Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988

[^key-428897365194cf9b26fc5eb539a5686d]: Words in s. 1(4A)(bb) substituted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 94(2) (with Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2

[^key-0a0967f05a5114ad821bc6f89e1f4949]: Words in s. 8A(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(2); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-d1abec6e320ad2cb3e8ee1b4b21992f5]: Words in s. 8A(3) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(2); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-7db884ab7e0de1d95428457396b7dd1b]: S. 17(3A) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(3)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-49eb27d9405bd2c849698e2568b75e82]: Words in s. 17(1A)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(3)(a)(i); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-441cdaa95dc49b143379c7f577b804cd]: Word in s. 17(1A)(b) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(3)(a)(ii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-e1031d81ade38c74d6da447d2f3f3ea6]: S. 17(1A)(d) and word omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(3)(a)(iii); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-638c75e5908474749383d4a1dcfa3032]: S. 18(1A) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(4)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-85d3dd4869c7b990d25116eb95566f49]: Words in s. 18(4) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(4)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-5c2c917316f33af1331b87ed5db05050]: S. 18(6) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(4)(c); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-11e4521b0a2dbb83c6b67bf07e4c8079]: S. 18A omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-2d9b4ee3aa774b258db02542931627dd]: Words in s. 18B(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(6)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-c640e638453d65ed7dd36c300070972a]: Words in s. 18B(1)(a) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 61(6)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

[^key-ca2c1084e7371e38c581cfe2c45e62ad]: Words in s. 8A(11)(a)(i) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1

[^key-e54c463fe6d340c0da3b885a0f018db9]: Words in s. 8A(11)(a)(i) substituted (E.W.) (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1 table

[^key-4306e2cbbc9ccebde2067b8e2571bd2e]: Sum in s. 11(3)(a) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 4(a)

[^key-264ef1e712da8b363be0fa1e9b9c8269]: Sum in s. 11(3)(b) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 4(b)

[^key-6a6a90fc845c32f382a339077ba541aa]: Sum in s. 11(3)(c) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 4(c)

[^key-a450290d89e873b2c6c43ad0ee4a2252]: Sum in s. 11(3)(d) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 4(d)

[^key-4c55a098f0d839a9c7bf5cf7240ca984]: Sum in s. 17(8) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 5(a)

[^key-ab6803a5b9c4f1c581b06bcbe8f40fd6]: Sum in s. 17(8) substituted (5.2.2025) by The Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/36), arts. 1(1), 5(b)

Coterminous pistol club licences and rifle club approvals.

Fees in connection with approvals under section 15

Possession of firearms on Ministry of Defence Police premises

Visitors’ permits.

Removal of arms and ammunition to Northern Ireland.

Permitted electronic means

18B

• (1) A notice is sent by permitted electronic means for the purposes of section 18 ... if—

• (a) it is sent by an electronic form of communication which the Secretary of State has directed may be used for the purposes of that section,

• (b) it is sent to the electronic address which has been published pursuant to subsection (4), and

• (c) subject to subsection (6), the electronic address has not been withdrawn in accordance with subsection (5).

• (2) Before giving a direction under subsection (1)(a), the Secretary of State must consult—

• (a) the Scottish Ministers,

• (b) the National Police Chiefs’ Council ,

• (c) the chief constable of the Police Service of Scotland, and

• (d) such other persons as the Secretary of State is satisfied should be consulted.

• (3) The Secretary of State must publish directions given under subsection (1)(a).

• (4) A chief officer of police must publish at least one electronic address for each form of electronic communication specified in a direction under subsection (1)(a).

• (5) A chief officer of police may withdraw an electronic address published under subsection (4) by publishing a statement to that effect in the same manner as that in which the electronic address was published under subsection (4); but a chief officer of police may exercise the power to withdraw only if, after the withdrawal, there will still be at least one electronic address available for the form of electronic communication concerned.

• (6) Where an electronic address has been withdrawn under subsection (5), a notice sent to that electronic address before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the day after the date of withdrawal is to be treated as complying with subsection (1)(b).

