United States Code

USC most recently checked for updates: Jun 09, 2025

All TitlesTitle 34Subtitle IVChapter 409Subchapter I
§ 40903. Definitions
§ 40912. Requirements to obtain waiver
§ 40911.
Enhancement of requirement that Federal departments and agencies provide relevant information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System
(a)
Omitted
(b)
Provision and maintenance of NICS records
(1)
Department of Homeland Security
The Secretary of Homeland Security shall make available to the Attorney General—
(A)
records, updated not less than quarterly, which are relevant to a determination of whether a person is disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18 for use in background checks performed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; and
(B)
information regarding all the persons described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph who have changed their status to a category not identified under section 922(g)(5) of title 18 for removal, when applicable, from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
(2)
Department of Defense
(A)
In general

Not later than 3 business days after the final disposition of a judicial proceeding conducted within the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense shall make available to the Attorney General records which are relevant to a determination of whether a member of the Armed Forces involved in such proceeding is disqualified from possessing or receiving a firearm under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18 for use in background checks performed by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

(B)
Judicial proceeding defined
In this paragraph, the term “judicial proceeding” means a hearing—
(i)
of which the person received actual notice; and
(ii)
at which the person had an opportunity to participate with counsel.
(3)
Department of Justice
The Attorney General shall—
(A)
ensure that any information submitted to, or maintained by, the Attorney General under this section is kept accurate and confidential, as required by the laws, regulations, policies, or procedures governing the applicable record system;
(B)
provide for the timely removal and destruction of obsolete and erroneous names and information from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; and
(C)
work with States to encourage the development of computer systems, which would permit electronic notification to the Attorney General when—
(i)
a court order has been issued, lifted, or otherwise removed by order of the court; or
(ii)
a person has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution.
(c)
Standard for adjudications and commitments related to mental health
(1)
In general
No department or agency of the Federal Government may provide to the Attorney General any record of an adjudication related to the mental health of a person or any commitment of a person to a mental institution if—
(A)
the adjudication or commitment, respectively, has been set aside or expunged, or the person has otherwise been fully released or discharged from all mandatory treatment, supervision, or monitoring;
(B)
the person has been found by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority to no longer suffer from the mental health condition that was the basis of the adjudication or commitment, respectively, or has otherwise been found to be rehabilitated through any procedure available under law; or
(C)
the adjudication or commitment, respectively, is based solely on a medical finding of disability, without an opportunity for a hearing by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority, and the person has not been adjudicated as a mental defective consistent with section 922(g)(4) of title 18, except that nothing in this section or any other provision of law shall prevent a Federal department or agency from providing to the Attorney General any record demonstrating that a person was adjudicated to be not guilty by reason of insanity, or based on lack of mental responsibility, or found incompetent to stand trial, in any criminal case or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
(2)
Treatment of certain adjudications and commitments
(A)
Program for relief from disabilities
(i)
In general

(ii)
Process

Each application for relief submitted under the program required by this subparagraph shall be processed not later than 365 days after the receipt of the application. If a Federal department or agency fails to resolve an application for relief within 365 days for any reason, including a lack of appropriated funds, the department or agency shall be deemed for all purposes to have denied such request for relief without cause. Judicial review of any petitions brought under this clause shall be de novo.

(iii)
Judicial review

Relief and judicial review with respect to the program required by this subparagraph shall be available according to the standards prescribed in section 925(c) of title 18. If the denial of a petition for relief has been reversed after such judicial review, the court shall award the prevailing party, other than the United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee for any and all proceedings in relation to attaining such relief, and the United States shall be liable for such fee. Such fee shall be based upon the prevailing rates awarded to public interest legal aid organizations in the relevant community.

(B)
Relief from disabilities

In the case of an adjudication related to the mental health of a person or a commitment of a person to a mental institution, a record of which may not be provided to the Attorney General under paragraph (1), including because of the absence of a finding described in subparagraph (C) of such paragraph, or from which a person has been granted relief under a program established under subparagraph (A) or (B), or because of a removal of a record under section 40901(e)(1)(D) of this title, the adjudication or commitment, respectively, shall be deemed not to have occurred for purposes of subsections (d)(4) and (g)(4) of section 922 of title 18. Any Federal agency that grants a person relief from disabilities under this subparagraph shall notify such person that the person is no longer prohibited under 922(d)(4) or 922(g)(4) of title 18 on account of the relieved disability for which relief was granted pursuant to a proceeding conducted under this subparagraph, with respect to the acquisition, receipt, transfer, shipment, transportation, or possession of firearms.

(3)
Notice requirement
Effective 30 days after January 8, 2008, any Federal department or agency that conducts proceedings to adjudicate a person as a mental defective under 922(d)(4) or 922(g)(4) of title 18 shall provide both oral and written notice to the individual at the commencement of the adjudication process including—
(A)
notice that should the agency adjudicate the person as a mental defective, or should the person be committed to a mental institution, such adjudication, when final, or such commitment, will prohibit the individual from purchasing, possessing, receiving, shipping or transporting a firearm or ammunition under section 922(d)(4) or section 922(g)(4) of title 18;
(B)
information about the penalties imposed for unlawful possession, receipt, shipment or transportation of a firearm under section 924(a)(2) of title 18; and
(C)
information about the availability of relief from the disabilities imposed by Federal laws with respect to the acquisition, receipt, transfer, shipment, transportation, or possession of firearms.
(4)
Effective date

Except for paragraph (3), this subsection shall apply to names and other information provided before, on, or after January 8, 2008. Any name or information provided in violation of this subsection (other than in violation of paragraph (3)) before, on, or after such date shall be removed from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

(Pub. L. 110–180, title I, § 101, Jan. 8, 2008, 121 Stat. 2561; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title V, § 544, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3613.)
cite as: 34 USC 40911
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