U.S. Commerce Department Takes Suppressor Export Controls from State Department

On July 23, the Trump administration issued two interim final rules transferring authority over the export of sound suppressors for non‑automatic and semi‑automatic firearms from the State Department to the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. The rules, scheduled to take effect on November 20, 2026, move suppressors from the US Munitions List to the Commerce Control List, allowing American manufacturers to compete more readily in overseas markets.

Industry groups welcomed the change. Knox Williams, executive director of the American Suppressor Association, called it a "major step" that will protect hunters' hearing and create jobs. Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice‑president and general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, said the reform reduces regulatory burdens and boosts U.S. competitiveness abroad. The move follows earlier export‑control reforms begun under the Obama administration, which left firearm accessories on the USML. Congress recently eliminated the $200 tax on suppressor purchases, but suppressors remain subject to the National Firearms Act; NSSF supports the Hearing Protection Act to remove that restriction.