Firearms and ammunition in museums.

Expenses and receipts.

8A

• (1) It is an offence for a person who owns or claims to own a defectively deactivated weapon—

• (a) to make the weapon available for sale or as a gift to another person, or

• (b) to sell it or give it (as a gift) to another person.

• (2) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply if—

• (a) the weapon is made available for sale or as a gift only to a person who is outside the United Kingdom (or to persons all of whom are outside the United Kingdom), and

• (b) it is made so available on the basis that, if a sale or gift were to take place, the weapon would be transferred to a place outside the United Kingdom.

• (3) Subsection (1)(b) does not apply if—

• (a) the weapon is sold or given to a person who is outside the United Kingdom (or to persons all of whom are outside the United Kingdom), and

• (b) in consequence of the sale or gift, it is (or is to be) transferred to a place outside the United Kingdom.

• (4) For the purpose of this section, something is a “defectively deactivated weapon” if—

• (a) it was at any time a firearm,

• (b) it has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile (and, accordingly, has either ceased to be a firearm or is a firearm only by virtue of the Firearms Act 1982), but

• (c) it has not been rendered so incapable in a way that meets the technical specifications for the deactivation of the weapon that apply at the time when the weapon is made available for sale or as a gift or (as the case may be) when it is sold or given as a gift.

• (5) The Secretary of State must publish a document setting out the technical specifications that apply for the purposes of subsection (4)(c) (“the technical specifications document”).

• (6) The technical specifications document may set out different technical specifications for different kinds of weapon.

• (7) The Secretary of State—

• (a) may from time to time revise the technical specifications document, and

• (b) where it is revised—

• (i) must publish the document as revised, and

• (ii) specify in it the date on which any changes to the technical specifications that apply for the purposes of subsection (4)(c) take effect.

• (8) In the case of a weapon rendered incapable as mentioned in subsection (4)(b) before 8 April 2016, subsection (1)(a) or (b) does not apply if the weapon is made available for sale or as a gift, or (as the case may be) sold or given, by or on behalf of a museum in respect of which a museum firearms licence is in force to another museum in respect of which such a licence is in force.

• (9) References in this section to “sale” include exchange or barter (and references to sell are to be construed accordingly).

• (10) In this section, “museum firearms licence” means a licence granted under the Schedule to the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988.

• (11) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

• (a) on summary conviction—

• (i) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court (or, in relation to offences committed before 2 May 2022, 6 months) or to a fine, or to both;

• (ii) in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;

• (b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine, or to both.

15B

• (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations authorise the appropriate national authority to require payment of a fee before an approval under section 15 is granted, varied or renewed.

• (2) Regulations under subsection (1) must specify the amount of any fee that may be charged.

• (3) The regulations may make different provision for different cases (including specifying different fees for different cases).

• (4) The regulations may include—

• (a) incidental, supplementary or consequential provision;

• (b) transitional, transitory or saving provision.

• (5) Regulations under this section are to be made by statutory instrument.

• (6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

• (7) In this section, “the appropriate national authority” means—

• (a) in or as regards England and Wales, the Secretary of State;

• (b) in or as regards Scotland, the Scottish Ministers.

3A

• (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations authorise the appropriate national authority to require payment of a fee before a licence is granted, varied or renewed.

• (2) Regulations under sub-paragraph (1) must specify the amount of any fee that may be charged.

• (3) The regulations may make different provision for different cases (including specifying different fees for different cases).

• (4) The regulations may include—

• (a) incidental, supplementary or consequential provision;

• (b) transitional, transitory or saving provision.

• (5) Regulations under this paragraph are to be made by statutory instrument.

• (6) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this paragraph is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

• (7) In this section, “the appropriate national authority” means—

• (a) in or as regards England and Wales, the Secretary of State;

• (b) in or as regards Scotland, the Scottish Ministers.

Permitted electronic means

Interpretation and supplementary provisions.