How to File an ATF Form 1 to Make an SBR (Individual or Trust) Using eForms

A lot of customers ask us to "register" a short-barreled rifle for them — for example, turning an 8" SIG MPX into an SBR. Here's the part that surprises people: making an SBR is something you do as the maker, not something a shop does for you. This guide walks through the entire process on the ATF eForms portal, with separate step-by-step sections for filing as an individual and as a trust.

Why we can't file it for you

ATF Form 1 is the "Application to Make and Register a Firearm." When you shorten a rifle's barrel below 16" (or build a rifle from a pistol/host with a stock), you are the maker. A dealer files a Form 3 or Form 4 to transfer a firearm; a maker files a Form 1 to make one. So the application has to be submitted by you (as an individual) or by your gun trust — we can point you in the right direction, but the filing is yours.

Good news on cost

As of 2026, the federal making tax for an SBR is $0 — the old $200 tax stamp no longer applies to short-barreled rifles. (Machine guns and destructive devices still carry the $200 tax.) You still have to file the Form 1, submit fingerprints and a photo, and wait for ATF approval — only the tax went away. Always confirm the fee shown in eForms when you file, since fees and rules can change.

Individual or trust?

• Individual — simplest paperwork (no extra responsible-person forms) and usually the fastest. Only you may legally possess and use the SBR, and passing it on later is harder.
• Trust — anyone named as a responsible person (co-trustee) can legally possess and use the SBR, and it makes inheritance/estate handling much cleaner. The tradeoff is more paperwork: each responsible person files a Form 5320.23, with their own fingerprints, photo, and CLEO copy.

More on the Silencer Shop Form 1 service

If you'd rather have most of the paperwork handled for you, the Silencer Shop Form 1 service is the simplest path. In short:

1. Create a Silencer Shop account and complete their guided digital paperwork — enter your information and upload a selfie photo through their app.
2. Scan your fingerprints once at a kiosk. Visit a "Powered by Silencer Shop" dealer that has a fingerprint kiosk — it captures your prints in a few minutes and saves them for all of your future NFA filings. Kiosk fees vary by shop (some charge up to about $40; Frontier Justice currently doesn't charge for kiosk use).
3. They prepare and review your Form 1. Silencer Shop builds the application from your info and checks it for completeness (they advertise a 99.5% accuracy rate and will flag you if anything is missing) — a real plus, since eForms rejects applications with errors rather than letting you fix them.
4. They handle your CLEO notification. Silencer Shop matches you to the correct Chief Law Enforcement Officer using their nationwide database and takes care of that notification — the step you'd otherwise have to do yourself on the DIY route.
5. Sign and certify with your ATF eForms login. You finish by certifying on the ATF side with your own eForms username and password. (Individuals certify in person at the dealer; trusts and corporations can certify remotely.)

We don't have a kiosk on site, but we're glad to help you get started and point you to a nearby kiosk location.

Before you start (both routes)

Have these ready before you log in: an eForms account (free, at eforms.atf.gov), your firearm's details (manufacturer, model, caliber, serial number), the new barrel and overall length you'll build to, your electronic fingerprint (.EFT) file, a 2"x2" photo, and your CLEO information. Trust filers also need their signed/notarized trust documents and the info for every responsible person.

Step-by-Step: Filing a Form 1 as an INDIVIDUAL (using eForms on your own)

1. Log in to eForms. Go to eforms.atf.gov and sign in (or register; ATF emails you an assigned User ID). You'll use your password and a 4-digit PIN to sign at the end.
2. Start a new Form 1. From your dashboard choose "Form 1 – Application to Make and Register a Firearm," then accept the warnings and Rules of Behavior.
3. Select applicant type "Individual." Your saved account details populate your name and address (physical address required — no P.O. boxes).
4. Answer the maker's questions. Complete the maker's questions and citizenship section.
5. Enter your CLEO. Provide your Chief Law Enforcement Officer's agency, name, and address (Missouri filers: see the CLEO section below).
6. Add the firearm. Add a firearm line item, set the product type to Short Barreled Rifle, and fill in manufacturer, model, caliber, the new barrel length and overall length, and the serial number (see "Entering your firearm's info" below).
7. Upload your photo and fingerprints. Upload your 2"x2" photo and your .EFT fingerprint file.
8. Review, certify, and sign with your PIN. Verify every field — you can't edit after submitting — then certify and sign with your PIN. After you submit, ATF emails you a copy of your Form 1 stamped "submitted"; you are responsible for mailing or delivering that copy to your CLEO yourself (eForms does not send it for you). With the $0 tax there's no payment step for an SBR; confirm that in the UI.

Step-by-Step: Filing a Form 1 as a TRUST (using eForms on your own)

The trust process mirrors the individual process, with extra steps for the trust documents and each responsible person.

