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FIREARM RELIEF

Federal Firearm Disability Relief

Under the provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, approved June 19,
1968, persons convicted of a felony crime are prohibited from possessing or receiving
firearms. The Act provides the Attorney General with the authority to grant relief from this
disability where the Attorney General determines that the person is not likely to act in a
manner dangerous to the public safety and granting relief would not be contrary to the public
interest. The Attorney General delegated this authority to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms (BATF).

Since October 1992, however, the BATF’s annual appropriation has prohibited expending
any funds to investigate or act upon applications for relief from federal firearms disabilities
submitted by individuals.

Therefore, the only procedure to obtain relief from this disability is to seek a pardon for the
crime. For a federal crime, a pardon may be sought from the Office of the Pardon Attorney
at the following addresses. [Further details concerning a federal pardon may be obtained
under the pardon heading on this website]

The Office of Pardon Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
1425 New York Avenue, N.W.
Suite 11000
Washington, D.C. 20530
or
www.usdoj.gov/pardon

In Oklahoma, a pardon may only be obtained through the Governor for a conviction
occurring within the State of Oklahoma. For state convictions occurring in another state, the
Attorney General for that state may be contacted for further information.

Any person that has been convicted of a nonviolent felony, within the State of Oklahoma,
and who has received a full and complete pardon is eligible to possess a firearm, pursuant
to 21 O.S. Supp. 2000, § 1283(B). It is not possible for a person convicted of a violent
felony to possess a firearm, even with a pardon (see 21 O.S. Supp. 2000, § 1283(A)). Further
information, as well as an application for a pardon, may be obtained from the following
website:

http://www.ok.gov/ppb/Pardon_Process/Pardon_Process/index.html