Welcome to the E4473 NICS Processing screen. This screen will help you submit information to NICS or local state agency, then record the responses.
- Status Bar:
- Items List:
- Click Here to see NICS Response Options:
- Number of items:
- Bottom Button Row:
- NICS toggle button:
- CCW toggle button:
- Special Situations:
- Status History:
- View E4473:
- Notes:
- Save and Close:
- Payment state:
- After Firearm Transferred Response:
Status Bar:
Across the top of the screen you will see a status bar. This will show you where you are in the E4473 process. Presently the firearms have been selected, money has been tendered, Form has been Accepted, and now we start the background check.
Process NICS Later:
If you have arrived on the E4473 NICS Processing screen and the state agency or NICS is not available at this time. Just select the “Save and Close button at the bottom right of the screen. This will save everything done so far and you can pickup the transaction later when the background check service is available. You can also update the “Notes” section with any information that might be needed before saving and closing.
Items list:
Below the status bar is the list of the firearms selected for this E4473. The display has room for two firearms, if there are three or more firearms, a scroll bar will become available on the right-hand side allowing you to scroll up and down to see all firearms.
Columns are as follows:
# - Represents the line number as they would be seen in the 4473 form.
Photo – If a photo exists for the selected item, it will be shown here.
Type – This will list the transaction line item type Hold Sale, Hold Redeem, etc.
Description: This will contain details on the item starting with the unique item number. The following line contains:
- Type = Pistol/Rifle/Shotgun/etc
- Manufacturer = Company that made the firearm. Such as Ruger/Colt/Smith & Wesson/etc
- Model = The specific model assigned by the manufacturer
- Caliber = specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel bore
- Serial Number = Unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer
NICS Transmission Information:
Upon transmitting information to NICS now available through an automatic process for NICS. For more information click here. Please make sure to record as much information as possible. Time taken now to record this information (Including optional information) will be saved if the form later comes into question.
NICS Transaction Number has plenty of room if you have to report to two agencies.
NICS Response Options:
After Firearm Transferred Response:
Make sure to select the radio button that matches the initial response given by the local state agency or NICS. If you did not receive a response but did receive a transaction number. Select a response of delayed and make sure to update the 4473 notes to reflect that. Initial response can be edited later when the actual response has been received.
Initial Response:
- Proceed – Proceed is a final status. With Proceed selected the firearms can be released to the customer by clicking the “Next” button. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Denied – Denied is a final status. With Denied selected, the firearms cannot be released to the customer. Clicking “Next” will cancel the hold transaction and start the refund process. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Canceled – Canceled is a final status. With Canceled selected, the firearms cannot be released to the customer. Clicking “Next” will cancel the hold transaction and start the refund process. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Delayed – Delayed is not a final status. Clicking “Next” will function the same as clicking “Save and Close”. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Delayed Transfer on Date – This date is optional. If you are given a date that the firearms can be transferred or have a standard date used, please set it here.
Second Response:
- Proceed – Proceed is a final status. With Proceed selected the firearms can be released to the customer by clicking the “Next” button. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Denied – Denied is a final status. With Denied selected, the firearms cannot be released to the customer. Clicking “Next” will cancel the hold transaction and start the refund process. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Canceled – Canceled is a final status. With Canceled selected, the firearms cannot be released to the customer. Clicking “Next” will cancel the hold transaction and start the refund process. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- No response was provided within 3 business days – “No Response” is a final status. With this status selected the firearms can be released to the customer by clicking the “Next” button. Clicking “Save and Close” will save everything done so far and allow you to continue the transaction later.
- Overturned – Overturned is optional and should only be selected with Proceed/Denied/Canceled. It is intended to show that the second response is an overturned or change in response from the initial response. In cases where a response is overturned it is best to update the notes and keep any overturned documentation if provided.
- This checkbox should be checked if the Initial Response was Denied and was later overturned. In addition to checking this checkbox and entering a date in the Overturned Date field that appears, you should select Proceed for the Second Response. Make sure to attach the overturn certificate issued by NICS or the Stat POC to this E4473.
- Response Date - The second response date is required in order to save a second response. By default, it is set to “Today’s Date”. If you are re-entering a transaction, set it to the actual date the second response was received.
- Notice of additional delay of transferee under 21 years of age: This checkbox should be checked if, within 3 business days of initially contacting NICS or the State, you receive a notice that there is cause to further investigate a possibly disqualifying juvenile record of a transferee/buyer under 21 years of age. The following fields appear when this checkbox is checked:
- Notice Date: This is the date that the notice of additional delay was received from NICS or the State.
- Release Date: This is the date that you may release the item(s) to the buyer/transferee if no response is received. If you receive this notice of additional delay, the transfer may occur only after 10 business days since the licensee initially contacted NICS, and NICS has not notified the licensee that the transfer is prohibited.
- No response was provided within 10 business days after additional delay for transferee/buyer under 21 years of age: If this is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can release the firearms to the customer and complete the hold transaction. Make sure the “Notes” reflect the reason the firearms were released to this response.
Next Button:
What the “Next” button does depends on the response from NICS or state agency.
