National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Appeals

The NICS is a name check system that queries available records in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the Interstate Identification Index (III), and the NICS Index to determine if prospective firearm purchasers are disqualified from receiving or possessing firearms.

A delayed transaction will be purged from the NICS within 88 days from creation. The NICS Section recommends that you wait 30 days from the date initiating the check prior to filing an appeal on a delay to give the NICS Section’s staff time to complete the initial transaction. If your original background check is completed, the Federal Firearm Licensee will be notified with a final status.

Click the links below for available information and features.

• Why NICS background checks are Denied or Delayed
• Appeal a firearm background check
• Appeal a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) background check
• Frequently Asked Questions regarding NICS appeals and the Voluntary Appeal File (VAF)

The NICS Section’s Appeal Services Team is currently processing appeal cases received in July 2015 and Voluntary Appeal File (VAF) cases received in June 2015.