Firearms Licensing

You need to apply to your local police force who will have a firearm administration section.

Before a firearm certificate is granted or renewed, the Chief Officer of Police is required to be satisfied that:

• The applicant is fit to be entrusted with a firearm to which Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968 applies and is not a person prohibited by that Act (e.g. by age or previous conviction) from possessing such a firearm,
• The applicant has a good reason for having in their possession, or for purchasing or acquiring the firearm and ammunition in respect of which the application is made,
• That in all circumstances the applicant can be permitted to have the firearm or ammunition in their possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace.

Along with the application form, you will have to provide, one recent passport sized photo of a true likeness, and details of two persons who are prepared to provide a reference to the application in the case of a firearms certificate and one person in the case of an application for a shotgun certificate. A referee must not be a member of the applicant's family, a serving police officer or police employee or a registered firearm dealer. A referee should be of good character and the reference should be freely given and not on payment of any fee.

You need to complete the personal health and medical declaration part of the application form. This includes you providing details of your GP and signing the form granting the police permission to obtain factual details of any medical history in relation to your suitability to possess a firearm and/or shotgun.

The application form also requires you to disclose if you have been convicted or received a written caution.

No shotgun certificate will be granted or renewed if the Chief Officer of Police:

• • Has reason to believe that the applicant is prohibited by this Act from possessing a shot gun; or
  • Is satisfied that the applicant does not have a good reason for possessing, purchasing or acquiring one.

Please note that all calls to police involving firearms are treated as if it is a genuine firearm so be aware that if you do wave an imitation firearm around you could find yourself surrounded by firearms officers pointing real weapons at you.

The firearms and ammunition to which the certificate relates must be stored securely at all times to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access to the firearms or ammunition by an unauthorised person.

The Home Office have issued guidance with recommends that firearms should be stored in a locked gun cabinet or other similarly secure container. In some cases if you don't have a gun cabinet, it may be acceptable to remove the firing mechanism from the firearm and store it in a secure container, for example, a safe. In these cases you should then lock away the rest of the firearm. A securely built gunroom or cellar with a steel door that locks can also be an acceptable form of storage. Section 1 ammunition can be stored in a separate secure compartment within a gun cabinet or in its own secure container.

The security of your firearm will depend not only on how the firearms are stored, but also on the overall security of the property where the firearms are kept. Guidance on the security requirements can be obtained from your local firearms licensing department.

Please note that all calls to police involving firearms are treated as if it is a genuine firearm so be aware that if you do wave an imitation firearm around you could find yourself surrounded by firearms officers pointing real weapons at you.

Such permits can only be issued to people visiting Great Britain. They are obtained from the Chief Officer of police for an area and must be applied for by a resident in that area on behalf of a bona fide visitor to Great Britain. They can only be granted if the visitor is a fit and proper person who has good reason to possess a firearm, shotgun, ammunition etc. Conditions can be imposed as with a normal firearms certificate.

Please note that all calls to police involving firearms are treated as if it is a genuine firearm so be aware that if you do wave an imitation firearm around you could find yourself surrounded by firearms officers pointing real weapons at you.

A deactivated weapon is a firearm that has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile and has consequently ceased to be a firearm if:

• the weapon bears a mark which has been approved by the Secretary of State for denoting the fact that it has been deactivated;

AND

• that company or person certifies in writing that work has been carried out on the firearm in a manner approved by the Secretary of State for rendering it incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or missile.

The marks referred to above are:

• Crossed swords with DA and the year round them for the Birmingham, Proof House; and
• DA over a sword and the year for the London Proof House (there are only these two proof houses).

Every deactivated weapon must also have with it a certificate stating that deactivation work has been carried out on it.

Deactivation differs from conversion in that a converted weapon may still fire but a deactivated one may not.

If a weapon is defectively deactivated, it is an offence to make it available for sale or as a gift to another person, or to sell or give it (as a gift) to another person. A weapon is a defectively deactivated weapon if:

• it was at any time a firearm,
• it has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile, but
• it has not been rendered so incapable in a way that meets the technical specifications for the deactivation of the weapon that apply at the time when the weapon is made available for sale or as a gift or (as the case may be) when it is sold or given as a gift.

This offence does not apply if the weapon is sold or given as a gift by a museum, to another museum, both of which have a museum firearms licence.

A Registered Firearms Dealer is the best person to speak to if you are require a weapon to be deactivated. They can make all the necessary arrangements for you, including deactivation of the weapon and getting it proofed. You should not 'deactivate' a weapon yourself; for instance by filling in the barrel or filing off the firing pin. In such circumstances the weapon will still remain a 'firearm' and require to be held on a certificate. Deactivation needs to be carried out by a qualified gunsmith in order to meet the standard necessary for proofing.

Air weapon

• It is an offence for a person under the age of 18 to purchase or hire an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon.
• It is an offence to sell, let on hire or make a gift of an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon to a person under the age of 18.
• It is an offence for anyone under the age of 18 to have with them an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon unless:
  • they are under the supervision of a person aged 21 or over;
  • they are shooting as a member of an approved target shooting club;
  • they are shooting at a shooting gallery and the only firearms being used are either air weapons or miniature rifles not exceeding .23 inch calibre;
  • the person is 14 years old or above and is on private premises with the consent of the occupier.
• It is an offence to part with possession of an air weapon, or ammunition, to a person under the age of 18 except under the special circumstances mentioned immediately above.
• It is an offence to a supervising adult to allow a person under the age of 18 to use an air weapon for firing a pellet beyond the boundaries of any premises.

