Firearms Act 1968

3 Business and other transactions with firearms and ammunition. E+W+S

(1) A person commits an offence if, by way of trade or business, he—

(a) manufactures, sells, transfers, repairs, tests or proves any firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies, or a shot gun; [F1 or] F2 . . .

(b) exposes for sale or transfer, or has in his possession for sale, transfer, repair, test or proof any such firearm or ammunition, or a shot gun, [F3 [F4 or]

(c) [F5 sells or transfers an air weapon, exposes such a weapon for sale or transfer or has such a weapon in his possession for sale or transfer,]]

without being registered under this Act as a firearms dealer.

(2) It is an offence for a person to sell or transfer to any other person in the United Kingdom, other than a registered firearms dealer, any firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies, or a shot gun, unless that other produces a firearm certificate authorising him to purchase or acquire it or, as the case may be, his shot gun certificate, or shows that he is by virtue of this Act entitled to purchase or acquire it without holding a certificate.

(3) It is an offence for a person to undertake the repair, test or proof of a firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies, or of a shot gun, for any other person in the United Kingdom other than a registered firearms dealer as such, unless that other produces or causes to be produced a firearm certificate authorising him to have possession of the firearm or ammunition or, as the case may be, his shot gun certificate, or shows that he is by virtue of this Act entitled to have possession of it without holding a certificate.

(4) Subsections (1) to (3) above have effect subject to any exemption under subsequent provisions of this Part of this Act.

(5) A person commits an offence if, with a view to purchasing or acquiring, or procuring the repair, test or proof of, any firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies, or a shot gun, he produces a false certificate or a certificate in which any false entry has been made, or personates a person to whom a certificate has been granted, or [F6 knowingly or recklessly makes a statement false in any material particular].

(6) It is an offence for a pawnbroker to take in pawn any firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies, or a shot gun.

[F7 (7) It is an offence for a pawnbroker to take in pawn an air weapon within the meaning of section 1 of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.

(8) Subsection (7) applies to Scotland only.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 3(1) inserted (S.) (31.12.2016) by Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 10), s. 88(2), sch. 2 para. 1(2)(a); S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 3(c)

F2 Word repealed (1.10.2007) by Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38), ss. 65, 66(2), Sch. 5; S.I. 2007/2180, art. 4(f)(i)

F3 S. 3(1)(c) and preceding word inserted (1.10.2007) by Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (c. 38), ss. 31(1), 66(2); S.I. 2007/2180, art. 4(a)

F4 Word in s. 3(1) repealed (S.) (31.12.2016) by Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 10), s. 88(2), sch. 2 para. 1(2)(b); S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 3(c)

F5 S. 3(1)(c) repealed (S.) (31.12.2016) by Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (asp 10), s. 88(2), sch. 2 para. 1(2)(c); S.S.I. 2016/130, art. 3(c)

F6 Words in s. 3(5) substituted (1.7.1997) by 1997 c. 5, s. 52(1), Sch. 2 para. 2(1); S.I. 1997/1535, art. 3, Sch. Pt. I

F7 S. 3(7)(8) inserted (10.4.2017) by The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/452), arts. 1(2), 2(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 3 excluded in part (22.3.2021) by The Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Commencement No. 11 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/282), regs. 1(1), 4