"acquire" means hire, accept as a gift or borrow;

"air gun" means a firearm powered by compressed air or compressed gas;

"ammunition" means ammunition for any firearm except blank cartridges which are not more than 25.4 millimetres in diameter measured immediately in front of the rim or cannelure of the base of the cartridge and includes - 

(a) grenades, bombs and other like missiles, whether capable of use with a firearm or not; and

(b) prohibited ammunition;

"another member State" means a member State other than the United Kingdom;

"appropriate fee" shall be construed in accordance with Article 75(2);

"armed forces" means any of the naval, military or air forces of the Crown;

"Article 7 authority" has the meaning given by Article 22(1);

"component part", in relation to a firearm, means - 

(a) any barrel, chamber or cylinder;

(b) any frame, action, body or receiver;

(c) any breech block, bolt or other mechanism for containing the pressure of discharge at the rear of the chamber;

(d) any part of a firearm which directly bears the pressure caused by firing; and

(e) any magazine;

"European firearms pass" has the meaning given by Article 19(2);

"European weapons directive" means the directive of the Council of the European Communities No. 91/477/EEC (directive on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons);

"firearm" means a lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged and includes - 

(a) any prohibited weapon, whether it is such a lethal weapon or not;

(b) any component part of such a lethal or prohibited weapon; and

(c) any accessory to any such weapon designed or adapted to diminish the noise or flash caused by firing the weapon;

"firearm certificate" means, subject to paragraph (5), a certificate granted under Article 5;

"firearms club" means a club established for the purpose of promoting and practising skill in the use of firearms (other than shotguns) and includes a cadet corps;

"firearms dealer" means a person who by way of trade or business manufactures, sells, transfers, repairs, tests or proves firearms or ammunition;

"firearms dealer's certificate" means a certificate granted under Article 26;

"handgun" means any firearm which either has a barrel less than 30 centimetres in length or is less than 60 centimetres in length overall, other than an air gun, a muzzle-loading firearm or a firearm designed as a signalling apparatus;

"holder of a firearms dealer's certificate" includes a person registered under section 33 of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27);

"imitation firearm" means anything which has the appearance of being a firearm, whether or not it is capable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile;

"mental disorder" has the same meaning as in the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (NI 4);

"prohibited weapon" and "prohibited ammunition" respectively mean a weapon and ammunition prohibited under Article 45 (including, in the case of ammunition, any missiles falling within paragraph (2)(g) of that Article);

"readable" means - 

(a) visible and legible; or

(b) capable of being readily produced in a visible and legible form;

"relative", in relation to a person, means - 

(a) the father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandmother, grandfather, grandson or granddaughter of that person or of that person's spouse or former spouse, or

(b) the brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew (whether of the full blood or of the half blood or by affinity) of that person or of that person's spouse or former spouse,

and includes, in relation to a person who is living or has lived with another person as husband and wife, any person who would fall within paragraph (a) or (b) if the parties were married to each other;

"revolver" means a firearm containing a series of chambers which revolves when it is fired;

"self-loading" and "pump action", in relation to any firearm, mean respectively that it is designed or adapted (otherwise than as mentioned in Article 45(1)(a)) so that it is automatically reloaded or that it is so designed or adapted that it is reloaded by the manual operation of the fore-end or forestock of the firearm;

"shotgun" means a smoothbore firearm with a barrel not less than 60.96 centimetres in length, not being an air gun;

"shotgun certificate" means a certificate granted in Great Britain under section 28 of the Firearms Act 1968 (c. 27) and authorising a person to possess shotguns;

"slaughtering instrument" means a firearm which is specially designed or adapted for the instantaneous slaughter of animals or for the instantaneous stunning of animals with a view to slaughtering them;

"statutory provision" has the meaning given by section 1(f) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 (c. 33);

"transfer" includes let on hire, give, lend and part with possession;

"visitor's firearm permit" means a permit granted under Article 15(2).

    (3) For the purposes of this Order the length of the barrel of a firearm shall be measured from the muzzle to the point at which the charge is exploded on firing.

