Firearms

The Firearms and Explosives Licensing Branch is responsible for issuing Certificates for Firearms, Shotguns and Explosives. Fourteen Firearms Enquiry Officers (FEOs) cover every parish in Sussex.

The minimum age at which firearms and ammunition can be purchased or hired is 18 years old.

Please download the relevant application form (listed at the bottom of this page) and either complete it on your computer or print it off.

There are currently delays in the processing of firearms licenses. We appreciate your patience and endeavour to complete applications as quickly as possible.

If you are completing it in on your computer, please note that only the information you can see in each box will print out. If your text scrolls down too far, you will lose whatever you can't see.

Please remember to sign and date each form by hand once printed out.

Please read the notes at the end of each form carefully as you are required to supply payment and signed photographs. Check the amount you must pay in our fees section.

Fees

All cheques should be made payable to Sussex Police Authority.

You will need a large letter stamp if you are using an A4 envelope. Please remember to include the correct postage.

Firearms Certificates (Valid for five years)

• Grant of firearm certificate: £50.00
• Renewal of firearm certificate: £40.00
• Variation of a firearm certificate (other than when it is renewed at the same time) to increase the number of firearms to which the certificate relates: £26
• Replacement of a firearm certificate lost or destroyed: £9.00

Shot Gun Certificates (Valid for five years)

• Grant of shot gun certificate: £50.00
• Renewal of shot gun certificate £40.00
• Replacement of shot gun certificate lost or destroyed: £8.00
• Renewal of shot gun certificate which expires at the same time as a firearms certificate (co-terminous): £10.00

Returning your form by post

The address to send all the forms to is:

Firearms and Explosives Licensing Branch,
Sussex Police Headquarters,
Malling House,
Church Lane,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2DZ.

Applicants should post their completed forms as soon as possible. Only in exceptional circumstances should applicants pre-arrange personal delivery, and this can only be accommodated between 7:30am - 4pm Monday - Friday.

You can also fax them to us using our number: 01273 404228.

Any general firearms enquiries can be dealt with by contacting the Firearms Unit at Sussex Police by email or by calling 01273 404117 between 10am-3pm.

Downloadable forms

Firearm Certificate (Form 101)
Application for the grant of a firearm certificate or renewal/variation of an existing certificate. Applications for Firearms Certificates (Form 101) must be accompanied by two Reference Forms (Form 125), below.

Reference Form (Form 125)
You must have two reference forms with each firearm application form. You'll notice there is just one form, it is the same for each referee so please use the same form twice. Reference forms must be sent to the address above by the referees themselves.

Shot Gun Certificate (Form 103)
Application for the grant of a shot gun certificate, or renewal of an existing certificate.

Notification of Transfer/Disposal of a Firearm/Shot Gun

Application for an Exemption under Section 11(6) of the Firearms Act 1968

Section 1 Firearms Land Approval Request

Guidance for Explosives Certificate Applications

Explosives Certificate Application Form COER 1

Explosives Certificate Application Form COER 1A

Explosives Certificate Renewal Form COER 1B

Before you start using your gun you need to know how to stay safe.

The following are basic principles:

The minimum age at which firearms and ammunition can be purchased or hired is 18 years old.

Keep your gun locked up in a cabinet, preferably hidden within a larger storage area. This prevents curious children, house guests or even burglars from accidentally mishandling your gun.

Keep your ammunition safe in a secured cupboard or out of reach of children. Firearms ammunition must be locked in a separate container to the gun.

Never point a gun at anybody, even if you know it is not loaded. It will scare somebody if you point any gun at them. Can you be absolutely sure that the gun is not loaded?

Don't leave bits of oily rag in the bores of the gun with the intent of preventing rust. If your gun is properly cleaned and stored, this won't help and you could forget the rag is there.

Never trust a safety catch - treat it only as a second line of defence because it could be faulty. No-one was ever shot by an open, empty gun.

Transport your gun safely and lock it in the boot or place it in the back of an estate car under a cover like travel rugs or coats.

Before you use your gun:

• Keep it in its container until you are ready to use it. Carry the gun to the location in its slip so that if it rains, there is somewhere dry to stow it.
• Open the gun as you take it out of the container, that way it can immediately be seen to be unloaded and the barrel(s) clear.
• Keep the gun broken until just before you are ready to fire it.

Never carry a gun:

• Cradled in your arms
• Over your shoulder with the barrels pointing behind
• With the safety catch off
• With your finger on the trigger
• With the barrels pointed sideways into hedgerows, woodland or in any direction your common sense tells you is dangerous.

Any general firearms enquiries can be dealt with by contacting the Firearms Unit at Sussex Police by email or by calling 01273 404117 between 10am-3pm.