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4473 Cloud utilizes Microsoft Azure servers with your data backed up daily. Both server locations are located in the United States to meet ATF requirements.

4473 Cloud stores your 4473s in a Tamper Evident file format. What does that mean?

It means it is the most secure file format available, admissible in a court of law and each and every interaction with that 4473 file is tracked.

When changes are made to the 4473**, a single line is used through the erroneous information, the corrected information is entered along with initials and date of who made the change and when. Each 4473 stored on 4473 Cloud has full document history that can viewed and printed at any time.

**4473 Cloud allows FFLs to do everything to your now digital 4473s, as you could do on paper 4473s. 

If you have access to the internet, whether on a network or via Wi-Fi, you have access to your 4473 records 24/7/365. You simply log in from any computer, laptop, tablet, or your smart phone. It is literally that simple.

Once you sign up you will receive a link to create your password and log into your 4473 Cloud account.  Due to the high level of security of 4473 Cloud you cannot access your account though this website.

You, as the store administrator have full control on who has access to your account and your company’s files. Only you and those you authorize can view, audit, and edit your 4473s and you can remove access to your files as easily as you can assign it.

Keep in mind the official 4473 of record is the copy you are currently printing.  The digital PDF that generates prior to printing your 4473s is NOT an official record.  All future corrections or changes to the 4473 must be done on the paper copy as instructed on the 4473 itself.  Keeping an unofficial record can cause confusion and inadvertent errors to be made during internal auditing processes, ATF trace request completion and with additional documentation that is required to be retained.

Having a saved PDF “copy” of your 4473s does NOT meet the minimum requirements issued by ATF for digital storage and relying on these copies can cause more risk than reward.  Additionally, 4473 Cloud is designed with the highest level of security, encryption and document certification available.  The same cannot be said for PDF saved on the desktop of a computer in your store.

First, you click here and complete the Get Started information in full.  The more information you provide the smoother the process will be!  Remember to select the plan your volume of business qualifies you for and complete the billing information.

You will receive a welcome email with a secure link to create and verify your password.  Once you do, and are logged into your account, you will need to go to your FFL settings page and enter your business hours.

Shortly after you sign up you will also receive a call and an email from our sales executive team.  This email will have detailed instructions on how to complete your 60-day notification to ATF.  You have to send it to ATF, we cannot do that for you, but we will walk you through it.

During your 60-day wait, you can store 4473s in 4473 Cloud, but you must also print a copy to remain compliant.  Once the 60-days is up, you no longer have to print 4473s and can store all of your 4473s digitally!

Infinitely more secure than paper 4473s.  With 4473 Cloud your 4473s are stored in:

• Tamper evident file format (the most secure format available today) that is certified by a world wide leading third party.
• Encrypted files.
• Fully control all users and their access.
• Every 4473 is stored with redundancy on separate cloud servers.
• Fully protected from natural disasters.
• Yearly third party white glove third party cyber security validation.

Without cloud, your customer’s sensitive data is only as secure as the door to your backroom!  Quite frankly there is no comparison, digital is the best way to secure your 4473s.

After signing up for 4473 Cloud, you will receive a detailed welcome email from your sales executive outlining what next steps you need to take. They are short and simple. Here is a brief list:

• You will need to create your password to your 4473 Cloud account.
  • You will receive an email with a link to do so within 15 mins of signing up!
• You will need to notify ATF of your intent to store 4473s digitally.
• You will need to install the 4473 Back-up Tool on a computer that is permanently located at your store.
  • We have simple step by step videos in your FFL settings drop down menu to assist you.
• Ensure that moving forward you and your team use the ATF approved Error Correction Tool in 4473 Cloud when making an edits or corrections to a finalized 4473.

These are the big ones but again, we will remind you in your welcome email once you sign up.

First, we worked with ATF for nearly 18 months on the development of 4473 Cloud and we built the software to not only meet, but to exceed ATF’s minimum requirements for digital storage of 4473s in ATF Ruling 2022-1**.

Second, we have been certified by the leading firearm industry legal team at FFLGuard.

In short, only 4473 Cloud delivers this level of certified compliance to FFL dealers.

** 4473 Cloud does not provide any compliance or legal advice. You as the FFL are responsible to continue following all Federal and State regulations and ATF requirements as you did prior to storing your 4473s digitally.

Yes.

You still need to operate your business within the ATF regulations. Using 4473 Cloud does not change that fact. 4473 Cloud is built with all of the tools to help you maintain your compliance with regard to record retention. However, it is still and will always be your, the FFL’s, responsibility to know WHEN to use the tools we provide.

