How Buying a Suppressor From IDG Works
Buying a suppressor isn’t like buying a scope. There’s federal paperwork, a transfer through a licensed dealer, and a wait. None of it is hard — just unfamiliar the first time. Here’s the whole process, in order.
Confirm your state allows it
Suppressors are legal in 42 states. They’re prohibited in California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C. You must also be 21 or older, a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, and legally able to possess a firearm.
Pick your can and configuration
Decide your host rifle first, then the suppressor, then the muzzle device. Rifle stays suppressed all the time? Run Flow Enhancers. Real mix of suppressed and unsuppressed? Run the HFH. A barrel under 10.3 inches is below our minimum. Questions on pairing, read the FAQ or email us before you order.
Choose your transfer dealer
Your suppressor ships to a dealer who holds both an FFL and an SOT — a regular FFL isn’t enough. Check our dealer locator first; many of our stocking dealers do transfers. Otherwise call a local shop and ask if they do NFA transfers. Fees typically run $50–150, or buy direct from a stocking dealer and skip it.
Order and send us your dealer’s license
Order at irregulardesigngroup.com like any other online purchase, then email copies of your dealer’s FFL and SOT to NFA@irregulardesigngroup.com. Most dealers will send theirs directly if you ask — it’s routine for them.
We file the Form 3
You do nothingWe verify your dealer’s licenses and file the eForm 3, the dealer-to-dealer transfer. Electronic Form 3s approve in about a day, and we ship within 2–3 business days of approval. It costs you nothing and requires nothing from you.
File your Form 4 — or fill out a 4473
Your dealer will contact you when the can arrives and tell you which path applies. On the Form 4 path, you complete the ATF eForm 4 at the shop: a passport-style photo, digital fingerprints, and the tax payment — $0 since January 1, 2026. A copy goes to your local chief law enforcement officer as notification only; they don’t approve or deny anything. Buying through a trust? Every responsible person also files a Form 5320.23 with their own photo and prints. On the 4473 path, it’s the same form as any firearm purchase — and there’s no Step 7. See the 2026 updates.
Note: if your dealer has a Silencer Shop kiosk, use it. It captures your photo and digital fingerprints in a few minutes and keeps them on file, so this step — and any future NFA purchase — takes one visit instead of two. Ask when you call.
Wait, then pick up (Form 4 path)
Your dealer holds the suppressor while ATF processes the Form 4 — days for individuals, a few weeks for trusts (current wait times). Once approved, you complete a standard 4473 at pickup, show ID, and walk out with your can.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does the tax stamp cost?
- $0 since January 1, 2026. It was $200.
- Individual or trust?
- Individual is fastest — about a week. A trust lets multiple people legally possess the can and simplifies inheritance, but every trustee files paperwork and approval takes a few weeks longer. With the stamp at $0, most single-user buyers file as individuals.
- Can I cancel my order?
- Yes, penalty-free up until we file the Form 3. After that, cancellations carry a 15% restocking fee plus costs — the transfer is already in motion with ATF.
- Can IDG ship straight to my house?
- No. Every suppressor we sell ships to an FFL/SOT dealer. Only the paperwork you complete there may have changed — see the ruling explainer.
- What if there’s no dealer near me?
- Email NFA@irregulardesigngroup.com and we’ll find the closest FFL/SOT we’ve worked with.