Apply for this licence
You need a firearm certificate from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to own or possess any firearm or ammunition in Northern Ireland.
How to apply
You must give the following information:
- your details including occupation, nationality and alternative addresses over the past 10 years
- your medical history, details of your current GP and consent for the police to obtain factual details of your medical history
- any firearms and ammunition you already possess, wish to purchase, acquire or give up and full reasons for each
- whether the firearms are to be used on your own land
- details of anyone who has given you permission to use firearms on their land
- details of any previous firearm certificate refusals, revocations or appeals
- your intended storage arrangements for the firearms and ammunition
- any criminal convictions or cautions received including spent convictions
- details of a club official, if you’re a member of a firearms club
Referees
You must also give details of 2 referees including their date of birth, email address and phone number. Referees must be of good character and have known you for at least 2 years. You cannot use the following as a referee:
- a firearms dealer
- a police officer or member of the police support staff
- a resident outside the UK
- a relative
If you’re a member of a firearms club, you can have a club official as one of your referees, as long as that person is of good character and has known you for at least 1 year.
Documents you’ll need
You must upload the following with your application:
- a recent photo of yourself which meets passport photo standards
- a photo of your club membership card (if you have one)
You must also include details of where you got or plan to get your firearm. You’ll need to upload a proof of purchase if acquiring from a registered firearms dealer, or give details of the person you’re buying or loaning it from.
What happens next
A local firearms enquiry officer will visit your home to discuss your application in more detail.
A firearm certificate will normally be valid for 5 years.
Fees
The application fee for a standard firearm certificate is £98. You may have to pay other fees depending on your application. You can pay by debit or credit card.
Fines and penalties
You may be fined, imprisoned or both if you own or possess a firearm or ammunition without a firearm certificate, or make a false statement on your application form.
If you need help applying
You can read the initial grant online application guidelines. You can also email the Police Service of Northern Ireland.