A federal judge in Texas has ruled that key registration requirements under the National Firearms Act (NFA) no longer apply to certain firearms and accessories after Congress removed the associated taxes. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas issued the decision on August 5, 2026, in the consolidated cases of Silencer Shop Foundation versus the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Jensen versus the ATF.
The ruling holds that the National Firearms Act’s registration, application, and related provisions for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons exceed Congress’s enumerated powers. Congress originally based the 1934 law on its authority to lay and collect taxes. In 2025, lawmakers reduced the making and transfer taxes on those items to zero dollars through a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The change took effect on January 1, 2026. Judge Hendrix determined that a registration system designed to support tax collection cannot stand once the taxes no longer generate revenue.
The court permanently enjoined the ATF and the Department of Justice from enforcing the challenged provisions against the named plaintiffs, their agencies, political subdivisions, members, and current and future customers. The injunction covers specific sections of the National Firearms Act and related regulations. Machineguns and destructive devices remain subject to existing taxes and requirements. The decision does not address Second Amendment claims, which the plaintiffs abandoned in this proceeding.
Judge Hendrix stayed the injunction for seven days to allow the government time to seek appellate relief. On August 13, 2026, court records showed that the Justice Department under Attorney General Todd Blanche did not file an appeal by the deadline. As a result, the order takes effect for the parties covered by the injunction. Lawmakers including Representative Andrew Clyde and Senator Steve Daines had urged the department not to appeal and to apply the decision more broadly through rulemaking.
The National Firearms Act has regulated certain firearms since 1934. The recent tax elimination and subsequent court order alter the enforcement landscape for the listed categories among the plaintiffs and their associated groups. Further proceedings or additional cases may clarify the scope in other jurisdictions. The ATF and Department of Justice remain bound by the terms of the permanent injunction in this matter.
