New firearms application forms by 1st December

BASC Firearms Dept

Well-Known Member
Official Member
BASC members help to simplify firearms licensing.

8th August 2013

Following consultation with the UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and an online vote by BASC members, a new form designed to simplify the firearms application process has been published by the Home Office.

Under the current system, renewing coterminous certificates means completing four separate forms, with the same details repeated time and time again, an issue which has frustrated BASC members for many years. The new procedure, made available from December 1st 2013, will include only one form for grants and renewals. There will be a small separate form for anyone wanting to vary their firearm certificate

Other benefits to be introduced include the removal of the requirement for a professionally-qualified countersignatory. This means applicants will no longer need to approach a person such as an MP or Doctor to sign their shotgun certificate but will be able to use a suitable person who has known them for over two years, and who is not a family member, Registered Firearms Dealer or police employee.

Ammunition requirements have also been simplified; under the new system it will no longer be mandatory to declare how much ammunition can be bought, only how much can be possessed.

For co-terminous applications for shotgun and firearm certificates there is now a requirement for only four photographs to accompany the joint application rather than eight.

Along with the new single form there will be an “equality information” page. This is not a compulsory form and need only be completed if the applicant wishes to.

BASC’s senior firearms officer Mike Eveleigh said: “BASC has worked with the police and Home Office for over eight years in an attempt to simplify and refine the forms and while they are not perfect in our eyes, they are a great improvement over the previous forms. They are a genuine attempt to simplify the process and we would like to thank all the BASC members who voted and helped with the development.”

Once new forms are available for online download, BASC will updates its forms and fees page - http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/firearms/certificate-forms-and-fees.cfm

The Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2013 can be viewed in full here - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1945/contents/made
 
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Well done BASC ! Its a real step forward and BASC seem to be the only organisation with shooting insurance as part of their offering engaging with the police on issues like this. Or am I wrong ?
 
A Firearms Good News Story? I was glad I was sitting down when I read that!

Seriously though well done BASC - glad I am a Member.
I like the ammunition changes in particular, I always thought that the two sets of 'purchase' and 'possess' numbers was daft.
 
That does sound good. Hope even those that are not friends of BASC on here can applaud a job well done.
 
Are we going to be able to fill these new forms in electronically and save completed, or part completed, copies?

I've not had a proper look at them yet, so sorry if it is obvious!!

hh
 
Thank God, that endless repetition was soul destroying, good news for a change.

John
 
eCommerce is being looked at, online applications has serious interest within ACPO and Home Office. Watch this space.
 
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All good news. Well done basc

This is one of the reasons I have supported basc for years and consider the political and media presence to be the most important aspects not just the insurance which is the only real benefit of the "cheaper" organisations
 
All good news. Well done basc

This is one of the reasons I have supported basc for years and consider the political and media presence to be the most important aspects not just the insurance which is the only real benefit of the "cheaper" organisations

Thank you Druid and others for the kind comments.
 
work such as this is what I look for , excellent result and well done
think I'll be adding BASC to my memberships :)
 
Welcome news, could you do anything about the amount of photo's that have to be provided with coterminous renewals as its something that's always pi55ed me off can't for the life of me see why they need so many nowadays especially.
 
This is a welcome step forward and hopefully one that shows some momentum towards an essentially paperless system c/w online point-of-sale notifications.

The day-to-day business of certificate holders buying, selling and varying should be made as simple and automatic as possible so that the initial applications/issue and renewals processes -which are most likely to have a bearing on public safety- can be carried out promptly as well as thoroughly.

So well done, BASC, for improving things within the existing system, but please keep pressing on towards a truly fit-for-purpose 21st-century system that protects public safety without unduly obstructing lawful ownership, activities or commerce.
 
eCommerce is being looked at, online applications has serious interest within ACPO and Home Office. Watch this space.

So does that mean we can fill them in electronically and save them or not.................not fussed about electronic submission of forms, just fed up writing it all out in crayon, again and again and again............

hh

PS I agree this is a job well done, just in case my above comments come across in a negative way!!
 
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