1. Log in to eForms at eforms.atf.gov.
2. Start a new Form 1 and accept the warnings.
3. Select applicant type "Trust." You'll get an acknowledgment pop-up about responsible-person requirements. Enter the full legal name of the trust (no individual names here).
4. Add responsible persons. Add every responsible person (the settlor and any co-trustees who can presently control the trust's firearms). Each one completes a Form 5320.23 in the system with their own photo, fingerprints (.EFT), and CLEO. The number of 5320.23 forms must match your responsible persons exactly. (Beneficiaries who can't presently control the firearms generally aren't responsible persons.)
5. Enter the trust's CLEO. Each responsible person also has a CLEO on their 5320.23.
6. Add the firearm. Add the firearm line item, product type Short Barreled Rifle, with manufacturer, model, caliber, new barrel/overall length, and serial number.
7. Upload trust documents and each person's photo + prints. At the Electronic Documents step, upload your signed/notarized trust documents, plus the photo and .EFT for each responsible person.
8. Review, certify, and sign with your PIN. A responsible person signs and submits. After submission, ATF emails you the "submitted" copies; you must send each responsible person's copy to their CLEO yourself.

Entering your firearm's info correctly

This is where most "incorrect model" rejections happen. When you're making an SBR out of a gun you already own (say, an MPX host):

• Manufacturer / importer: enter the original manufacturer of the firearm (e.g., SIG Sauer) — not your name.
• Model: enter the model exactly as it's marked on the receiver (don't substitute a generic name).
• Serial number: use the firearm's existing serial number. Do not alter or re-serialize it.
• Caliber: the firearm's caliber (e.g., 9mm).
• Barrel length & overall length: enter the new SBR configuration you intend to build — the short barrel length you'll install and the resulting overall length. If it has a folding/collapsing stock, measure overall length with the stock extended.
• Maker markings: your maker name (or trust name), city, and state — this is what you'll engrave (see below).

Serial numbers must contain at least one letter and one number.

Fingerprints (EFT file)

eForms accepts an electronic fingerprint file (.EFT) uploaded right into your application (it must be a true .EFT meeting the FBI spec, under 12 MB). To get one:

• Have your prints captured by a Live Scan provider that will give you the .EFT file — many UPS Store locations and dedicated EFT services do this and email you the file, often within minutes.
• Confirm in advance that the provider hands you the .EFT file. Some Live Scan shops only transmit prints to a state agency and can't give you a file to upload.
• Your .EFT doesn't expire and can be reused on future filings — which is why the eForms route pays off if you'll file more than once.
• Trusts: a fingerprint file for each responsible person.

Photographs

You'll upload a recent 2" x 2" passport-style photo taken within the last 6 months. You don't need a professional passport photo — a clear photo taken on a smartphone works fine as long as it meets the basics:

• Plain, light-colored (white or off-white) background
• Full front view with your head and face fully visible — no hat, sunglasses, or head covering (religious head coverings excepted)
• Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed; remove eyeglasses
• Well-lit and in focus — not blurry, grainy, or shadowed

For eForms, upload a digital .jpg/.jpeg image (roughly square, about 720 x 720 pixels, under 3 MB). For a trust, one photo per responsible person.

CLEO notification

You must notify your Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO). The accepted options are your local chief of police, county sheriff, the head of the state police, or a state/local district attorney or prosecutor. You enter the CLEO's name, agency, and address in eForms, but eForms does not send the notice for you — after you submit, ATF emails you a copy of the Form 1 marked "submitted," and you are responsible for mailing or delivering that copy to your CLEO. For a trust, each responsible person sends their own 5320.23 copy to their CLEO.

Engraving / marking requirements

As the maker, you must mark the receiver with your name (or trust name), city, and state. The lettering must be at least 1/16" tall and engraved at least .003" deep. You keep the original manufacturer's markings and serial number — you're adding your maker information, not replacing anything. (Never alter or remove an existing serial number.)

Engraving by itself isn't "making" the firearm, so many makers have it done while the Form 1 is pending; just remember you still can't assemble the SBR until you're approved.

After approval

Once your Form 1 is approved, print and keep a copy of your approved stamp with the firearm. Now — and only now — you can install the short barrel and complete your SBR. Keep that approval document with the firearm whenever you transport it.

Questions about going the Silencer Shop route, or setting up a suppressor or other NFA item through us? Reach out anytime — we're glad to help.

Related guides

• Preparing for Your First Silencer or SBR Purchase
• Complete Guide: Filing an ATF eForm 4 (Individual to Trust)
• How to Buy a Suppressor
• Shop Suppressors
• Transferring NFA Items From a Gun Trust After a Death

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice, and NFA rules, fees, forms, and processing times change. Stonebridge Gunworks does not file Form 1 applications on your behalf. Always verify the current requirements on the official ATF eForms site (eforms.atf.gov) and consult a qualified NFA/gun-trust attorney for your specific situation. State law varies — SBRs are not legal everywhere.