets rejected, what happens next? Do I go straight to prison?