NGO Welcomes New Firearms Licensing Fees

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The National Gamekeepers' Organisation (NGO) has broadly welcomed the announcement made by the Home Office to increase firearms licensing fees in line with the proposals set out last year in its public consultation document. The NGO has a seat on the Home Office working party, which was set up specifically to make recommendations on licensing fees for firearms. Ministers have listened to the advice of the working party and the NGO considers the resultant rise in the cost of firearms licensing to be both reasonable and proportionate.

This is the first change in the cost of firearms licensing since 2001. The new fees will come into effect in England, Wales and Scotland from 6 April 2015.

A spokesman for the National Gamekeepers' Organisation, said: "We broadly welcome the announcement of the increases in the cost of licensing firearms and consider the changes to be reasonable and proportionate. It is important to remember that this is the first time prices have changed in more than a decade. Licence fees had to go up at some point and we think the changes, based on inflation and the actual costs of administration, to be fair."

He added: "The NGO has been pushing for the proposals to be implemented as the Labour Party, with only a few months to go to the General Election, had promised a much bigger hike in fees, if elected. It is a timely announcement."

Table of New Fees

Firearm Grant �88.00
Firearm Renewal �62.00
Shotgun Grant �79.50
Shotgun Renewal �49.00
Coterminous Grant �90.00
Coterminous Renewal �65.00
Registered Firearms Dealer:
i) registration �200.00
ii) renewal �200.00
Replacement firearm certificate �4.00
Replacement shotgun certificate �4.00
Visitor's permit (individual) �20.00
Visitors' permit (group) �100.00
Game Fairs �13.00
Variation (not like for like) �20.00

Notes to Editors

The National Gamekeepers' Organisation represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. It defends and promotes gamekeeping, gamekeepers and ensures high standards throughout the profession. It was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that their profession was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. The NGO has around 15,000 members. www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk