On 15 January 2025, the Home Office published the new fees for firearms certification from 5 February 2025. 

Police Scotland Firearms Licensing teams are changing across the country.

Nature Scot have just published our General Licences for 2025.
These will be valid from 1^st January 2025.

As has been highlighted previously, work was ongoing to review and increase the fees for certificates. The fees have not been increased for nine years.

Previously, operators of MRRs or galleries did not require a firearms certificate

As you will be aware, the Health and Safety Executive / UK REACH has examined the matter of lead in shotgun and rifle ammunition. This has been the subject of two public consultations. The results of these consultations and the consequential recommendations to Ministers in England, Wales, and Scotland have now been published.

Legislation regarding keeping birds has been introduced, requiring those who keep birds to register them with DEFRA /the Scottish Government /  DAERA.  This has been introduced to allow the respective authorities, in the event of a significant avian influenza outbreak, to establish those likely affected and to put in place contact arrangements.

In answer to a recent Scottish parliamentary question, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie, stated that subject to parliamentary procedure, the commencement date of the legislation banning the use of snares in Scotland will be 25 November 2024.

It is the land that is licensed, and you must provide a map and centre grid reference. You must read the new Code of Practice for Grouse Moor Management and agree to comply with this before a licence will be granted. Even if you only intend to shoot one grouse, a licence is still required.

On 27 June 2024, the Home Office published the Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates England and Wales: April 2023 to March 2024