Initial Response:
- Proceed: If Proceed is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can release the firearms to the customer and complete the hold transaction.
- Denied: If Denied is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can cancel the hold transaction, process a refund, and keep the firearms in the store.
- Cancelled: If Cancelled is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can cancel the hold transaction, process a refund, and keep the firearms in the store.
- Delayed: If Delayed is selected, the Next button will perform the same task as “Save and Close”. All changes will be saved, then you will be returned to the dashboard.
Second Response:
- Proceed: If Proceed is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can release the firearms to the customer and complete the hold transaction.
- Denied: If Denied is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can cancel the hold transaction, process a refund, and keep the firearms in the store.
- Cancelled: If Cancelled is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can cancel the hold transaction, process a refund, and keep the firearms in the store.
- No Response was provided within 3 business days: If No Response is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can release the firearms to the customer and complete the hold transaction. Make sure the “Notes” reflect the reason the firearms were released to this response
- Overturned: This checkbox should be checked if the Initial Response was Denied and was later overturned. In addition to checking this checkbox and entering a date in the Overturned Date field that appears, you should select Proceed for the Second Response. Make sure to attach the overturn certificate issued by NICS or the Stat POC to this E4473.
- Notice of additional delay of transferee under 21 years of age: This checkbox should be checked if, within 3 business days of initially contacting NICS or the State, you receive a notice that there is cause to further investigate a possibly disqualifying juvenile record of a transferee/buyer under 21 years of age. The following fields appear when this checkbox is checked:
- Notice Date: This is the date that the notice of additional delay was received from NICS or the State.
- Release Date: This is the date that you may release the item(s) to the buyer/transferee if no response is received. If you receive this notice of additional delay, the transfer may occur only after 10 business days since the licensee initially contacted NICS, and NICS has not notified the licensee that the transfer is prohibited.
- No response was provided within 10 business days after additional delay for transferee/buyer under 21 years of age: If this is selected, the Next button will take you to the transaction screen so you can release the firearms to the customer and complete the hold transaction. Make sure the “Notes” reflect the reason the firearms were released to this response.
Number of items:
This will list the total number of items listed in this E4473.
Bottom Button Row:
NICS toggle button:
Make sure the NICS toggle button is selected and green if you are using NICS or a local state agency to perform the background check.
CCW toggle button:
If the customer has a concealed weapons permit issued by the state that you would like to use instead of the background check, select the CCW toggle button and check the checkbox indicating that the CCW information qualifies as an exemption from NICS.
If your store is required to document a customer's CCW or similar permit information on the 4473, even when performing a NICS check, select the CCW toggle button and fill in the necessary CCW information. Leave the checkbox unchecked under the "CCW - Concealed Carry Weapon Permit" section, then toggle back to the NICS section to fill in the NICS Response and NICS transaction information.
Click here to see more about E4473 CCW processing.
Special Situations:
Unless your store is near a military base, this section will rarely see any use. This is where you describe additional identification information, military PCS information, or exempt alien information.
Secondary Identification is going to be the place for filling out question 26 b. on the 4473 form. (aka Supplemental Government Issued Documentation).
If the transferee/buyer answered "yes" to being an alien who has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa and answered "yes" to falling within any of the exceptions stated in the form instructions, record the type of documentation showing the exception to the prohibition here in the line labeled If the transferee answered 'yes' to being an exempt alien, enter the documentation information.
Remember to attach a copy of the documentation to this E4473
Status History:
The Status History button will show the status changes and save of those changes along the E4473 process.
View E4473:
Before contacting NICS or your local state agency, it would be best to start out by viewing the E4473. Clicking on the “View E4473” will bring up a report viewer with all pages of the 4473 on display. From here you should be able to retrieve all information required to get the background check started.
View E4473 button location:
*Available in January 2025 A new option is available while NICS is Processing where Stores can now add additional firearm(s) on day of pickup for a customer that is already approved for a different firearm. The new button is called Add Firearms and allows the store to use an existent approved form for the sale of an additional firearm(s) without the need to have to start another sale and do another background check for the same customer. Adding an additional item will require a manager's approval.
To watch a short video clip on How to add a Firearm Sale to an E4473, click here .
Report viewer:
Notes:
The Notes button is on every E4473 screen. Clicking this button opens the Notes window with two boxes. The left side box “4473 Notes” is where you enter notes that you wish to be seen on the 4473. The right-side box “Store Notes” are internal notes for the store to reference and are not seen on the 4473. Once something is typed in the notes, the “Notes” button will become yellow to remind you to look into the notes.
Save and Suspend:
This button is on all E4473 screens saves the current changes and closes the E4473, then lands you on the dashboard so you can work on another customer.
Payment state:
This section will display if the transaction has already been paid for or if there is still payment due. The Possible messages are Paid in Full or Balance due.
After Firearm Transferred Response:
The After Firearm Transferred Response can only be set from Void View. Please click here to see how to enter the After Firearm Transferred Response.
Click here to see the After Firearm Transfer documentation in Void View
Date Created: 11/11/2020
Date Updated: 1/10/2025