
1 

(1) These Rules may be cited as the Firearms (Amendment) Rules 2025 and shall come into force on 5th August 2025.
(2) These Rules extend to England and Wales and Scotland.
2 

(1) The Firearms Rules 1998 are amended as follows.
(2) In rule 5 (shotgun certificates), for paragraph (3)(a) substitute—“
(a) the names and addresses of two persons who have agreed to act as referees and”.
(3) In rule 6 (referee: shotgun certificate), in the heading for “referee” substitute “referees”.
(4) In Schedule 1 (form of application for firearm and shotgun certificates, and firearm certificate), for the form in Part I (application for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shotgun certificate) substitute the form in Schedule 1 to these Rules (application for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shotgun certificate).
(5) In Schedule 5 (firearms dealers: forms of application, notification and registers), for the form in Part I (firearms dealers: application for registration or for new certificate of registration) substitute the form in Schedule 2 to these Rules (firearms dealers: application for registration or for new certificate of registration).
3 

(1) The amendment made by rule 2(2) of these Rules has no effect in relation to an application for the grant or renewal of a shotgun certificate that is received on or before 5th September 2025 by the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant resides.
(2) An application for the grant or renewal of a firearm certificate or a shotgun certificate may continue to be made using the application form which is replaced by rule 2(4) if it is received on or before 5th September 2025 by the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant resides.
(3) An application for registration or for a new certificate of registration for firearms dealers may continue to be made using the application form which is replaced by rule 2(5) if it is received on or before 5th September 2025 by the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant resides.
Diana Johnson
Minister of State
22nd July 2025Home Office

Schedule 1
Rule 2(4)

Schedule 2
Rule 2(5)
