Notes of Guidance

Your responses, comments and observations are of vital importance in assisting the Police in assessing the suitability of applicants to possess firearms.

It is vitally important that you carefully read the notes and conditions on completing the Referee Form to reduce delays in the renewals process. Attention should be drawn to section C, particularly to questions 15, 16, 17 and 18.

The information given in your answers should be full and comprehensive; answers such as “NO”, “NOT KNOWN” and “NOT APPLICABLE” should be avoided. Answers of this nature indicate that you may have insufficient knowledge of the applicant to complete the form and in which case you should not offer to act as a Referee.

As a Referee we expect an opinion of a positive or negative nature of the applicant, indicating how long you have known the applicant, any medical knowledge and their personal circumstances.

The Referee Form MUST be returned to the Firearms Licensing Department within 28 days and should NOT be returned to the applicant. All information supplied will be treated in strictest confidence.