The Firearms Rules 1998

Firearm certificates

3.—(1) An application for the grant, renewal or variation of a firearm certificate shall be in the form set out in Part I of Schedule 1.

(2) The information given by an applicant for the grant or renewal of a firearm certificate in answer to the questions numbered 1 to 16 in the form of application referred to in paragraph (1) above shall be verified in the manner specified in rule 4(1) below.

(3) An application for the grant or renewal of a firearm certificate shall be accompanied by—

(a) the names and addresses of two persons who have agreed to act as referees and who satisfy the requirements of rule 4(3) below, and

(b) four photographs of the applicant as specified in rule 7 below.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5) below, a firearm certificate shall be granted or renewed subject to the following conditions (whether or not in addition to any other conditions), namely—

(i) the holder must, on receipt of the certificate, sign it in ink with his usual signature;

(ii) the holder of the certificate must inform the chief officer of police by whom the certificate was granted within seven days of the theft, loss or destruction in Great Britain of the certificate;

(iii) the holder of the certificate must, without undue delay, inform the chief officer of police by whom the certificate was granted of any change in his permanent address;

(iv) (a) the firearms and ammunition to which the certificate relates must at all times (except in the circumstances set out in paragraph (b) below) be stored securely so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access to the firearms or ammunition by an unauthorised person;

(b) where a firearm or ammunition to which the certificate relates is in use or the holder of the certificate has the firearm with him for the purpose of cleaning, repairing or testing it or for some other purpose connected with its use, transfer or sale, or the firearm or ammunition is in transit to or from a place in connection with its use or any such purpose, reasonable precautions must be taken for the safe custody of the firearm or the ammunition.

(5) Where a chief officer of police is satisfied on an application for the grant or renewal of a firearm certificate in relation to any firearm, weapon or ammunition that it is a firearm, weapon or ammunition to which section 5A(1) or (4) of the principal Act or section 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8 of the 1997 Act apply and that it is to be used only for the purpose or purposes specified in those sections, the certificate shall be subject to an additional condition restricting the use of that firearm, weapon or ammunition to use for that purpose or purposes.

(6) A firearm certificate shall bear a photograph of the holder and, subject to paragraph (5) above, shall be in the form set out in Part II of Schedule 1.