1. Why are fees going up?
Certificates fees have not increased since 2001. BASC has worked successfully to ensure that the increases are fair and reasonable and strongly resisted proposals to introduce unjustified higher fees which would have been a tax on shooting.
2. How much will the new fees be and when will they be introduced?
A full schedule of the fees is below. They will come into effect on 6 April 2015.
Most fees will increase but some will fall.
| Firearm certificate | Grant / renewal | £88 / £62 |
| Shotgun certificate | Grant / renewal | £79.50 / £49 |
| Registered Firearms Dealer | Grant / renewal | £200 |
| British Visitors Permit | Individual / group | £20 / £100 |
| Coterminous certificates | Grant / renewal | £90 / £65 |
| Game fairs (RFD extension) | Grant | £13 |
| Replacement certificate | £4 | |
| Variation (not like for like) | £20 |
3. What has BASC done?
- In July 2013 BASC insisted that proposals for higher fees were withdrawn and that a proper process of examining police costs was introduced.
- BASC insisted that the process should be based on evidence.
- BASC insisted that new fees should not be a tax on lawful gun owners and that the process of setting new fees must conform to Treasury guidelines which exclude the cost of enforcement.
- BASC insisted that the established Principles of Better Regulation were applied. The Government sponsors, and is bound and committed to these principles. They state that regulation must have transparency, proportionality, targeting, consistency and accountability.
- BASC took full part in the Home Office Working group set up to examine the fees and to come up with new proposals.
- BASC made its members and others aware of the public consultation. There was an unprecedentedly high response and 73% of respondents agreed that the fees should increase.
Read our press release here – BASC welcomes new firearms fees