Sinistral
Well-Known Member
There are a couple of threads on the go about a time lag in licensing, contradictory as ever.
For those needing a Variation there might be a bigger queue than usual.
2020 - 2021 are ‘hump years’ for Renewals, which will take precedence. It’s a knock-on effect of extending the life of FAC’s from 3 to 5 years. This was introduced in 1997 along with the handgun ban. Some of us are young enough to remember that.
What happened back then was that certificates due for renewal mid 1997 - mid 1999 had their expiry date extended by 2 years. That affected my renewal in 1998 which was put off. Along with the new 5-year term, compulsory home visits were started (Cullen Report). That meant a doubling of work for FLD’s to clear the backlog starting year 2000. With a 5-year renewal cycle we’re now into the 4th anniversary of this. It has obviously diminished over time, but nobody knows by how much.
Those with a renewal coming up maybe need to think ahead. The Firearms Act 1968 (S.28) has been changed so that any FAC in E&W which hasn’t been renewed by midnight of the expiry date is automatically extended by up to 8 weeks, providing your application is made 8 weeks in advance. Any extension is rolled in to the next 5yr term.
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Policing and Crime Act 2017
Section 131 Limited extension of firearm certificates etc
(1)After section 28A of the Firearms Act 1968 (certificates: supplementary) insert—
“28B Certificates: limited extension
(1)This section applies where—
(a)an application is made for the renewal of a certificate on or before the day which falls 8 weeks before the day at the end of which the certificate is due to expire, but
(b)the chief officer of police does not determine whether or not to grant the application before the certificate is due to expire.
(2)The certificate continues in force by virtue of this subsection until whichever of the following events occurs first—
(a)the chief officer determines whether or not to grant the application;
(b)the extension period ends.
(3)In subsection (2), “the extension period” means the period of 8 weeks beginning with the day after the day at the end of which the certificate was due to expire.
(4)If the event mentioned in subsection (2)(a) occurs first, and the chief officer grants the application, any period for which the certificate continued in force under subsection (2) is to be treated for the purposes of section 28A(1) as part of the period for which the renewed certificate is in force.
For those needing a Variation there might be a bigger queue than usual.
2020 - 2021 are ‘hump years’ for Renewals, which will take precedence. It’s a knock-on effect of extending the life of FAC’s from 3 to 5 years. This was introduced in 1997 along with the handgun ban. Some of us are young enough to remember that.
What happened back then was that certificates due for renewal mid 1997 - mid 1999 had their expiry date extended by 2 years. That affected my renewal in 1998 which was put off. Along with the new 5-year term, compulsory home visits were started (Cullen Report). That meant a doubling of work for FLD’s to clear the backlog starting year 2000. With a 5-year renewal cycle we’re now into the 4th anniversary of this. It has obviously diminished over time, but nobody knows by how much.
Those with a renewal coming up maybe need to think ahead. The Firearms Act 1968 (S.28) has been changed so that any FAC in E&W which hasn’t been renewed by midnight of the expiry date is automatically extended by up to 8 weeks, providing your application is made 8 weeks in advance. Any extension is rolled in to the next 5yr term.
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Policing and Crime Act 2017
Section 131 Limited extension of firearm certificates etc
(1)After section 28A of the Firearms Act 1968 (certificates: supplementary) insert—
“28B Certificates: limited extension
(1)This section applies where—
(a)an application is made for the renewal of a certificate on or before the day which falls 8 weeks before the day at the end of which the certificate is due to expire, but
(b)the chief officer of police does not determine whether or not to grant the application before the certificate is due to expire.
(2)The certificate continues in force by virtue of this subsection until whichever of the following events occurs first—
(a)the chief officer determines whether or not to grant the application;
(b)the extension period ends.
(3)In subsection (2), “the extension period” means the period of 8 weeks beginning with the day after the day at the end of which the certificate was due to expire.
(4)If the event mentioned in subsection (2)(a) occurs first, and the chief officer grants the application, any period for which the certificate continued in force under subsection (2) is to be treated for the purposes of section 28A(1) as part of the period for which the renewed certificate is in force.
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