    (4) For the purposes of this Order a shotgun or an air gun shall be deemed to be loaded if there is ammunition in the chamber or barrel or in any magazine or other device which is in such a position that the ammunition can be fed into the chamber or barrel by the manual or automatic operation of some part of the firearm.

    (5) In this Order - 

(a) any reference to a firearm certificate includes a reference to a firearm certificate and a shotgun certificate granted under the law in Great Britain and having effect in Northern Ireland by virtue of Article 17; and

(b) any reference to a condition subject to which a firearm certificate is held includes a reference to a condition subject to which a firearm certificate or shotgun certificate is held under the law in Great Britain as that condition has effect in Northern Ireland by virtue of Article 17.

    (6) For the purpose of any reference in this Order to the use of any firearm or ammunition for a purpose not authorised by the European weapons directive, the directive shall be taken to authorise the use of a firearm or ammunition as or with a slaughtering instrument and the use of a firearm or ammunition - 

(a) for sporting purposes;

(b) for the shooting of pests, or, in the course of carrying on activities in connection with the management of any estate, of other wildlife; and

(c) for competition purposes and target shooting (whether or not for competition purposes).

    (7) For the purposes of this Order it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is shown, that a firearm has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile, and has consequently ceased to be a firearm within the meaning of this Order, if either - 

(a) it bears a mark which - 


(i) has been approved by the Secretary of State for denoting that fact, and

(ii) has been made by a person approved by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this paragraph; and



(b) that person has certified in writing that work has been carried out in a manner approved by the Secretary of State for rendering it incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile,

or it satisfies the requirements of section 8 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 (c. 45) (corresponding provision for Great Britain) by virtue of work carried out on or after 1st October 1995.

(a) has in his possession, or purchases or acquires, a handgun without holding a firearm certificate or otherwise than as authorised by a firearm certificate, or

(b) has in his possession, or purchases or acquires, a firearm other than a handgun without holding a firearm certificate or otherwise than as authorised by a firearm certificate,

(a) have in his possession any firearm specified in the permit; and

(b) have in his possession, purchase or acquire any ammunition in accordance with the permit.

    (2) The Chief Constable may, on an application made by a person resident in Northern Ireland on behalf of a person specified in the application, grant a permit (a "visitor's firearm permit") to the specified person.

    (3) An application for a visitor's firearm permit under this Article must - 

(a) be made on a form provided by the Chief Constable for the purpose; and

(b) be accompanied by the appropriate fee (if any).

    (4) The Chief Constable shall not grant a visitor's firearm permit unless he is satisfied that the specified person - 

(a) is visiting or intending to visit Northern Ireland;

(b) has a good reason for having each firearm and the ammunition to which the permit relates in his possession, or, as respects ammunition, for purchasing or acquiring it, while he is a visitor to Northern Ireland; and

(c) may, under the law of the country in which he resides, lawfully possess that firearm and ammunition.

    (5) The Chief Constable shall not grant a person a visitor's firearm permit as respects any firearm or ammunition if he has reason to believe that - 

(a) his possession of the firearm or ammunition in question would represent a danger to public safety or to the peace; or

(b) he is prohibited by this Order from possessing it.

    (6) The Chief Constable shall not grant a visitor's firearm permit as respects any firearm unless - 

(a) there is produced to him a document which - 


(i) has been issued in another member State under provisions corresponding to the provisions of this Order for the issue of European firearms passes;

(ii) identifies the firearm as a firearm to which the document relates; and

(iii) is valid;



(b) the applicant shows that the person specified in the application is a person who, by reason of his place of residence or any other circumstances, is not entitled to be issued with such a document in any of the other member States; or

(c) the applicant shows that the person specified in the application requires the permit exclusively in connection with the carrying on of activities in respect of which - 



(i) that person; or

(ii) the person on whose behalf he is proposing to make use of the authorisation conferred by the permit,



is recognised for the purposes of the law of another member State relating to firearms, as a collector of firearms or a body concerned in the cultural or historical aspects of weapons;

and if, in a case where a document has been produced to the Chief Constable in pursuance of sub-paragraph (a), he grants a visitor's firearm permit, he shall endorse on the document a statement which identifies the permit and the firearm to which it relates and briefly describes the effect of the permit.

