Apply or renew a firearms licence

Before making an online application for the grant or renewal of a firearm or shotgun certificate, you must:

• Read the guidance notes
• Download the doctor’s letter and medical information proforma (PDF) to pass to your doctor for completion

Referee

Your application must be supported by an endorsement from two people who have agreed to be a referee. The referees must:

• be resident in Great Britain
• have known you for at least two years
• be of good character
• not be a family relation
• not be a partner or partner’s family member

Photographic evidence

Your application must be supported by a passport photograph showing your current true likeness and signed by yourself.

Good reason

You must provide a good reason for possessing a section 1 firearms. For example:

• Target shooting – you will need to provide details of the club of which you are a member
• Quarry shooting – you will need to provide details of your permission to shoot over at least one piece of land

Applications

All firearm and shotgun licence applications require a security inspection and visit to your home before we can issue your licence.

If your application is complete, payment will be processed immediately.

All incomplete applications will be returned for your attention.

Renewing your certificate

Your application for renewal must be submitted at least eight weeks before your certificate expires. Failure to do this may result in delays.

Do not submit renewals earlier than three months prior to expiry, as these will be rejected and returned to you.

Your new certificate will be sent to you five working days before the expiry date of your current certificate.

We deal with a high number of renewals every month and are therefore unable to acknowledge individual applications.

Inspection visit

Depending on the current renewal procedures, you may not receive an inspection visit.

Alternatively, you can download the PDF documents and return them with your payment and supporting information to Firearms Licensing.

• Form 201 – Application for Firearm-Shotgun Certificate (PDF)
• Form 646 – Request for Additional Information (PDF)

If you are not completing the online form, you will need to provide a good reason for possessing a section 1 firearm on the request for additional information form.