CFR > Title 27 - Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms > CHAPTER II—BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE > SUBCHAPTER C—EXPLOSIVES (parts 555 to 555) > PART 555—COMMERCE IN EXPLOSIVES > SUBPART C—Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions (§555.21 to §555.34) > 555.26—Prohibited shipment, transportation, receipt, possession, or distribution of explosive materials.

555.26—Prohibited shipment, transportation, receipt, possession, or distribution of explosive materials.

(a) General. No person, other than a licensee or permittee knowingly may transport, ship, cause to be transported, or receive any explosive materials: Provided, That the provisions of this paragraph (a) do not apply to the lawful purchase by a nonlicensee or nonpermittee of commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed 50 pounds, if the black powder is intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes in antique firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(16), or in antique devices as exempted from the term “destructive device” in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4).
(b) Holders of a limited permit. No person who is a holder of a limited permit may—
(1) Transport, ship, cause to be transported, or receive in interstate or foreign commerce any explosive materials;
(2) Receive explosive materials from a licensee or permittee, whose premises are located outside the State of residence of the limited permit holder; or
(3) Receive explosive materials on more than 6 separate occasions, during the period of the permit, from one or more licensees or permittees whose premises are located within the State of residence of the limited permit holder. (See § 555.105(b) for the definition of “6 separate occasions.”)
(c) Possession by prohibited persons. No person may ship or transport any explosive material in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or receive or possess any explosive materials which have been shipped or transported in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce who:
(1) Is under indictment or information for, or who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
(2) Is a fugitive from justice;
(3) Is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) and § 555.11 );
(4) Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution;
(5) Is an alien, other than an alien who—
(i) Is lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 )); or
(ii) Is in lawful nonimmigrant status, is a refugee admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157 ), or is in asylum status under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158 ), and—
(A) Is a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign government, as determined by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of State, entering the United States on official law enforcement business, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of this official law enforcement business;
(B) Is a person having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a corporation, partnership, or association licensed pursuant to section 843(a) of the Act, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of such power;
(C) Is a member of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or other friendly foreign military force, as determined by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, (whether or not admitted in a nonimmigrant status) who is present in the United States under military orders for training or other military purpose authorized by the United States, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of the military purpose; or
(D) Is lawfully present in the United States in cooperation with the Director of Central Intelligence, and the shipment, transportation, receipt, or possession of the explosive materials is in furtherance of such cooperation;
(6) Has been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions; or
(7) Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced citizenship.
(d) Distribution to prohibited persons. No person may knowingly distribute explosive materials to any individual who:
(1) Is under twenty-one years of age;
(2) Is under indictment or information for, or who has been convicted in any court of, a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year;
(3) Is a fugitive from justice;
(4) Is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) and § 555.11 );
(5) Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to a mental institution;
(6) Is an alien, other than an alien who—
(i) Is lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 )); or
(ii) Is in lawful nonimmigrant status, is a refugee admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157 ), or is in asylum status under section 208 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1158 ), and—
(A) Is a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign government, as determined by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of State, entering the United States on official law enforcement business, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of this official law enforcement business;
(B) Is a person having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a corporation, partnership, or association licensed pursuant to section 843(a) of the Act, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of such power;
(C) Is a member of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or other friendly foreign military force, as determined by the Attorney General in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, (whether or not admitted in a nonimmigrant status) who is present in the United States under military orders for training or other military purpose authorized by the United States, and the shipping, transporting, possession, or receipt of explosive materials is in furtherance of the military purpose; or
(D) Is lawfully present in the United States in cooperation with the Director of Central Intelligence, and the shipment, transportation, receipt, or possession of the explosive materials is in furtherance of such cooperation;
(7) Has been discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions; or
(8) Having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced citizenship.
(e) See § 555.180 for regulations concerning the prohibited manufacture, importation, exportation, shipment, transportation, receipt, transfer, or possession of plastic explosives that do not contain a detection agent.

Code of Federal Regulations

[ATF No. 1, 68 FR 13781, Mar. 20, 2003]