    (7) A visitor's firearm permit shall specify - 

(a) the conditions subject to which it is held; and

(b) the number and description of the firearms to which it relates, including their identification numbers and, as respects ammunition, the quantities authorised to be purchased or acquired and to be held at any one time.

    (8) A visitor's firearm permit shall come into force on such date as is specified in it and continue in force for such period, not exceeding twelve months, as is so specified.

    (9) A single application (a "group application") may be made under this Article for the grant of not more than 20 visitor's firearm permits to persons specified in the application if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Chief Constable that their purpose in having the firearms in question in their possession while visiting Northern Ireland is - 

(a) using them for sporting purposes on the same private premises during the same period; or

(b) participating in the same competition or other event or the same series of competitions or other events.

(a) he has provided the Chief Constable with such information about that firearm and ammunition and such other information as the Chief Constable may require; and

(b) he holds a document authorising that possession issued to him by the Chief Constable.

    (2) A Great Britain certificate shall not continue in force in Northern Ireland by virtue of paragraph (1) for a period longer than that for which it was granted or renewed in Great Britain.

    (3) The Chief Constable may at any time require the holder of a certificate of approval to surrender it.

    (4) In this Article - 

"applicable conditions" means the conditions under which the Great Britain certificate is held, subject to such modifications as may be specified in the certificate of approval;

"certificate of approval" means the document issued under paragraph (1)(b);

"Great Britain certificate" means a firearm certificate or shotgun certificate granted in Great Britain;

"modifications" includes additions and omissions.

(a) to which a person is entitled under paragraph (1); and

(b) which contains the particulars required by paragraph (3).

    (3) The particulars required by this paragraph are - 

(a) particulars identifying the person to whom the pass is issued;

(b) particulars identifying every firearm which - 


(i) that person has applied to have included in a European firearms pass; and

(ii) is a firearm in relation to which a firearm certificate granted to that person is in force;



(c) a statement in relation to every firearm identified in the pass as to the category into which it falls for the purposes of Annex I to the European weapons directive;

(d) the date of the issue of the pass and the period from its issue for which the pass is to be valid;

(e) the statements required by paragraph (f) of Annex II to that directive (statements as to travel in the member States with the firearms identified in the pass).

    (4) A European firearms pass shall contain space for the making of entries by persons authorised to so do under the law of any member State.

    (5) A person may make an application under paragraph (1) - 

(a) at the same time as an application for a firearm certificate which will entitle him to the issue of the pass; or

(b) subsequently while the firearm certificate is in force.

(a) manufactures, sells, transfers, repairs, tests or proves any firearm or ammunition; or

(b) exposes for sale or transfer, or has in his possession for sale, transfer, repair, test or proof any firearm or ammunition,

(a) produces a firearm certificate authorising him to purchase or acquire it; or

(b) shows that he is by virtue of this Order entitled to purchase or acquire it without holding a certificate,

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (2) A person who undertakes the repair, test or proof of a firearm or ammunition for any other person in the United Kingdom, other than the holder of a firearms dealer's certificate, unless that other person - 

(a) produces or causes to be produced a firearm certificate authorising him to have possession of the firearm or ammunition; or

(b) shows that he is by virtue of this Order entitled to have possession of it without holding a certificate,

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) have effect subject to any exemption under this Order.

    (4) A person who, with a view to purchasing or acquiring, or procuring the repair, test or proof of, any firearm or ammunition - 

(a) produces a false certificate or other document or a certificate or other document in which any false entry has been made;

(b) personates a person to whom a certificate or other document has been granted; or

(c) knowingly or recklessly makes a statement false in any material particular,

(a) any firearm which is so designed or adapted that two or more missiles can be successively discharged without repeated pressure on the trigger;

(b) any self-loading or pump-action rifle other than one which is chambered for .22 rimfire cartridges;

(c) any self-loading or pump-action smoothbore firearm which is not an air gun or chambered for .22 rimfire cartridges and either has a barrel less than 60.96 centimetres in length or is less than 102 centimetres in length overall;

(d) any smoothbore revolver firearm other than one which is chambered for 9 mm. rimfire cartridges or a muzzle-loading firearm;

