Applying: the form, the documents, and the small rules

The rules people trip over

• The form must be completed in black ink.
• It must be completed by the applicant personally.
• It must be submitted by the applicant in person to the relevant Designated Firearms Officer, unless the Act says otherwise for that application.
• You must provide a certified copy of the page of your identity document or passport showing your photograph and particulars.
• Where a fee was paid at a police station, documentary proof of payment must be attached.

Character references

Where someone provides a recommendation about your character, the Regulations require them to state whether, to the best of their knowledge and belief, you are a fit and proper person to hold what you have applied for, of stable mental condition and not inclined to violence, and not dependent on any intoxicating or narcotic substance.

A DFO may go back to that person for more information. Choosing someone who knows you well enough to answer is worth more than choosing someone with an impressive title.

Section-specific attachments

• Section 16 and 16A: a sworn statement or solemn declaration from the chairperson of your accredited association, or their written delegate, confirming your membership.
• Section 17: a declaration from the collectors association chairperson confirming membership and that you qualify to collect the firearm.
• Every section: your motivation, which is the part the decision actually turns on.

After you submit

You will be given a reference number. That reference is what you use to check where the application has reached, including on this site, free and without an account.