FIREARMS LICENSING REQUIREMENTS IN UK
Visiting hunters and sport shooters travelling to Great Britain (England, Wales, Scotland) with firearms will require:
- A shotgun Visitors Permit (if travelling with a shotgun)
- A firearm Visitors Permit (if travelling with a rifle)
These permits must be applied for by a sponsor who is resident in Great Britain. The sponsor may be the host of a private hunting trip, or they may be acting on behalf of a hunting agency or hunting estate, or they may be the officer of a target shooting club or association who is arranging an international event.
The visitor will need to supply information to the sponsor, including name, address, date of birth, nationality, address whilst in Great Britain (eg hotel details), information on any convictions, details of firearms to be brought to Great Britain (calibre, makers name, type and action, identification number), quantity of ammunition to be possessed/purchased, expected date of arrival in Great Britain.
A visitor from an EU member state should also supply a copy of their European Firearms Pass. This may be a hard photocopy, alternatively a digital scan may be emailed to the sponsor, for them to print out and send with their application form to the police. When the permit is issued, the sponsor will send it by post to the visitor, who must present it to the police or customs official at the UK border on entry.
The cost of a permit is £20
If you are travelling to Northern Ireland, a separate Visitors Permit issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be required.
In Scotland, airguns are licenced, and additional documentation will be necessary.
More details may be found at the following link: HERE
