Firearms Licensing Fees
15/05/2026
On Thursday, 14 May 2026, the UK government published Circular 001/2026: Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2026 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0012026-firearms-variation-of-fees-order-2026), which details an increase in firearms licensing fees from 4 June 2026. This is an inflation-based increase and is in line with the Government's commitment to review fees annually. You will remember that the fees increased significantly in February 2025 after a period of nine or so years during which there had been no increases. This annual, inflation-based increase will avoid the shocks of multi-digit increases.
The following is an extract from the circular;
Firearms licensing applications received by the police on or after 4 June 2026 will incur the new fee. If an application and related payment has been received by the police on or before 3 June 2026, the police will honour the fee that has been paid. Applications to renew firearm and shotgun certificates should continue to be made within the usual timescales (please check the police force website for this information). Applicants should not apply ‘extra early’ in order to avoid paying the new fees. In these cases, the police may return applications and request that the new fee is paid. The National Police Chiefs’ Council has advised that most forces accept renewals up to four months before expiry date.
You will know that the 2025 increase also included full cost recovery. You may also know that, in many cases, the performance of some forces regarding firearms licensing has dropped. All the shooting organisations are alive to this, and it is being challenged in discussions with the Home Office and the NPCC. We are still about two years away from submitting an interesting FOI request that will lay bare how much of the full cost recovery has been spent on firearms licensing departments and how much on other, non-firearms-related matters.
The following are the new fees from 4 June 2026.
If you have any queries about this, please don’t hesitate to call us at the office, and we will do our best to help you.
