The Firearms (Amendment and Revocation) Rules 2026

Made: 12th March 2026

Coming into force: 23rd March 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 26A, 26B(1), (2)(a) and (b) and 53(1)(a) of the Firearms Act 1968[^f00001].

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Rules may be cited as the Firearms (Amendment and Revocation) Rules 2026 and come into force on 23rd March 2026.

• (2) These Rules extend to England and Wales and Scotland.

Revocation

2

The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025[^f00002] are revoked.

Amendments to the Firearms Rules 1998

3

• (1) The Firearms Rules 1998[^f00003] are amended as follows.

• (2) In rule 5 (shot gun certificates), for paragraph (3)(a) substitute—

(a) the names and addresses of two persons who have agreed to act as referees, and

• (3) In rule 6 (verification of application: shot gun certificate), in the heading for “referee” substitute “referees”.

• (4) In Schedule 1 (form of application for firearm and shot gun certificates, and firearm certificate), for the form in Part I (application for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shot gun certificate) substitute the form in Schedule 1 to these Rules (application for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shot gun certificate).

• (5) In Schedule 5 (firearms dealers: forms of application, notification and registers), for the form in Part I (firearms dealers: application for registration or for new certificate of registration) substitute the form in Schedule 2 to these Rules (firearms dealers: application for registration or for new certificate of registration).

Schedule 1 — Application for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shot gun certificate

Schedule 2 — Firearms Dealers: Application for registration or for new certificate of registration

Signed

Sarah Jones — Minister of State — Home Office — 12th March 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Rules)

Explanatory Note

These Rules revoke and replace S.I. 2025/914 and include reference to section 26A and 53(1)(a) of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) (“the 1968 Act”). These references were omitted in error.

Rule 3(2) increases the number of referees required in support of an application for the grant or renewal of a shot gun certificate from one to two.

Rule 3(4) replaces the existing application form for a grant or renewal of a firearm or shot gun certificate. The new form reflects the requirement for those applying for a grant or renewal of a shot gun certificate to be supported by two referees and seeks information on the applicant’s neuro-developmental conditions and time spent abroad.

Rule 3(5) replaces the existing application form for registration as a firearms dealer or for a new certificate of registration as a firearms dealer. The new form seeks information on the applicant’s neuro-developmental conditions and time spent abroad.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1968 c. 27. Sections 26A and 26B were substituted for section 26 as originally enacted by section 37 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 (c. 5). Section 53 was amended by section 61(3)(a) of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 (c. 17). There are other amendments to the Firearms Act 1968 which are not relevant to these Rules.

[^f00002]: S.I. 2025/914.

[^f00003]: S.I. 1998/1941; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2013/1945, 2014/1239, 2017/1281 and 2021/1172. There are other amendments to S.I. 1998/1941 which are not relevant to these Rules.