With around 40 pieces of legislation governing the ownership and use of guns, applying for a shotgun certificate is not as simple as all that.The rules for Northern Ireland are even more complicated and not for this article. If you do not already belong to one of the major shooting…
Shotgun certificate and firearm certificate
If you’re new to shooting and want to own a gun then you’ll need to get a shotgun certificate or firearms certificate
Or maybe you’ve been shooting a while but want to renew your shotgun certificate.
Here are useful articles to help you, covering all the legal aspects.
Police cautions, GP involvement …
What happens if you get a formal police caution? Will it mean the end of your shooting career?
What’s the current situation on medical verification? Do you have to pay your GP to get your certificate through?
What should you do if you inherit a shotgun and you don’t currently have a shotgun certificate yourself? Are you breaking the law? What can you do about it?
And what if you have a holiday home? Should you list your guns as stored there or at your main home. What’s best?
Antique guns
What about antique guns? The law changed on 22 September 2021 meaning owners of firearms which were previously classed as antique require a firearms licence for them.
It is a simple matter to put an antique shotgun on a certificate. All you have to do is to complete Table 2, and inform the police that you no longer keep the shotgun as an antique firearm under the Section 58(2) exemption and that henceforth you will be using it. It is always a good idea to include an approximate date in the entry on the certificate as this makes it easier to remove if you decide to stop using it.
Q: I want to use an antique percussion shotgun for clays and rough shooting. When I applied for it to be put on my licence, the police said that I had to have it proof tested before they would allow me to use it. Is that correct?
A: No. Whether or not a gun has been proofed is not a matter for police licensing departments and they have no jurisdiction in the matter.
FAQs about shotgun certificate applications
Q. How much does a shotgun certificate cost and how long does it run for? A. A certificate is valid for five years, after which it must be renewed if you wish to continue to possess shotguns. A new certificate costs £79.50 and renewal is £49. Q. How old do…
Should the firearms enquiry officer have taken a picture of my gun cabinet?
Q: A while ago I started learning to shoot and now I have been granted my shotgun certificate. I have bought a gun cabinet and installed it. I keep ahead of firearms law and the rules on gun cabinets.However I have a query. I recently had my interview at my…
GP fees for firearms licences – why should we expect a free service?
There are still some shooters who think GPs should be expected to provide a free service for shotgun certificate applicants. This is unrealistic. It seems to me that GPs have been handed a private sector monopoly by the police, under the guise of performing a public service. (Read firearms licensing…
What’s the law on inheriting a shotgun?
Some months after my father passed away the police told my mother that because his shotgun certificate had lapsed she should hand his gun to the local gun shop.
Getting a ‘coterminous’ firearms certificate: a combined firearms and shotgun certificate
If you’re a keen Shot with both firearms certificates and shotgun certificates, then it’s worth applying for what’s known as a coterminous firearms certificate, which basically means that you have a single expiry date to think about. The advantages of a coterminous firearms certificate It costs less than paying separately…
Shotgun certificate – how to get one and how to renew one
Find out how to apply for a shotgun licence, plus more information on waiting times, fees and the appeals process
Will I lose my shotgun certificate because I’ve had a formal police caution?
Shotgun licence: Two weeks ago I was arrested and given a formal caution for an offence I did not commit.
Can I leave a shotgun at my holiday home?
All being well, we’ll be able to go further afield this summer and for those of you lucky to have another property, you could well be wondering if it’s legal to leave a shotgun at a holiday home so that you can do a bit of roughshooting when you’re down…
Medical verification services which speed up firearms certificate applications
Certain police forces now require a medical report as part of your firearms or shotgun application or renewal. This is a review of your medical records, to assess whether or not you have any conditions that might prevent you from holding or retaining a firearms licence. The check has to…
What you need to know about renewing your shotgun and firearms certificates during the COVID pandemic
If you’re medically vulnerable or living with somebody who is, then you’ll have had to be particularly cautious during the COVID pandemic. But what’s the deal if you need to renew your shotgun licence and/or your firearms certificate? A reader wrote to Shooting Times recently with just this query. Here’s…
What are the latest waiting times for shotgun and firearm certificates?
Just how long does it take to receive or renew a shotgun licence or firearms certificate these days. Your firearms and/or shotgun waiting time all depends on where you live. Shotgun licence waiting time in 2019 The table below created by British Association of Shooting & Conservation (BASC) shows the…
8 must-reads that will help when you’re applying for a shotgun and/or firearms certificate
Applying for shotgun and firearms certificates – 8 must-reads How to get your shotgun certificate. Let’s start at the very beginning (as the Sound of Music song goes). This useful piece will tell you how to apply, how long it’s likely to take, what police involvement might be and the…
What’s one of the biggest issues for firearms certificate holders at the moment?
A big concern for shooters last year was police forces demanding that firearm certificate applications were independently medically verified, according to the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). This demand is not in line with Home Office advice. Bill Harriman, BASC’s director of firearms described the situation as: “the…
Should you take up early renewal of your shotgun certificate? (And 14 other things to know about renewing it)
Q: My local force has offered me early renewal of my shotgun certificate. I am told other forces are doing the same. Should I take up the offer? A: Some forces are doing this to even out the workload between the three normal years and the two slack years of…
Why the Home Office consultation on firearms licensing is a muddle
Firearms licensing has never been satisfactory, but it became an even bigger mess in April 2016 when the Home Office introduced new medical requirements. These were agreed between the Home Office, British Medical Association, shooting organisations and the police. The BMA broke ranks almost immediately and some police forces were…
How do I add guns to a firearms certificate?
Q: I have held a shotgun certificate for 40 years, initially for roughshooting, but in recent years, mainly for skeet and DTL. Two years ago I decided that I would like to add FAC to my shooting disciplines and joined my local shooting club as an airgun member, being added to…
How do we list guns as ‘shared’ on our shotgun licences?
My wife and I share a gun cabinet and I’ve been told my shotguns should appear as 'shared' on my wife’s shotgun licence and hers shown similarly on mine.
Will I have problems obtaining a firearms certificate?
I am soon to retire and would like to apply for a firearms certificate to take up shooting with a .17HMR for both targets and vermin.
Do I have to pay my GP when I renew my firearm and shotgun certificates?
Q: While applying to renew my firearms and shotgun certificates, I was asked by my GP practice to pay a £15 charge to release my records to the police. It was my understanding that if the police ask for this information they were to pay for any costs, and that…