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How to Read an Explosives License Number Information Courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Have you ever wondered what the letters and numbers of your Federal Explosives License (FEL) mean? Let’s explore all the informa- tion you can gather and verify from the FEL number. The first number refers to the region code and there are seven of them - Southeast, Midwest, Central, Southwest, North Atlantic, Mid Atlantic, and Western. The second series is pretty simple, it is the state abbreviation (except for a type 19 license which is used for theatrical flash powder will list BL). The third number is the county code. These three- digit codes are assigned by the U.S. Census Bureau. The next set of characters is the two-digit num- ber indicating the type of license or permit (manufacturer, importer, dealer, or user). Note: Although explosives licenses and permits still show numbers representing distinct explosive types, such as 20 for blasting agents or 50 for fireworks, this distinction is for statistical purposes and does not indi- cate the licensee or permittee is restricted to a specific type of explosive material. The number and letter used in the fifth set of charac- ters indicates the expiration date of the license or permit. The number refers to the year it expires, and the letter refers to the month. For example, a license/permit with 8H code would expire on August 1, 2018. A – January B – February C – March D – April E – May F – June G – July H – August J – September K – October L – November M – December The final sequence of numbers are generated by ATF, and combined with the other characters make up the unique FEL number. When distributing explosive materials, it is important to verify the distributee’s license or permit information, especially the expiration date. Remember, if you are presented with a license or permit with an expiration date which does not match the expiration code, contact your local ATF office before completing the transaction. For additional information, contact your local ATF office or visit: https://www.atf.gov/explosives ATF regions. License Codes 19 – Manufacturer of Theatrical Flash Powder 26 – Dealer of High Explosives 20 – Manufacturer of High Explosives 27 – Dealer of Low Explosives 21 – Manufacturer of Low Explosives 28 – Dealer of Blasting Agents 22 – Manufacturer of Blasting Agents 29 – Dealer of Black Powder 23 – Importer of High Explosives 50 – Manufacturer of Fireworks 24 – Importer of Low Explosives 51 – Importer of Fireworks 25 – Importer of Blasting Agents 53 – Dealer of Fireworks Permit Codes 33 – User of High Explosives 38 – User (Limited) of Blasting Agents 34 – User of Low Explosives 54 – User of Fireworks 35 – User of Blasting Agents 55 – User (Limited) of Display Fireworks 36 – User (Limited) of High Explosives 60 – Limited Permittee 37 – User (Limited) of Low Explosives For example, this license originated in the fourth region, in West Virginia, in Barbour county. It is a manufacturer of high explosives and the permit expires August 1, 2012. EXB 69 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® DECEMBER 2018