Renewal of a firearm/shot gun certificate
Firearm and shotgun certificates are valid for five years. Fourteen weeks before the certificate expiry date you will receive a notice of renewal complete with an application form.
This should be returned to the Firearms and Licensing department ten weeks before the expiry date to ensure that all checks can be carried out before the expiry date.
If your certificate expires
If your current certificate expires before you apply for a renewal, you will be committing an offence of being in possession of unlicensed firearms. You will also have to apply for a grant, at an extra cost, instead of a renewal and arrangements will be made to seize your firearms.
Please return your application for renewal as soon as possible - certainly before the expiry date. Remember to include the correct fee and four photographs per application, correctly endorsed by your referees/countersignatory.
At this time you can also consider applying for a variation to your firearm certificate. Variations dealt with at the same time as a renewal attract no extra fee.
Be sure to include full details of all firearms you possess, including serial numbers. The details you supply should always match the details held on our computer record, providing you have always informed us of the disposal and acquisition of each firearm.
On renewal you will be visited in your own home and a check made of your security arrangements. A Firearm Enquiry Officer will contact you to arrange an appointment.