Section A Page 2
The customer should have completed the bottom of Section A (which appears at the top of Page 2) BEFORE you reviewed the form for accuracy, filled in your part of the 4473, conducted the background check (if required), and transferred the firearm.
The reason you have them certify their answers with their signature BEFORE proceeding is to help the ATF’s potential criminal investigation. For example, if they lied on the form, and get caught on the background check, they could claim that they never completed/certified their answers. This is purely a method to assist law enforcement.
Do not worry about delays with their background check. There is a section further down on page 2 wherein you can continue the transfer at a later date.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THE CUSTOMER HAS SIGNED AND DATED THIS SECTION!
Without signing and dating, it is almost as if they never filled out the front part of the 4473.
If you find this on an old 4473, try and get the customer to come back in, reacquire the firearm, and re-transfer it to them on a new 4473. It does not get rid of the mistake (the old 4473 must be in your records), but it goes a long way to show the ATF that you’re trying to do things the right way and that you have ultimately ensured it went to an approved person with a valid 4473.
