No. Federal firearm rights restoration does not expunge, seal, or erase your criminal record. DOJ relief under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) can lift the federal ban on possessing firearms, but the conviction stays on your record.
Relief also creates a new public record. If DOJ grants relief, your name and the date of the grant are published in the Federal Register.
Restoration and record clearing answer two different questions:
- Restoration: “Am I allowed to have a gun under federal law?”
- Expungement or sealing: “Who can see my record?”
The DOJ program only answers the first question. This guide explains what each remedy does, what may still show up on a background check, and when a state remedy can affect your federal status. For the application process itself, see our federal firearm rights restoration page.
What DOJ Firearm Rights Relief Changes: Your Gun Status, Not Your Conviction
Relief under § 925(c) changes your federal firearm status, not your criminal history. The Office of the Pardon Attorney now handles these applications; ATF no longer does.
According to DOJ’s final decision and next steps page, after a grant:
- The FBI will update the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
- You may be issued a special number, called an RPIN, to use when buying a firearm.
- Your name and the date of the grant are published in the Federal Register.
Relief does not:
- Erase, seal, or hide the conviction. Court files, arrest records, and criminal history reports stay as they were.
- Vacate, set aside, or pardon the offense. You remain convicted of it.
- Remove state firearm restrictions. DOJ’s rule summary (§ 107.30) says relief does not extend to independent state-law disabilities.
- Cover future problems. Relief applies only to past offenses or conduct. A new conviction or prohibiting status creates a new disability.
- Survive a false application. Under § 107.80, relief is void if you misstate facts or deliberately withhold requested information.
Program status (as of October 2026): DOJ’s FFRR page shows invited applicants starting September 25, 2026, the public application opening November 4, 2026, and a further phase starting January 4, 2027. Dates can change, so check DOJ’s site before you plan around them.
Is Federal Gun Rights Restoration Public? Grants Are Published in the Federal Register
Section 925(c) requires DOJ to publish notice of each grant, with its reasons, in the Federal Register. That notice includes your name, as DOJ’s FAQ confirms.
That makes federal relief the opposite of record clearing. Expungement or sealing limits who can see your record. A § 925(c) grant adds a public notice that names you.
The notice also reflects the Attorney General’s finding that restoring your rights is not likely to endanger public safety. If privacy matters most to you, talk with a lawyer before you apply.
Firearm Rights Restoration vs. Expungement and Pardons Compared
These remedies are often confused. The table shows general rules; the effect in any one case depends on the statute, the order’s wording, and the facts.
Remedy | What happens to the record | Effect on the federal firearm ban | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
DOJ relief under § 925(c) | Nothing is erased; your name is published in the Federal Register | Lifts federal disabilities from past conduct; does not touch state-law restrictions | U.S. Department of Justice (Office of the Pardon Attorney) |
State expungement or set-aside | In Texas, arrest records named in the court order are removed | An expunged or set-aside state conviction generally does not count under § 921(a)(20), unless the order bars firearms | A state court |
State pardon (in Texas, from the governor) | Conviction and records remain unless you separately obtain expunction | May remove it for that state conviction, depending on the pardon and state firearm law; Texas has a separate restoration of firearm rights process | The governor, on the Board of Pardons and Paroles’ recommendation |
Presidential pardon | Federal conviction and records remain | Removes the firearm disability from the federal conviction; does not cover state convictions or other prohibitors | The President |
Separate state prohibition (e.g., Tex. Penal Code § 46.04) | Not a remedy; it is its own restriction | Unaffected by federal relief; must be resolved under state law | State law |
Can an Expungement or Pardon Restore Federal Gun Rights Without DOJ Relief?
A state disposition can affect federal gun rights, so record clearing and firearm rights are not always separate tracks. Under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(20), a state conviction that has been expunged, set aside, or pardoned, or for which civil rights were restored, generally does not count as a felony conviction for federal firearm purposes. The exception is when the order or pardon expressly says you still may not have firearms.
In practice, that means:
- A qualifying state expungement or pardon may make federal relief unnecessary. Whether a particular order qualifies depends on its wording and how courts read the statute.