(e) any rocket launcher, or any mortar, for projecting a stabilised missile, other than a launcher or mortar designed for line-throwing or pyrotechnic purposes or as signalling apparatus;

(f) any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of electricity or any noxious liquid, gas or other thing; and

(g) any cartridge with a bullet designed to explode on or immediately before impact, any ammunition containing or designed or adapted to contain any such noxious thing as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (f) and, if capable of being used with a firearm of any description, any grenade, bomb (or other like missile), or rocket or shell designed to explode on or immediately before impact,

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (2) Subject to Article 46, a person who without the authority of the Secretary of State has in his possession, or purchases or acquires, or sells or transfers - 

(a) any firearm which is disguised as another object;

(b) any rocket or ammunition not falling within paragraph (1)(g) which consists in or incorporates a missile designed to explode on or immediately before impact and is for military use;

(c) any launcher or other projecting apparatus not falling within paragraph (1)(e) which is designed to be used with any rocket or ammunition falling within sub-paragraph (b) or with ammunition which would fall within that sub-paragraph but for its being ammunition falling within paragraph (1)(g);

(d) any ammunition for military use which consists in or incorporates a missile designed so that a substance contained in the missile will ignite on or immediately before impact;

(e) any ammunition for military use which consists in or incorporates a missile designed, on account of its having a jacket and hard-core, to penetrate armour plating, armour screening or body armour;

(f) any ammunition which is designed to be used with a pistol and incorporates a missile designed or adapted to expand on impact;

(g) anything which is designed to be projected as a missile from any weapon and is designed to be, or has been, incorporated in - 


(i) any ammunition falling within sub-paragraphs (b) to (f); or

(ii) any ammunition which would fall within any of those sub-paragraphs but for its being specified in paragraph (1),



shall be guilty of an offence.

    (3) An authority given to a person by the Secretary of State under this Article shall be in writing and shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified in the authority.

    (4) The conditions of the authority shall include such as the Secretary of State, having regard to the circumstances of each particular case, thinks fit to impose for the purpose of ensuring that the prohibited weapon or ammunition to which the authority relates will not endanger public safety or the peace.

    (5) It is an offence for a person to whom an authority is given under this Article to fail to comply with any of its conditions.

    (6) The Secretary of State may at any time revoke an authority given to a person under this Article by notice in writing requiring him to surrender the authority to such person as may be specified in the notice within 21 days from the date of the notice; and if he fails to comply with that requirement, he shall be guilty of an offence.

    (7) For the purposes of this Article and Article 46 - 

(a) any rocket or ammunition which is designed to be capable of being used with a military weapon shall be taken to be for military use;

(b) references to a missile designed so that a substance contained in it will ignite on or immediately before impact include any missile containing a substance that ignites on exposure to air; and

(c) references to a missile's expanding on impact include its deforming in any predictable manner on or immediately after impact.

(a) attach conditions to an authorisation;

(b) vary or revoke conditions attached under this Article.

    (3) An authorisation shall, unless the Chief Constable revokes it, continue in force for a period of five years from the date on which it is granted.

    (4) The Unlawful Drilling Act 1819 (c. 1) shall not have effect in relation to a firearms club if an authorisation is in force in relation to it.

    (5) Any person who - 

(a) operates, or participates in the activities of, a firearms club for which an authorisation is not in force; or

(b) contravenes any condition of an authorisation,

(a) that an offence under this Order has been, is being or is about to be committed; or

(b) that, in connection with a firearm or ammunition, there is a danger to public safety or to the peace,

he may grant a warrant for any of the purposes mentioned in paragraph (2).

    (2) A warrant under this Article may authorise a constable or a member of the police support staff - 

(a) to enter at any time any premises or place named in the warrant, if necessary by force, and to search the premises or place and every person found there;

(b) to seize and detain anything which he may find there, or on any such person, in respect of which or in connection with which he has reasonable grounds for suspecting - 


(i) that an offence under this Order has been, is being or is about to be committed; or

(ii) that, in connection with a firearm, imitation firearm or ammunition, there is a danger to public safety or to the peace.