Apply for or manage a section 5, shooting club or museum licence

Prohibited weapons and ammunition (section 5) authority

You need a section 5 authority to handle prohibited weapons, component parts and prohibited ammunition. This includes:

• heritagekeeping pistolsor tousing keepheritage orpistols use under section 7(3) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988
• private maritime security companies
• carriers airlines /and ground handlers

When you apply,apply

Applications youmust willinclude needa thecover followingletter and evidence of trade in order for an initial assessment to completetake yourplace, application:

• without this the authorityapplication holdermay andbe business’srejected.

  Cover name

• theletter Companiesto Houseinclude numberthe ifrequirement relevantfor (finda yoursection Companies5 Houseauthority number)
• details(maximum of2 howpages). theApplication prohibitedmust itemsinclude:
  • business willname
  • authority beholder(s) obtainedname and usedpersonal details
  • a companies coveringhouse letternumber that(if gives:
    • detailsapplicable)

    Documents ofto howshow theevidence prohibitedof itemsyour willbusiness beneed obtainedfor anda used

  • thesection reasons5 youauthority will need to possesscover weaponsevery and/oritem ammunitionor sought,quantities andrequested.

    Examples anyof otherdocuments relevantrequired:

    • valid information.RFD (if applicable)
    • acopy fullof explanationyour ofcurrent whyauthority you(renewal needonly)
    • current theor Secretaryfuture contracts / expressions of State’sinterest
    • invoices authority.from (Newthe applicantslast should6 alsomonths enclose(renewal aonly)
    • addresses businessof planthe thatbusiness setspremises outwhere the background,prohibited missionitems andwill objectivesbe of stored
    • the businesstypes and evidencequantities of prospectiveprohibited trade)items you want the authority to cover

  New applicants / existing licensees with a new work stream

  AdditionalThese supportingapplications documentsmust justifyingalso include a business needplan for(maximum an2 s5pages) authority.that Thesesets documentsout willthe needcompany tobackground coverand everythe item/amountrequirement beingfor requesteda insection the5 authority.authority and evidence of prospective trade.

  For example:

  • current or future contracts
  • invoices from the last 6 months
  • letters of sponsorship from the past 6 months
  • a valid import licencelicence, (ifif applicable)applicable
  • details of third part storagestorage, (ifif applicable)applicable
  • addresses of the business premises where the prohibited items will be stored
  • the types and quantities of prohibited items you want the authority to cover
  • the personal details of one or two2 named authority holdersholders:
    • home (home address, address
    • date and place of birth and nationality)
    • nationality
  • contact detailsdetails, (includingincluding email of main contact if differentthis fromis not the authority holder)holder

  Carriers airlines /and ground handlers

  Cover only,letter pleaseto provide:

  • include the requirement for a coveringsection letter5 thatauthority gives: (maximum 2 pages):
    • details of how the prohibited items will be obtained and used
    • the reasons you need to possess weapons and/or ammunition sought,sought
    • your andprevious anysection other5 relevantauthority information(renewal only)
  • evidence that your previousproposed sectionairline 5or authorityground (ifhandler applicable)is in possession of a valid section 5 authority.

  For more information, viewsee chapter 3 of the guide on Firearms Licensing Law.

  Apply

  England for,and renewWales

  orApply amendfor a section 5 authority if

  Scotland

  you’reApply infor Englanda orsection Wales5 authority

  ApplyTo for, renew or amend a section 5 authorityauthority, ifyou you’remust inapply Scotland.at least 4 months before your current licence expires. This is because the Home Office will need to contact the police before considering the application.

  Shooting club approvalclubs

  England and Wales

  Applications will only be accepted by the Home Office,Office. andDo shouldnot noapply longerdirectly be sent to the police directly.police.

  OnceWe your application has been submitted, we will review ityour toapplication determineand if it is valid and, if so, pass it to the relevant police force, who will then make necessary enquiries before sending the application to us for consideration.

  If you do not providegive sufficientus enough information and supporting evidence your application is likely to be rejected as invalid and you will need to besubmit resubmitted.it again.

  Before applying you mustapply, ensuremake thatsure you fulfilmeet the criteria as set out in the guidance for rifle and muzzle loading pistol clubs.

  Apply online for shooting club approval

  What happens next

  We will review your application and contact you if we need more information. We will also carry out certain checks, including inspecting any storage arrangements.

  Scotland

  ShootingApply clubs in Scotland should apply in writing to:

  Safer Communities Directorate
  Police Powers Unit
  St Andrew’s House
  Edinburgh
  EH1 3DG
  

  Museum licencelicences

  Museums canmust apply for a museum licence if they wish to display or store anyweapons type of weapon or ammunition for exhibition purposes.

  Museums in England and Wales should useapply the online service to:online:

  • apply for a new museum licence
  • to renew an existing licence
  • to amend an existing licence, such as adding new storage locations

  Licences cost up to £200 and are valid for 5 years.

  What a museum licence covers

  A museum licence covers:

  • possession,obtaining, owning, transfer and disposal of section 1 and section 2 weapons
  • possessionowning of section 5 weapons
  • transfertransferring of section 5 weapons to a museum in the same museum group, which is named on the licence

  You need a section 5 authority as well as a museum licence to:

  • transfer section 5 weapons to a different legal entity or organisation - for example, to loan to another museum
  • dispose of section 5 weapons

  It’s free to apply for a section 5 authority.

  Who can apply

  You can only apply for a museum licence if you’re:

  • maintained by Parliament or local government
  • accredited by the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) or Arts Council England and Wales

  YouNon-accredited, can’tprivately applyfunded forand thisprivate licencecollections ifcannot you’reapply afor non-accredited,this privatelylicence. fundedYou’ll orneed privateto collection. Instead you should apply for a firearm or shotgun certificate.

  What happens next

  We will review your application and contact you if we need more information. We will also carry out certain checks, including inspecting any storage arrangements.

  For more information, view chapter 17 of the guide on Firearms Licensing Law.

  Apply for,for renew or amend a museum firearms licence .

  If your firearms application is approved

  We consider each case in its own merit. If your licence is approved, you will receive an email with instructions for payment. We will not issue your licence until the fee is paid. Once you have paid, the licence will be sent electronically by email.

  If you cancel your application

  We consider how much to charge for cancellations case by case. You may be charged any costs already owed relating to administration, travel or accommodation arrangementscosts if you cancel your application:

  • following a police inspection
  • after you receive an outcome from us

  We may also ask for our administrative costs to be paid within 10 working days. We can email you extra information about these costs.

  Contact the Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU)

  Firearms enquiries

  Email public.enquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk for queries about UK firearms legislation and other firearms questions.

  Firearms applications

  For application queries, email dflu.firearmslicensing@homeoffice.gov.uk.

  Fees

  For queries about firearms licensing fees, invoices and billing, email dflu.fees@homeoffice.gov.uk.

  Customer complaints

  Email dflu.complaints@homeoffice.gov.uk for complaints about firearms licences.

  Before you email the DFLU, you should try to resolve any issues with the firearms team directly using the other contact details above.

  You can contact the Home Office by telephone on 0300 105 0248.