- State restoration of rights may not be enough. DOJ’s FAQ says a state restoration of a state conviction “may not” remove federal disabilities.
- State remedies cannot fix a federal conviction. DOJ’s FAQ is clear that state restoration does not remove disabilities from a federal conviction. For federal convictions, the main options are a presidential pardon or § 925(c) relief.
- Some cases never counted as convictions. In Texas, a successfully completed deferred adjudication is generally not a conviction, so it may not trigger the federal felon ban at all. While you are still on felony deferred adjudication, though, the Fifth Circuit treats you as under indictment, which bars receiving firearms under 18 U.S.C. § 922(n).
In Texas, a person who was convicted and later pardoned is entitled to expunction of the related arrest records under Code of Criminal Procedure Article 55A.004(2), but must ask a state court for it. The Board of Pardons and Paroles notes that a pardon does not expunge records by itself; expunction is a separate filing.
Because these rules turn on details, confirm your status with a lawyer before buying or possessing a firearm.
What Employers and NICS Checks May Still See After Restoration
Different checks look at different things, so results can vary after a grant.
Check | What may still appear | What relief changes |
|---|---|---|
Employment screenings | The conviction may still appear; employers often get criminal histories from background screening companies | Nothing on the record itself; an employer could also find the Federal Register notice |
Gun purchase checks (NICS) | A check can still be denied if another federal or state prohibition applies | DOJ says the FBI will update NICS and you may receive an RPIN to use when buying |
Relief does not guarantee every gun store check goes through. A purchase can still be denied if another federal prohibitor applies, a new disability arises, or state law still bars you. DOJ says you may receive an RPIN to use when buying a firearm.
Does Federal Relief Lift Texas Gun Restrictions? Why Penal Code § 46.04 Still Applies
Federal relief cannot remove a state firearm prohibition. DOJ’s final decision page tells people granted relief to contact law enforcement in their state about state restrictions.
Texas is a good example. Under Texas Penal Code § 46.04, a person convicted of a felony may possess a firearm only at the place they live, and only after five years from release from confinement or supervision, whichever is later. Federal relief does not change that rule.
To possess a firearm lawfully, you need to be clear under both federal and state law.
Expungement, Pardon, or DOJ Relief: Which Should You Pursue First?
The right remedy depends on what you want to fix: your gun rights, your record, or both. Applying in the wrong order can cost time or put your name in the Federal Register when a state remedy might have addressed both.
Our attorneys can review your record, identify every federal and state prohibition that applies, and tell you whether expungement, a pardon, or DOJ relief fits your goals. Every case is different, and we cannot promise a particular result.
Learn more about our federal firearm rights restoration services.
Contact our legal team for a confidential consultation, or call 325-480-3440.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a felony still show up on a job background check after gun rights restoration?
It may. Federal relief does not change court records or criminal history, so a routine employment screening can still show the conviction.
Will I pass a NICS background check at a gun store after DOJ grants relief?
DOJ says the FBI will update NICS after a grant and may issue you an RPIN to use when buying. That does not guarantee every check. A sale can still be denied if another federal or state prohibition applies.
If my Texas conviction is expunged, do I still need federal firearm rights restoration?
Often not, for a state conviction. Under § 921(a)(20), an expunged or set-aside state conviction generally does not count for federal gun purposes unless the order restricts firearms. Have a lawyer confirm your status first.
Is a presidential pardon application separate from federal firearm rights restoration?
Yes. A presidential pardon and § 925(c) relief are separate processes, though the Office of the Pardon Attorney handles both. DOJ says a full presidential pardon removes the firearm disability from a federal conviction, but not from a separate state conviction or prohibiting status.
Can my name be removed from the Federal Register after a firearm rights grant?
DOJ’s guidance describes no way to remove it. Section 925(c) requires DOJ to publish notice of each grant in the Federal Register, and DOJ says that notice includes your name.
Can federal firearm rights relief become void after it is granted?
Relief is void if it was obtained through a false statement or deliberately withheld information. It also does not protect you from new disabilities, such as a new felony conviction.