State Department proposes ITAR rule to trim U.S. Munitions List, add exemption

The State Department published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on October 1, 2026, that would amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The department is accepting public comments until November 30, 2026.

The document is titled "International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): Review of the U.S. Munitions List and Related Definitions and License Exemptions." It is listed as a proposed rule with a request for comments.

According to the notice, the department is proposing the changes "to ensure that the U.S. Munitions List (USML) focuses ITAR controls on the most sensitive technologies, to improve regulatory transparency and clarity, and to reduce regulatory burdens."

The notice says the revisions would "remove certain items from the USML, update definitions and standardize the regulatory text, and add a new exemption to the licensing requirements of the ITAR."

Beyond the specific changes in the proposal, the department "also requests public comments to further refine ITAR controls," the notice states.

The notice lists no effective date, since the document is a proposal and not a final rule.

The summary of the proposal does not identify which items would be removed from the USML or describe the terms of the new license exemption. Those details, and whether any of them touch firearms or ammunition categories, are not stated in the summary. The full text is available on the Federal Register.

What happens next: The comment period closes on November 30, 2026. The notice does not say when the department expects to issue a final rule.