BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana hunters using firearm suppressors will not face state penalties for lacking federal tax stamps or registration papers following recent changes to federal law, wildlife officials announced Monday.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issued guidance clarifying how enforcement agents will address suppressors in the field after major federal shifts removed long-standing registration mandates.
Congress recently reduced the federal tax on suppressors to $0, and a federal court in Texas ruled in August that the federal government could no longer enforce specific registration requirements. On Oct. 9, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced it would no longer require agency approval or registration to possess a suppressor.
While Louisiana state law permits hunters to use suppressors, state statutes previously relied on the federal tax stamp as proof that the device was possessed legally.
LDWF officials said enforcement agents will adjust their field inspections accordingly. Agents will not cite hunters or seize equipment simply because an individual does not possess an ATF tax stamp or registration paperwork, provided the suppressor is legally owned and attached to a firearm permitted for the active hunting season.
Officials emphasized that standard hunting regulations and restrictions remain in effect. Agents will continue checking licenses, harvest tags, season dates, legal hunting hours, bag limits and approved methods of take.
Key rules that remain unchanged include:
- Suppressors remain legal for taking game birds, wild quadrupeds, outlaw quadrupeds, nutria and beaver.
- Firearms must still meet legal specifications for the specific season and game pursued; attaching a suppressor does not make an otherwise illegal firearm lawful.
- Individuals legally prohibited from possessing firearms may not possess suppressors.
- Anyone convicted of a class four or greater hunting violation remains barred from hunting with a suppressor for five years following the conviction date.
- Machine guns remain fully regulated under federal law.
Hunters with questions or seeking local contact information for enforcement agents may visit wlf.louisiana.gov/page/contact-local-law-enforcement.