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4473 Form Tracking

Every time you sell a firearm to a non-licensee (a regular customer, not another FFL dealer), the buyer must complete ATF Form 4473 — the Firearms Transaction Record. CloudFFL tracks the 4473 lifecycle and stores key compliance data on the sales order.

The 4473 Status Flow

When a sales order includes a compliance firearm, the Form Status field displays the current status as reported by FastBound. Common values include status messages like "Locked - Awaiting 4473 Completion" and "4473 Completed Successfully", but the exact text comes from the FastBound API. This field updates automatically as the 4473 progresses through FastBound.

How CloudFFL Receives 4473 Results

When a 4473 is completed in FastBound, FastBound sends a webhook notification to CloudFFL at the endpoint /fastbound/4473_form_complete. The webhook fires on form4473.completed events. Here is what happens automatically:

  • The 4473 Completed flag on the sales order is set to True
  • The 4473 PDF is downloaded from FastBound and stored on the sales order (accessible via the "4473 PDF" stat button)
  • The NTN (NICS Transaction Number) is stored on the sales order for audit trail

Important: The webhook sets the 4473 Completed flag to True regardless of the actual NICS result (approved, delayed, or denied). It does not distinguish between outcomes. Staff must verify the actual NICS result before transferring any firearm.

Tip: You do not need to manually download or attach the 4473 PDF. The webhook handles this automatically. To view the PDF, click the "4473 PDF" stat button on the sales order form.

Viewing 4473 Status on a Sales Order

  1. Open the sales order (go to Sales → Orders or FastBound → Dispositions → Sale Orders)
  2. Look for the FastBound section on the sales order form
  3. Check the 4473 Completed field — True means the form has been completed
  4. Check the NTN number — This is the NICS background check reference
  5. Click the "4473 PDF" stat button to view the 4473 PDF document

Pulling 4473 Orders into POS

If you use the Point of Sale for firearm transactions, you can pull completed 4473 orders into the POS for payment processing:

  1. Go to FastBound → Dispositions → Pull 4473 Orders
  2. This shows sales orders where the 4473 has been approved but payment has not yet been collected
  3. Select the order and pull it into your active POS session
  4. Complete the payment at the register

This workflow is useful when the 4473 and NICS check are done separately from the actual payment — for example, if the customer fills out the 4473, you run the background check, and they come back later to pick up and pay.

Handling Delays

When a NICS check comes back as Delayed:

  • Hold the firearm — Do not transfer it to the customer
  • Be aware of the Brady Transfer Date concept — under federal law, this is typically 3 business days from the date of the check. CloudFFL does not track this date as a field, so you should track it separately per your store's procedures
  • If the delay is not resolved by the Brady Transfer Date, you may legally transfer the firearm (this is called a "default proceed"), but check your store's policy first
  • If the delay resolves to Proceed, transfer the firearm normally
  • If the delay resolves to Denied, do not transfer — process a refund

Denied = No Transfer: If a NICS check comes back as Denied, you must not transfer the firearm under any circumstances. The firearm stays in your inventory. Process a refund for the customer. Do not create a disposition record in FastBound for a denied sale — the firearm never left your possession.

Record Keeping

CloudFFL automatically stores the following for every 4473 transaction:

  • The 4473 Completed flag (boolean, set when the webhook fires)
  • The NTN (NICS Transaction Number)
  • The 4473 PDF (stored as a binary field, accessible via the stat button on the sales order)
  • The Form Status (free-text field showing the current status as reported by FastBound)

This information is available at any time by opening the sales order. During an ATF inspection, you can quickly pull up any 4473 by searching for the customer name, serial number, or date.

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