My ATF 54 Experience

[Bitzan]

Hey gang just thought I would share. Overall the experience was painless and smooth. Note that I am located in Cleveland, Ohio - "your mileage may vary".

Timeline:

9/11/2020 Submitted application and check
10/28/2020 ATF Interview (phone call)
11/4/2020 Permit Arrived

Lessons Learned:
The Application... While I assume there is an attempt at standardization across the country we need to accept that every inspector (and their manager) is a human being and may have a slightly unique perspective on how to properly complete the application. Here are the changes I was asked to make to my application:


#2 Trade Name: I had re-entered my name from Box1. ATF investigator asked me to leave it blank since I was an individual hobbyist and not a business.

#8 Are you presently engaged in a business and/or operations for which a license or permit is required under 18 U.S.C., Chapter 40, Explosives: I had entered yes with a date. Investigator asked me to enter ?No? since in her opinion if I was already engaged in a business that required a permit, and I did not have one, I was being "illegal".

#16 Hours of operation. I had not entered AM/PM so she asked me to enter.

Letter of Contingency: The letter of contingency that was sent to me by Kellner's (huge thank you to Kellner's) did not included my name but rather stated "all Kellner customers are allowed to temporarily store at our facilities (free of charge) products purchased from us". The ATF inspector required my name to be added on the letter of contingency.

The Interview... Overall the call was EXTREMELY friendly and collaborative. She was entering data into her system as we went and was very focused on entering it ?correctly? so things would flow smoothly. We took a decent amount of times to make sure any questions I had were answered. At the conclusion of our call she emailed a ton of helpful information as a follow up to our call (government publications, phone numbers, orange book, etc.)

In Summary... if you are interested in getting your permit NOTHING about the process should intimidate you. Do it. The people I encountered from Dave's DVD, to the members of this forum, to Kellner's, to the ATF inspector were all helpful and encouraging.

Hope this helps someone.

[ssmith512]

Congrats!!

I will agree with you, the entire process was so easy I thought for sure something was amiss. Not so. Like you, my inspector was very friendly, very approachable, not intimidating at all, and very helpful. (Indiana is my location - well known firework friendly State)

No go light up the sky!

[NewPyro93]

I wish I could say the same about NJ.... all in all it went quite quickly and smooth but the inspector wasn't informative at all. My interview which was a phone call literally lasted no more than 10 minutes and that's being extremely generous on time. Mailed my application on the 11th of September, they charged my card on the 22nd of September, interview phone call was the 2nd of November and now I'm waiting for my license to come in the mail. It was surprisingly easy to get the license but I wish the inspector took more time and gave more information. Usually its the opposite and you don't want it to drag on but all my inspector asked me was if I knew about how the contingency plan works and when I said "yes I do" he pretty much ended the interview and said "you'll be receiving your license in the mail in about a month" and we parted ways

[displayfireworks1]

Years back one ATF license applicant and I cracked that ATF Fireworks license in Ohio..... They were using the old withdraw the application routine claiming you needed the State of Ohio Exhibitor License before they could grant an ATF license to purchase fireworks. Until one applicant told them he was not going to get an Ohio Exhibitor License and he refused to withdraw the application... The ATF in Ohio held off their decision on his license for the full 90 days. Then, near the 90 day period they issued the license. Thanks to a few brave applicants in some of these states like Ohio, it is making things smoother for many fireworks enthusiast applicants over the years. So it went with Texas, New York, Tennessee, Maine etc. If all goes as planned Mississippi is going to get added to that list. And don't think for a minute those so called fireworks clubs in Ohio and New York State were happy about any of this either or helped along the way. As a matter of fact they professed what the ATF was saying was true.
To NewPyro93 in New Jersey, same for your state. The ATF Fireworks license allows you to legally purchase and transport Display Fireworks. Don't put the ATF Inspector on a quiz show asking him 50 hard questions or expect him to educate you beyond the basics. He gave you a license to legally learn. Watch my videos, work part time for a fireworks company, don't buy anything you are not comfortable shooting. Come to one these PGI shooter courses. I use the analogy of purchasing a handgun. For example here in Pennsylvania, if you want to purchase a handgun, you need to pass a background check, have the money to purchase the weapon and that is it. As far as which handgun to purchase and/or how to use it and where to shoot it , is entirely up to you to figure out.
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[NewPyro93]

Im already on the list for November 14th pgi training at celebration fireworks. Im also going to the open shoot dec 5th held by pa pyros and got my application to join the club. I plan on working part time for garden state fireworks and some other companies this new years hopefully. I did not ask 50 questions and I knew better than to open up any can of worms lol. I was just surprised how it all happened hahahaha

[specialfxpyro]

Congrats J on getting your users permit

ATF issues explosives License for a Manufacturer, Importer or Dealer

ATF issues explosives Permit for Users of explosives or Limited users

If you are around this Saturday you can tag along on a show Celebration is doing just a little south of where they held Thunder in the Poconos. It's a pyromusical. I'm working the show so you can get a little hands on if you are interested. I'll text you the details when I get thme

[GTJO]

Did u ask about what is needed when they come for there check up. Any documents u must have to show.

[Bitzan]

Not specifically but the inspector mentioned several times that in most cases the receipt / invoice will include all necessary information and keeping that would be sufficient for acquisition documentation.