Shotgun

• There is no minimum age to get a shotgun certificate but a person under the age of 14 years may not be granted a firearm certificate in any circumstances.
• A person under 15 years old may not have with them an assembled shotgun, except while under the supervision of a person of or over the age of 21, or while the shot gun is covered with a securely fastened gun cover so that it cannot be fired.
• A person under the age of 18 may not purchase a firearm or ammunition.
• A person with a shotgun certificate can give or lend a shotgun to a person who is 15 years old on private premises.
• A person must be 15 years old before they can use a shotgun without being supervised by an adult (who must be at least 21).
• A young person with their own shotgun certificate can borrow a shotgun for up to 72 hours.
• Where a firearm or shotgun holder is under the age of 18, responsibility for the secure storage of the firearms and ammunition held on that young person's certificate must be assumed by a person aged 18 or over.
• A person aged between 14 and 17 may possess and use a section 1 firearm and ammunition as long as they hold a valid firearms certificate for that firearm.
• It is an offence for anyone to gift a shotgun or shotgun ammunition, to a person under the age of 15.

A person may also use a shotgun on private premises under certain circumstances. A person without holding a certificate may borrow a shotgun from another person on private premises as long as:

• the weapon is being borrowed for either shooting at artificial targets, hunting animals, or shooting game or vermin;
• the lender is at least 18 years old, holds a relevant certificate, and either has the right to allow others to enter the premises for the purpose of shooting animals, game or vermin, or, is authorised in writing by such a person to lend weapons on the premises;
• the borrower's possession and use of the weapon complies with any conditions set out in the lender's certificate; and
• during the time the weapon is borrowed, the borrower is in the presence of the lender or another person aged 18 or over who holds a relevant certificate and has the right to allow others to enter the premises for the purpose of shooting animals, game or vermin, or is authorised in writing by such a person to lend weapons on the premises.

A person borrowing a shotgun on private premises may also purchase or acquire ammunition on the premises during the time the firearm is borrowed, as long as the ammunition is for use with the borrowed firearm, it is allowed by the lender's certificate, and it complies with any related conditions in the certificate.

It is an offence to possess, purchase or acquire a firearm without holding a relevant firearm certificate at the time. A firearm for the purpose of requiring a certificate means:

• a lethal barrelled weapon, a barrelled weapon from which a shot, bullet or other missile, with kinetic energy of more than one joule at the muzzle of the weapon, can be discharged;
• a prohibited weapon;
• relevant component part in relation to a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon;
• an accessory to a lethal barrelled weapon or a prohibited weapon where the accessory is designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash caused by firing the weapon.

Airsoft guns

There is an exception to the requirement to hold a firearms certificate in relation to airsoft guns. An airsoft gun means a barrelled weapon which:

• is designed to discharge only a small plastic missile, whether or not it is also capable of discharging any other kind of missile, and
• is not capable of discharging a missile, of any kind, with kinetic energy at the muzzle of the weapon that exceeds the permitted level.

A small plastic missile for the purposes of this exemption means a missile that is made wholly or partly from plastics, is spherical, and does not exceed 8mm in diameter.

The permitted level referred to above is:

• in the case of a weapon which is capable of discharging two or more missiles successively without repeated pressure on the trigger, 1.3 joules ;
• in any other case, 2.5 joules .

Air weapons (air rifle, air gun, air pistol)

An air weapon will be classed as a firearm if it is 'a lethal barrelled weapon' as outlined above. If it is not a lethal barrelled weapon, an air weapon is exempt from the requirement to hold a firearms certificate provided it is not designed or adapted for use with a self-contained gas cartridge system, or declared by the Secretary of State as specially dangerous.

An air weapon is deemed specially dangerous if:

• It has a muzzle kinetic energy in excess of:
  • in the case of an air pistol: 6 ft lb;
  • in the case of an air weapon other than an air pistol: 12 ft lb; or
• Is disguised as another object.

As long as the air weapon fits within the exemptions above, you will not require a certificate for it. If in doubt contact your local force's firearms licensing department.

Please note that all calls to police involving firearms are treated as if it is a genuine firearm so be aware that if you do wave an imitation firearm around you could find yourself surrounded by firearms officers pointing real weapons at you.

You must notify the firearm administration section of the police force that issued the certificate without delay of any change of address. There will be details of the exact person or department to notify within the papers received concerning the certificate.

If the change of address means that the firearm will be kept outside of the original force area then they will be able to advise you of the process with regards to obtaining a certificate from the police force in which you now reside.

A firearm permit may be issued to a person to allow them to temporarily possess firearms and shotguns. A permit cannot be issued to authorise the purchase or acquisition of firearms or ammunition.

There are different types of permit to allow for various situations in which a person may need to temporarily possess a firearm or shotgun. For example:

• • A permit to allow an auctioneer to sell by auction, expose for sale by auction, or have their possession for sale by auction, the firearms, ammunitions, shotguns and / or air weapons specified in the permit until the date of expiry shown on the permit.
  • A permit to authorise the temporary possession of firearms or ammunition by a relative of the executor of a deceased person or the receiver or liquidator of a bankrupt.

Permits are issued by the firearms licensing unit of a police force in circumstances when it would not be appropriate to issue a firearm or shotgun certificate, or to register a person as a firearms dealer. In considering an application for a permit, the police will conduct basic background checks on police systems to ensure the suitability of the applicant if it does not involve an existing certificate holder.

A permit may also be issued to visitors (non-residents) to allow them to bring firearms and shotguns into the United Kingdom.

Please note that all calls to police involving firearms are treated as if it is a genuine firearm so be aware that if you do wave an imitation firearm around you could find yourself surrounded by firearms officers pointing real weapons at you.