The Firearms (Revocation, Consequential Amendment and Saving Provision) Regulations 2026 (accessible)
Published 16 January 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
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Coming into force
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 14(1) and 20(1)(a) and (b) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”)(a).
The Secretary of State is a relevant national authority for the purposes of section 14(1) of the 2023 Act(b).
The requirements of paragraph 6(2) of Schedule 5 to the 2023 Act (relating to the appropriate Parliamentary procedure for these Regulations) have been satisfied.
Citation, commencement and extent
1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Firearms (Revocation, Consequential Amendment and Saving Provision) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force 21 days after the day on which they are laid.
(3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), these Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
(4) Regulation 3 extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
(5) Regulation 4 extends to Northern Ireland.
Interpretation
2. In these Regulations “the 2019 Regulations” means the Firearms Regulations 2019(c).
(a) 2023 c. 28.
(b) The term “relevant national authority” is defined in section 21(1) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.
(c) S.I. 2019/1420.
Revocation
3. The 2019 Regulations are revoked so far as they extend to England and Wales and Scotland.
Amendment of the Firearms Regulations 2019
4. —(1) The 2019 Regulations are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 1 (citation, commencement, extent and interpretation)—
(a) omit paragraph (2);
(b) for the definition of “appropriate national authority” substitute ““appropriate national authority” means the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland;”; and
(c) for the definition of “firearm” substitute ““firearm”, for the purposes of regulations 1 to 4, has the meaning given by Article 2(2) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (interpretation);”.
(3) In regulation 2 (notification of transfers of deactivated firearms), for paragraph (4) substitute—
“(4) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.”.
(4) In regulation 3 (notification of deactivated firearms), for paragraph (6) substitute—
“(6) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.”.
Saving
5. —(1) Where a person transfers a deactivated firearm to another person before the date on which these Regulations come into force and notice of the transfer has not been given before the transfer, for the purposes of regulation 2(1)(b) and 3(1)(c) of the 2019 Regulations—
(a) notice may be given by the person who transferred the deactivated firearm on or after the date on which these Regulations come into force; and
(b) the 2019 Regulations shall continue to apply in relation to such notice as if the revocation made by regulation 3, and the amendments made by regulation 4, had not been made.
(2) Where a person possesses a deactivated firearm before the date on which these Regulations come into force and notice of the possession has not been given before the date on which the person first possessed the deactivated firearm, for the purposes of regulation 3(1)(b) of the 2019 Regulations—
(a) notice may be given by the person on or after the date on which these Regulations come into force; and
(b) the 2019 Regulations shall continue to apply in relation to such notice as if the revocation made by regulation 3, and the amendments made by regulation 4, had not been made.
(3) Where, for the purposes of regulation 3(5)—
(a) a person possesses a deactivated firearm before the date on which these Regulations come into force and notice of the possession has not been given before the date on which the person first possessed the deactivated firearm, and
(b) on or after the date on which these Regulations come into force, the person forms a reasonable belief that the transferor had given, or would give, notice in accordance with regulation 2 of the 2019 Regulations,
the 2019 Regulations shall continue to apply in relation to such belief as if the revocation made by regulation 3, and the amendments made by regulation 4, had not been made.
Minister of State, Home Office
Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers in sections 14(1) and 20(1)(a) and (b) of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (c. 28) (“the 2023 Act”).
These Regulations partially revoke the Firearms Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1420) (“the 2019 Regulations”) and make consequential amendments to them. The 2019 Regulations made provision in respect of deactivated firearms and amended the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/702) (N.I. 3) in order to complete the implementation in the United Kingdom of Directive (EU) 2017/853 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 amending Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons. Council Directive 91/477/EEC has since been codified by Directive (EU) 2021/555.
The 2019 Regulations are secondary retained EU law within the meaning of section 11(2) of the 2023 Act.
Regulation 3 revokes the 2019 Regulations so far as they extend to England and Wales and Scotland.
Regulation 4 extends to Northern Ireland and makes consequential amendments to the 2019 Regulations in light of the revocation made by regulation 3. These amendments include the omission of references to England and Wales and Scotland.
Regulation 5 makes a saving provision. Paragraphs (1) and (2) enable the notification of transfer or possession of a deactivated firearm to be given in England and Wales and Scotland on or after the date on which these Regulations come into force, where the person transferred the deactivated firearm or possessed the firearm before that date. Because the revocation made by regulation 3 does not affect any offence committed before these Regulations come into force, regulation 5(1) and (2) ensure that no such offence is committed where notice is given as soon as practicable after the transfer or possession of the deactivated firearm (even if the notice is given after the revocation date). Paragraph (3) preserves the effect of the defence at regulation 3(5) of the 2019 Regulations in England and Wales and Scotland, where a transferee forms a reasonable belief, after the date on which these Regulations come into force, that the transferor had given or would give notice of the transfer.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.