FBI NICS Background Check Information
What the National Instant Criminal Background Check System is, who it disqualifies, and how to reach the FBI directly.
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is a federal system for determining eligibility to purchase a firearm in the United States. Before a licensed dealer can complete a sale, the buyer’s name is checked against it. Prohibitions apply to any person who…
Has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year
Is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year
Is a fugitive from justice
Is an unlawful user of, or addicted to, any controlled substance
Has been adjudicated as a mental defective, or committed to a mental institution
Is illegally or unlawfully in the United States
Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions
Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced that citizenship
Is subject to a court order restraining them from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or that partner’s child
Has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
NICS has become an established and aggressive plan to improve public safety, cut down on crime, and keep guns, weapons, and explosive materials out of the hands of those at high risk of misusing them.
Understand the System, Step by Step
Five pages that walk through NICS from overview to your rights of appeal
NICS Information Customer Service
Phone
1-877-FBI-NICS (324-6427)
Facsimile
1-888-550-6427
TDD (Deaf Services)
1-877-NICS-TTY
a_nics@leo.gov
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