Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1993
Definition
US federal statute establishing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) administered by the FBI. Requires FFLs to conduct a NICS check before transferring any firearm. Over 400 million checks processed since enactment; approximately 1.5 million denials.
- Jurisdiction
- United States, federal
- Year enacted
- 1993
- System created
- NICS, administered by the FBI
- Checks processed
- Over 400 million since enactment
Common questions
What does the Brady Act actually require, as opposed to what NICS does?+
The Brady Act is the statute that requires federally licensed firearms dealers to run a background check before transferring a firearm; NICS is the database and system the FBI built to let dealers perform that check in real time.
Does the Brady Act cover private firearm sales between individuals?+
No, the check requirement applies to transfers by Federal Firearms Licensees, so private sales that do not go through a licensed dealer are not covered by the Brady Act's background check mandate, which is a frequently misunderstood limit of the law.
Related terms
- Arms Trade Treaty 2013 (ATT)
- The first legally binding global instrument governing the international trade in conventional arms. In force 24 December 2014; 113 state parties as...
- DC V. Heller (2008)
- US Supreme Court decision (554 US 570) holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms for...
- eTrace (ATF)
- ATF's electronic firearms trace system. Allows domestic and (via bilateral agreements and iARMS) international law enforcement agencies to submit serial-number trace requests...
- Firearms Act 1968 (UK)
- The primary UK statute governing firearms. Section 1 requires a Firearm Certificate (FAC) for most firearms; section 2 requires a Shotgun Certificate;...
- Gun Control Act 1968 (GCA)
- US federal statute establishing the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) system for commercial sales, the Form 4473 record, and the prohibited-person categories under...
- INTERPOL iARMS
- INTERPOL's Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System. Multilateral database enabling law enforcement in INTERPOL member countries to trace recovered or seized...
- National Firearms Act 1934 (NFA)
- US federal statute governing machine guns, short-barrelled rifles, suppressors, destructive devices, and other NFA items. Requires registration on the NFRTR and a...
- R V. Bentham (2005)
- House of Lords decision (2005 UKHL 18) holding that a component of a section 5 firearm must be a manufactured artefact. A...
- UN Programme of Action (UN POA 2001)
- Non-binding political commitment by UN member states to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Sets...