4473 Cloud can not provide legal or compliance advise as to “what” you should do to be compliant on your 4473s. We simply provide to tools to allow you remain compliant once you determine what you need to do.

e.g. “I need to make a change on a 4473 stored in 4473 Cloud, what do I need to do?” – we cannot tell you or advise on what changes you are going to make. We only provide you with an error correction tool that makes making the change you need to make simple and easy and within the regulations*.

* i.e. Using a single line through erroneous information.

What you do on paper today, is what you will do digitally in 4473 Cloud when you sign up!

Yes. You can attach any required documentation to the 4473 at the time you upload into 4473 Cloud or at a later point in time. This includes but certainly isn’t limited too ATF F 3310.4, 3310.12 or a hunting license.

While we cannot comment on specific ATF procedures, we can tell you that 4473 Cloud was designed with “ATF Audit” mode. This provides ATF with access to specific records based on a timeline they request (typically one year).

Access is granted by you, the company administrator to the Lead ATF IOI (Industry Operations Investigator). ATF will still conduct their inspection only while on site at your store and during the hours your store is operational. With 4473 Cloud you never have to give ATF a computer to complete their audit.  ATF has instructed IOIs to use their own ATF issued computers.  Keep this in mind if ever asked to provide a laptop by an ATF IOI.

You must provide ATF with strong enough Wi-Fi for them to conduct their audit as well as provide them with a digital copy of your bound book which ATF can have on split screen or toggle between the 4473 they are reviewing and the related bound book record.

Lastly, you should NEVER share your username and log in information with ATF during an inspection.

The short answer is no.  Every FFL will get inspected by ATF at some point in time.  It isn’t a matter of if, it is a matter of when.  However, notifying ATF of your intent to store your 4473s digitally will not increase the number of times you are inspected nor cause an inspection in general.

Keep in mind, that just because you are storing forms digitally does not mean ATF has access to your 4473s.  ATF only has access to your records when YOU grant them access using 4473s Cloud’s ATF Audit Mode.

Yes.  But, don’t worry, the process to set this up is painless.  You simply use the built in Export File Manager to download the file folder tree.  From there, 4473 Cloud does everything for you, every day.

Maybe.  Probably not the specific answer you were looking for, right?  Remember, ATF regulations require that you follow all state and local requirements prior to transferring a firearms to a non-licensee.  That can mean waiting periods, additional state forms be completed, verification of firearm purchase cards, etc.  This applies to document retention as well.

For ATF auditing purposes,  keeping a digital copy of the state form with the 4473 can be done with 4473 Cloud.  However, the state may require you to keep the hardcopy as well.  You will need to verify your state specific requirement and ensure you operate in a manner that meets that requirement.

Quite easily.  You simply click here – use the map and list of Field Divisions provided on the page to determine which field division your location falls under.  Once you know, click the correct field division in the table on the webpage.  Copy and paste the email address provided and CC the field division when you submit your variance request to ATF HQ.

Alternatively, you can send them an email of notification separately.

Something as simple as:

To Whom It May Concern:

This email is to meet the ATF requirement of notification of our intent to store 4473 digitally in 4473 Cloud.  Our store, [insert your official company name and dba (if you have one) here], FFL # [insert your FFL Number here] located at [insert address here], has submitted a variance request to ATF FIPB.

You must still print your 4473s until you have waited the required 60-days from the date you notified the local ATF Field Division.  

You cannot log into your 4473 Cloud account from 4473cloud.com.  This is only a marketing site and upon signing up on the get started page, you will receive an email with a secure link to your specific 4473 Cloud “storage locker” location.

If you ever decide to stop storing your 4473s digitally in 4473 Cloud, you simply go to your FFL settings and select the “Download All Records” button.  Once you have downloaded all of your 4473s you can then delete your 4473 Cloud account.  The delete account button is also located in your FFL settings page.

Please note – you must have Account Owner access level to execute this function.  Also, if you plan to continue your business, you will need to print all of those 4473s you downloaded.  You cannot simply keep them in a file on your computer or on a thumb drive.

If you are sending your records to ATF, you can, along with your eBound Book send them digitally together with a copy of your FFL to the OOBRC.  Prior to doing so, please ensure you review the requirements in ATF ruling 2016-1 and 2022-1 to make sure you are doing so in a format acceptable by ATF.

Typically a 4473 is approx. 330 KB.  Meaning that you can store 330,000 4473s for 0.33 GB.  So, in short, not much space at all!