Justice Department Revives Locked-Out Gun Relief

The Justice Department has reopened a long-shut legal path for some Americans to regain federal gun rights through a strict, case-by-case review.

Story Highlights

Attorney General Todd Blanche finalized a rule creating a federal process to restore firearm rights under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c).
Relief is not automatic; applicants must prove they are not dangerous and that restoration serves the public interest.
The program opens in stages, with a limited first-come public window starting November 4, 2026.
The move revives a process Congress effectively froze for decades through funding bans.

DOJ Finalizes Rights Restoration Process Under Federal Law

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced a final rule that creates a federal process for certain prohibited people to apply for restoration of firearm rights under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c). The Department of Justice said the program requires detailed applications and individualized review. Officials stressed that no one gets relief by default. Each case must show the person is not likely to act in a dangerous way, and that granting relief serves public safety and the public interest.

The rule directs the Department of Justice to weigh criminal records, compliance with the law, rehabilitation, and community input before any decision. The Department also said the Attorney General retains full discretion to grant or deny relief on the facts of each case. This mirrors how Congress first set up the statute: a narrow safety valve for people who can show they have changed and pose a low risk to others.

Staged Rollout With Tight Caps and Clear Gateways

The Department of Justice posted a staged launch plan to manage demand and protect careful screening. Invited candidates can apply starting September 25, 2026. A first public window opens November 4, 2026, for the first five thousand applicants on a first-come basis. A later window opens January 4, 2027, with a smaller cap and an application fee that begins on that date. The Office of the Pardon Attorney will host the online form and manage intake.

The Department also published answers to common questions, including who may qualify and how caps work. The agency emphasized that the program is designed to be narrow. People must meet eligibility rules and submit evidence that shows stable behavior and low risk over time. The first-come caps aim to prevent backlogs and keep reviews thorough. The agency plans to scale as it tracks quality and outcomes during the early stages.

Why This Program Matters After Three Decades of Freeze

For more than thirty years, the relief path set by Congress in section 925(c) sat dormant for most people. Annual spending bills blocked the government from using funds to investigate or act on individual applications. That left many with no way to show they had turned their lives around, even when state rights had been restored. The new rule seeks to reactivate that narrow federal path within current law and budget limits.

DOJ Just Brought Back Federal Gun Rights Restoration: Here’s Who Qualifies for 925chttps://t.co/fFq8rCYeRZ

— Armed Attorneys (@ArmedAttorneys) August 21, 2026

Legal history helps explain the stakes. Congress wrote the relief clause to allow individual review when a person could prove they were not a danger to public safety. Later funding riders halted that work for the federal agency that once handled requests, which courts acknowledged in cases about the program’s shutdown. By creating a Department-led review under the Attorney General, the rule attempts to restart a lawful process while keeping decisions individualized and tied to safety.