Levy & McRae advises individuals, estates, clubs and commercial organisations on firearms law across Scotland and the wider UK. We deal with applications, renewals, variations, refusals and revocations, and defend firearms-related prosecutions in courts throughout Scotland. We also act for bodies including the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and the Scottish Association for Country Sports.
A greater focus on risk
Firearms licensing is becoming more exacting. The updated Home Office Firearms Law Guidance to the Police and statutory guidance, most recently updated in August 2026, place greater weight on risk and continuing suitability. Chief officers must take the statutory guidance into account and justify any departure from it.
Higher costs and wider enquiries
From June 2026, certificate grant and renewal fees have increased. Full cost recovery is built into these fees. For estates, gamekeepers and sporting organisations, the added cost and administration may be significant.
Licensing authorities are also considering more information. Referee requirements and disclosure obligations have expanded, and enquiries may extend further into personal, medical and domestic circumstances. Information from third parties may also be relevant.
The law itself has not fundamentally changed, but its application has. Decisions increasingly depend on an overall assessment of the person and the available information. Certificate holders are subject to a passive system of continuing review, rather than assessment only at grant or renewal. New information or changes in circumstances may prompt further police enquiries into suitability.
Possible changes to shotgun certificates
There has been discussion about bringing shotgun certification closer to the stricter firearm certificate regime. The prospect of consultation should not be taken to mean that alignment will follow, and it should not be presented as an imminent change. If a wider “good reason” requirement were introduced, it would represent a significant change for the rural and sporting sectors.
The wider regulatory climate is also shaped by concerns about converted imitation firearms and weapons or parts obtained online. These concerns arise extremely rarely in traditional sporting or estate use or within the wider certificate-holding community. Nevertheless, they influence the environment in which licensing decisions are made and contribute to the emphasis on precaution.
What this means in practice
Certificate holders and applicants should take particular care when dealing with the licensing process. Problems often arise from changed circumstances, incomplete information or different views about what is relevant to risk, rather than deliberate wrongdoing. For those working in the rural economy, the effect on day-to-day work and reputation can be immediate.
The key points are:
- Decisions now depend more on an overall assessment of suitability.
- Personal, medical and third-party information may be considered.
- Existing certificates can be reviewed if new concerns arise.
- Discussion of shotgun certification should not be confused with an imminent change to the law.
- Early advice may stop a manageable issue becoming more serious.
Levy & McRae advises on every stage of the licensing process, from applications and renewals to refusals, revocations and criminal investigations. As the system becomes more detailed and fact-sensitive, early specialist advice is increasingly important.
