Comment on FR Doc # 2026-08925

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. RIN 1140-AA69; Docket No. ATF-2026-0011. This proposed rule seeks to modify the existing definition of "business premises" found in 27 CFR 478.11 and 27 CFR 478.50. Under the current regulatory framework, federal firearms licensees (FFLs) are generally required to obtain a separate license for each location where business activities are conducted. The proposed amendment clarifies that the definition of "business premises" will expand to include two specific categories of property configurations: those that physically adjoin one another and those that are adjacent to each other while sharing access to a common parking lot, sidewalk, or road. From a technical perspective, this proposal addresses historical interpretive challenges regarding when multiple properties might be considered a single premises. By providing definitions for "adjoining" as properties that touch or are contiguous, and "adjacent" as properties that lie near or close to one another while sharing specific common infrastructures, the rule creates a distinct threshold for licensees. Currently, FFLs managing operations across multiple such locations are often required to apply for separate licenses for each property or pursue a variance under 27 CFR 478.22. This amendment standardizes the treatment of these property arrangements, potentially streamlining the licensing process for businesses with operations separated by minor physical barriers, such as a bisecting road or intervening business entities within a shared outlet. The practical effect of this rule is the creation of a clear regulatory pathway for consolidating licensing for geographically proximate, but non-contiguous, business sites. Licensees whose properties meet the newly defined criteria for adjacency or proximity to common access points will no longer need to navigate the separate license or variance application process to operate as a single business entity. For entities that do not satisfy these specific definitions, the existing variance procedures remain available as an alternative method to fulfill regulatory obligations. This proposal aims to provide greater flexibility for FFLs while maintaining the oversight requirements inherent in the statutory framework governing firearms businesses.