Following the Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 the following now applies with regard to firearms and young people:
UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE
No-one under the age of 14 may use a Section 1 Firearm except for target shooting as a
member of a Home Office approved rifle club; or at a shooting gallery where no rifles
larger than .23 inch calibre are used (e.g. at Fairs).
14 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE
At the age of 14 a person may hold a firearm certificate and may then be given firearms
and ammunition within the conditions on the certificate.
The law does not set a minimum age at which the holder of a firearm certificate may
shoot without adult supervision. That is left to the discretion of the parent or guardian.
NEW - 18 AND OVER
On reaching the age of 18, the holder of a firearm certificate may hire or purchase
firearms and ammunition in accordance with the conditions on that certificate.
THE FIREARMS (AMENDMENT) ACT 1988
The above act made it lawful for someone of, or over, the age of 17 to borrow a rifle from
the occupier of private land and use it, on that land, in the presence of the occupier but
only under the conditions on that certificate. Under these circumstances the rifle can also
be borrowed from a “servant of the occupier”, for example a gamekeeper. “In the
presence of” is taken to mean “within sight and earshot”.
NEW – “The Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010” now requires the lending occupier
or servant must be 18 or over when lending to 17 year olds.
For borrowers who are 18 years or older, the lender may be of any age providing they are
an occupier or servant of an occupier and hold a firearm certificate for the rifle being lent
under the provisions of the estate rifle provision.
The following applies to possession of shotguns by young people:
NON- CERTIFICATE HOLDERS
If you wish to use a shotgun and do not have a certificate you may only do so in the following
circumstances;
a) Borrowing a shotgun from the occupier of private land, in his/her presence (if you
are the borrower and under 18 the lender must be aged 18 years or older.)
Or when;
b) Shooting at a police-approved clay shooting layout.
15 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE
Between 15 and 17, with a certificate, you may be given or lent a shotgun (and cartridges) for up to 72
hours by another certificate holder and use them on private premises without supervision.
Making a gift of a shotgun requires an adult (18 or older) to follow the instructions on his shotgun
certificate. In practice this means conducting a full transfer of the shotgun by making an entry in table
two of the young recipient’s certificate stating the word “gift” in the relevant box. Both the person
giving and receiving the shotgun must then inform their own police licensing departments of the
transaction within 7 days by recorded delivery or by email to the email address designated by the
issuing authority.
Once you have been gifted a shotgun you may also lend your shotgun to other certificate holders for up
to 72 hours without the need for a written transfer to be made. If you have to lend your shotgun for
longer than 72 hours you must make an entry into table two of the borrower’s certificate. Both the
person transferring and receiving the shotgun must then inform their own police licensing departments
of the transaction within 7 days by recorded delivery or by email to the email address designated by the
issuing authority. When the shotgun is returned to you; the same process applies but in reverse.
UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE
In this age group if you hold a certificate you are only allowed to borrow a shotgun. There are two ways
to do so; firstly for 72 hours according to certificate instructions (i.e. without completing any written
transfer or notification to police), and secondly by written transfer by the lender onto table 2 of the
recipients certificate and a notification to police by both parties (as per certificate instructions). You
may not purchase, hire or be gifted a shotgun or ammunition.
Additionally; in all circumstances you may only possess an assembled shotgun when supervised by an
adult aged 21 or over, or if the gun is in a securely fastened gun cover so that it cannot be fired.
Information supplied by BASC.