A.R.S. § 13-604 + 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)

Get Your Federal Firearm Rights Back — for $500

If your only felony is an undesignated Class 6, reducing it to a misdemeanor under § 13-604 is the cheapest and fastest path to full federal firearm rights restoration. No § 13-910 petition needed. No federal filing required.

Why Class 6 reduction beats § 13-910 firearm restoration

When most people think about "getting their gun rights back" after a felony, they think of the standard path: A.R.S. § 13-910, which is a court petition to restore state firearm rights. But § 13-910 has a serious limitation that almost no one talks about:

§ 13-910 restores STATE firearm rights only. The federal bar under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is a completely separate problem.

Federal law prohibits anyone convicted of "a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year" from possessing firearms. Most Arizona felonies — including Class 6 — meet this threshold (Class 6 is punishable by up to 2 years). When you complete a § 13-910 petition, Arizona stops considering you a prohibited possessor. But federal law doesn't care what Arizona says — it cares whether the conviction itself was for a "crime punishable by more than one year."

Most federal circuits have held that Arizona's restoration scheme is not a "civil rights restoration" qualifying for the federal exception under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(20). Translation: even after § 13-910, you may still be a federal "prohibited person." Buying a firearm from a licensed dealer (which requires a federal NICS background check) can result in failed checks, lost transactions, and in some cases federal prosecution.

Class 6 reduction takes a different approach. It doesn't restore your rights as a felon — it removes the felony itself. Once the offense is reclassified as a Class 1 misdemeanor, it's no longer a "crime punishable by more than one year" (Class 1 misdemeanors are capped at 6 months under § 13-707). The federal bar lifts automatically because the predicate felony no longer exists.

The legal mechanics

When Class 6 reduction is the right answer

This pathway works when ALL of the following are true:

• You have one felony conviction in your history — and that felony is an Arizona Class 6.
• The Class 6 was left undesignated at sentencing (your minute entry says "Class 6 undesignated" or "Class 6 open").
• The offense was not "dangerous" (no deadly weapon, no knowing infliction of serious physical injury).
• You did not have two or more prior felony convictions when you were sentenced.
• You have completed probation and been discharged by the court.

If any of those don't apply, talk to us at (480) 923-7570. Other paths may still be available, but the analysis is more complex.

After the court order

Once the court signs the designation order:

• Federal NICS database is updated by Arizona DPS reporting, typically 30-90 days after the order. Until then, NICS may still flag the original felony entry; keep a certified copy of the order with you.
• Arizona CCW applications can be filed immediately. Existing CCW permits that were suspended for the felony can be reinstated.
• Federal Firearms License (FFL) applications: the disqualification is removed for ATF Form 7. Existing FFL holders whose licenses were revoked can reapply.
• Hunting and fishing licenses: most state-level firearm-adjacent rights are tied to federal § 922(g) status, which is now clean.
• Armed security and law enforcement employment: the underlying disqualification is removed, though many employers will still review your record. The CSC under § 13-905(F)-(N) provides additional liability protection — see our CSC page.

What this DOESN'T do

Important limitations:

• Class 6 reduction does not seal your record. The case will still appear on background checks, with a notation that the offense was reclassified. To hide it from public view, you'll also need to file under § 13-911 (typical 3-year wait for Class 1 misdemeanor sealing).
• It does not address misdemeanor domestic violence convictions — those carry a separate federal firearm bar under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) which is not lifted by reclassification.
• It does not apply to non-Class-6 felonies. If you have a Class 4 or 5 felony, reduction is not available; you'd need set-aside + state firearm restoration + federal pardon.
• It does not apply if your Class 6 was designated as a felony at sentencing. § 13-604 only works for undesignated cases.

Pricing and timeline

Frequently asked questions