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Firearms Act 1968
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Changes over time for: Section 28
Changes to legislation:
Firearms Act 1968, Section 28 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 06 March 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 28:
- s. 3A inserted by 2023 c. 49 s. 2
- s. 11(3A)-(4A) substituted for s. 11(4) by 2023 c. 49 s. 1(2)
- s. 51(2A) added by 1997 c. 48 s. 62(1) Sch. 1 para. 3
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 3A inserted by 2023 c. 49 s. 2
- s. 11(3A)-(4A) substituted for s. 11(4) by 2023 c. 49 s. 1(2)
- s. 51(2A) added by 1997 c. 48 s. 62(1) Sch. 1 para. 3
28Special provisions about shot gun certificates.E+W+S
[F1(1)Subject to subsection (1A) below, a shot gun certificate shall be granted or, as the case may be, renewed by the chief officer of police if he is satisfied that the applicant can be permitted to possess a shot gun without danger to the public safety or to the peace.
(1A)No such certificate shall be granted or renewed if the chief officer of police—
(a)has reason to believe that the applicant is prohibited by this Act from possessing a shot gun; or
(b)is satisfied that the applicant does not have a good reason for possessing, purchasing or acquiring one.
(1B)For the purposes of paragraph (b) of subsection (1A) above an applicant shall, in particular, be regarded as having a good reason if the gun is intended to be used for sporting or competition purposes or for shooting vermin; and an application shall not be refused by virtue of that paragraph merely because the applicant intends neither to use the gun himself nor to lend it for anyone else to use.]
F2(1C). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2)A shot gun certificate shall be in the prescribed form and shall—
(a)be granted or renewed subject to any prescribed conditions and no others; and
(b)specify the conditions, if any, subject to which it is granted or renewed.
[F3(2A)A shot gun certificate shall specify the description of the shot guns to which it relates including, if known, the identification numbers of the guns.]
F4(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F1S. 28(1) substituted by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (c. 45, SIF 51:1), s. 3(1)
F2S. 28(1C) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/742), regs. 1, 59(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
F3S. 28(2A) inserted by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (c. 45, SIF 51:1), s. 3(2)
F4S. 28(3) repealed (1.7.1997) by 1997 c. 5, s. 52(2), Sch. 3; S.I. 1997/1535, art. 3(b), Sch. Pt. I
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 28(2) amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (c. 45, SIF 51:1), s. 9
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