BREAKING NEWS: Sound moderators removed from firearms licensing as reform takes effect

Sound moderators have been removed from firearms licensing controls in England, Wales and Scotland, ending the long-standing requirement for certificate holders to apply for a variation before acquiring one. The change took effect on 29 June 2026, when section 44 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 came into force.

What has changed for sound moderator owners?

Until now, a shooter who wanted to fit a sound moderator to a section 1 rifle had to apply to vary their firearm certificate, pay the fee and wait for police approval before taking possession. That variation requirement has gone.

Certificate holders can now acquire a moderator without first varying their certificate, saving both time and money. The accessory is treated as a fitting rather than as a firearm in its own right.

Do you still need a certificate?

Yes. In place of the old controls, the Act inserts a new offence. It is an offence to possess a sound moderator or flash suppressor for a section 1 firearm unless you hold a firearm or shotgun certificate, so the accessory remains tied to certified shooters.

Section 44 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removes sound moderators and flash suppressors from the definition of a firearm under section 57 of the Firearms Act 1968, which had governed them for decades.

Why were sound moderators controlled for so long?

Sound moderators reduce the noise of a shot, protect the shooter’s hearing and limit disturbance to livestock, neighbours and wildlife. Shooting organisations have long argued that they are safety devices, not weapons, and that certificate control brought no public safety benefit.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, the official partner of Shooting Times, campaigned for many years for the change. Bill Harriman, BASC’s director of firearms, said: “I am glad that government has finally removed sound moderators from the firearms licensing regime. These inert metal tubes are incapable of causing any harm and their control over the last 58 years has simply added another layer of controls with no commensurate benefit to public safety.”

He added that moderators had “no significant history of use in crime” and that deregulation “benefits the shooting community whilst relieving hard-pressed police licensing units of a substantial administrative burden.”

What does it mean for police firearms licensing?

Sound moderators make up 33 per cent of all firearms recorded on the National Firearms Licensing Management System, according to BASC. Removing the need to process and administer those entries is expected to ease a significant workload for police licensing departments, which have faced long delays on certificate applications and variations.

What happens next?

BASC said it would produce new guidance for members as the detail of implementation becomes clear, and would continue to engage with government and police forces as the change beds in. Shooters with questions about how the reform affects them can contact their force’s firearms licensing department or BASC’s firearms advice service.

The change was commenced through regulations made under the Crime and Policing Act 2026. The full text of the Act is available at legislation.gov.uk.