Firearms licensing: frequently asked questions
What do I do if I move address?
It is your responsibility to ensure that your weapons are secure during the moving process. The easiest way to do this is to arrange to store your firearms with a Registered Firearms Dealer. Your shotguns can be temporarily stored with another shotgun certificate holder, providing he has the accommodation, but remember the 72 hour rule. If he has them for longer than that, they must be entered on his certificate.
If you are moving within the area of your present certificate authority, you must inform them immediately, in writing, and return your existing certificate for amendment. Please be sure to include a daytime contact telephone number.
If you have been unable to temporarily store your weapons elsewhere, you should immediately secure your cabinet, with rawl-bolts, to a solid brick wall inside your house.
A Firearms Enquiry Officer will contact you and arrange for a security inspection at your new home. If you have already returned your old certificate, he will probably bring your new certificate with him. Should he discover that security at your new home requires upgrading, he will provide you with the full details on an official form. You will be allowed ample time to upgrade your security, normally 28 days, but if you find you cannot meet the deadline, contact your Firearms Enquiry Officer.
Provided you have made a concerted effort to complete the work, you will normally find a sympathetic ear, and get a short extension.
If security is found to be totally inadequate, with little likelihood of meeting the required standard in the foreseeable future, you will be required to store your weapons elsewhere until the matter is resolved.
If you are moving to a different Firearms Licensing authority area, most of the above advice still holds true, However, you should immediately contact the Firearms Licensing Department for your new area, and they will inform you of what their procedure is. You should also inform your present Firearms Licensing Department of your intended move, in order that your existing file can be passed to your new authority.