Penalties for NFA violations
A violation of the NFA can result in a felony conviction, punishable by up to ten years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine. See 26 USC sec. 5871. The US Sentencing Guidelines ordinarily require prison time, even for a first offense, however various mitigating and aggravating factors can raise or lower the possible sentence range for a first offense.
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Special (Occupational) Taxpayers (SOT) under the NFA are exempt from some of the making or transfer taxes. All SOT holders may transfer weapons between themselves tax free. However a transfer between an individual and a SOT will require the tax. And unless one has a class 2 SOT, there is a tax on making an NFA weapon, except for making by or on behalf of a government entity. Sole proprietor SOT’s need not get the law enforcement certification for any transfer, except DD’s (unless they have the appropriate FFL), even for their own personal collection, although in that case they should pay the $200 transfer tax. They also need not attach a photo to the transfer paperwork, nor submit fingerprints. The Crime Bill (9/14/94) now requires these things with FFL applications, and SOT applications, however, and ATF was requiring them even before that became law, since early 1994. If one plans to engage in business in NFA weapons, one needs to be a SOT, just as one needs the FFL if they plan to engage in the business with regular firearms or ammunition.
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