---
kind: "section"
citation: "26 U.S.C. § 5841"
title: "26"
title_heading: "Internal Revenue Code"
number: "5841"
heading: "Registration of firearms"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/26/5841"
units:
  - "Subtitle E — Alcohol, Tobacco, and Certain Other Excise Taxes"
  - "Chapter 53 — Machine Guns, Destructive Devices, and Certain Other Firearms"
  - "Subchapter B — General Provisions and Exemptions"
  - "Part I — General Provisions"
---

# §5841. Registration of firearms

- (a) **Central registry—** The Secretary shall maintain a central registry of all [firearms](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) in the United States which are not in the possession or under the control of the United States. This registry shall be known as the National [Firearms](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) Registration and [Transfer](/usc/26/5845.md?p=j) Record. The registry shall include—
  - (1) identification of the [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a);
  - (2) date of registration; and
  - (3) identification and address of person entitled to possession of the [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a).
- (b) **By whom registered—** Each [manufacturer](/usc/26/5845.md?p=m), [importer](/usc/26/5702.md?p=k), and maker shall register each [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) he manufactures, imports, or makes. Each [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) transferred shall be registered to the transferee by the transferor.
- (c) **How registered—** Each [manufacturer](/usc/26/5845.md?p=m) shall notify the Secretary of the manufacture of a [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) in such manner as may by regulations be prescribed and such notification shall effect the registration of the [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) required by this section. Each [importer](/usc/26/5702.md?p=k), maker, and transferor of a [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) shall, prior to importing, making, or transferring a [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a), obtain authorization in such manner as required by this chapter or regulations issued thereunder to import, make, or [transfer](/usc/26/5845.md?p=j) the [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a), and such authorization shall effect the registration of the [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) required by this section.
- (d) **Firearms registered on effective date of this Act—** A person shown as possessing a [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) by the records maintained by the Secretary pursuant to the National Firearms Act in force on the day immediately prior to the effective date of the National Firearms Act of 1968[^1] shall be considered to have registered under this section the [firearms](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) in his possession which are disclosed by that record as being in his possession.
- (e) **Proof of registration—** A person possessing a [firearm](/usc/26/5845.md?p=a) registered as required by this section shall retain proof of registration which shall be made available to the Secretary upon request.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. See References in Text notes below.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 90–618, title II, § 201, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1229; amended Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The National Firearms Act in force prior to the effective date of the National Firearms Act of 1968, referred to in subsec. (d), probably means the National Firearms Act in force prior to the effective date of the National Firearms Act Amendments of 1968, which is act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 721, and which was classified generally to prior chapter 53 (prior § 5801 et seq.) of this title.

The effective date of this Act and the effective date of the National Firearms Act of 1968, referred to in subsec. (d) catchline and text, probably means the effective date of the National Firearms Act Amendments of 1968, which is Nov. 1, 1968. See section 207(a) of Pub. L. 90–618, set out as an Effective Date note under section 5801 of this title.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 5841, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 725, consisted of provisions similar to those comprising this section, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618.

### Amendments

1976—Subsecs. (a), (c) to (e). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on first day of first month following October 1968, see section 207 of Pub. L. 90–618, set out as a note under section 5801 of this title.