Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015

13 Visitor permits S

(1) The chief constable may, on the application of a qualifying visitor, grant a permit (“a visitor permit”) authorising the visitor to use, possess, purchase or acquire an air weapon without holding an air weapon certificate for the period (or a part of it) that the qualifying visitor is in Scotland.

(2) A person may, on behalf of a group of 2 to 20 qualifying visitors, make an application to the chief constable for each member of the group to be granted a visitor permit.

(3) The chief constable may grant a visitor permit to some or all of the members of the group.

(4) The chief constable may grant a visitor permit only if satisfied—

(a) in the case of an individual application, that the qualifying visitor has a good reason for using, possessing, purchasing or acquiring an air weapon while visiting Scotland,

(b) in the case of a group application, that each qualifying visitor is to use and possess an air weapon while visiting Scotland only—

(i) for sporting purposes (including shooting live quarry) on private land,

(ii) for the purposes of target shooting on private land, or

(iii) for the purposes of participating in an event or competition,

(c) in every case—

(i) that the qualifying visitor can be permitted to possess an air weapon without danger to the public safety or to the peace, and

(ii) that the qualifying visitor is not prohibited from possessing an air weapon or other firearm under section 21 of the 1968 Act.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)(b)(i) and (ii) the chief constable may require the applicant to produce evidence that the owner or occupier of the land consents to the visitors' intended use or possession of air weapons on the land.

(6) Except where section 14 applies, the chief constable must, on granting a visitor permit in respect of a group application, attach to the permit as a condition that the holder of the permit may use and possess an air weapon only for such of the purposes described in subsection (4)(b) as the chief constable may specify in the condition.

(7) A visitor permit expires (unless earlier revoked or cancelled) on the expiry date specified in the permit.

(8) No visitor permit is to be granted for a period of longer than 12 months.

(9) An application for a visitor permit is valid only if it complies with the requirements of any regulations under section 36 which apply to the application.

(10) For the purposes of this section and section 14—

• “group application” means an application under subsection (2) for visitor permits made by a person on behalf of qualifying visitors in a group,

• “individual application” means an application under subsection (1) for a visitor permit made by the qualifying visitor,

• “qualifying visitor” means an individual who is—

  (a)

  aged 14 years or more,

  (b)

  not ordinarily resident in Scotland, and

  (c)

  visiting (or intending to visit) Scotland.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 13 in force at 1.7.2016 for specified purposes by S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 2, sch. (with arts. 5, 6)

I2 S. 13 in force at 31.12.2016 in so far as not already in force by S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 3(a) (with art. 4)