Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill changes how long a person must wait to buy a gun if their background check is not finished immediately. Currently, if the background check system does not give an answer within three days, the sale can often go through anyway. This new rule would require a much longer wait to ensure the check is actually finished.
• If the background check system is slow, the buyer would first have to wait 10 business days. After that, the buyer must send a special request to the government asking for a final decision. The government then has another 10 business days to finish the check before the gun can be sold.
• This is designed to prevent people who are not allowed to own guns from getting them just because the system is busy or missing information. It specifically aims to close a gap that has allowed some people to buy weapons before their criminal records were fully reviewed.
• The bill also requires the government to track how many people are blocked by these new rules and whether the changes help protect victims of domestic violence and stalking. This information will be used to see if the law is working as intended.
• If this bill becomes law, the new rules would start 210 days after it is signed. This gives gun stores and the government about seven months to get ready for the new system and the new paperwork required for buyers.