Decision time for unlicensed air weapon owners as new law looms

19th December 2016 | licensing

Official advice has been issued to owners of air weapons in Scotland who have not yet obtained a licence, as the new law requiring a licence is set to take effect.

With less than two weeks until the commencement date on 31 December, the Scottish Government has warned that air weapons owners who have not yet applied for a licence need to decide now what they will do with their firearm.

From 31 December, having an air weapon without a licence will be a crime that could lead to a fine or, in some cases, imprisonment of up to two years. The deadline for applying for a licence ahead of the law coming into force was the end of October. More than 10,500 applications have been received by Police Scotland, but only the 7,000 received before 1 November 2016 will be processed before the end of 2016.

More than 18,000 unwanted air weapons have been handed in to the police for secure destruction since the summer, and anyone who who still has an air weapon and does not want to apply for a licence can still hand it in.

Anyone without a licence on 31 December must ensure their firearm is appropriately stored, until their licence application has been processed. This means safely storing the air weapon – for example, with a firearms dealer or another certificate holder.

Air weapons were the main firearm involved in nearly half of all offences involving a gun in Scotland in 2015-16.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson commented: “The new law coming into force is part of our longstanding commitment to eradicate gun crime in Scotland. We are not banning air weapons outright, but ensuring their use is properly regulated and users have a legitimate reason for them.

“We believe the new licence strikes the right balance between protecting communities and allowing legitimate use in a safe environment to continue.

“If you own an air weapon and haven’t had your application processed in time, make sure you’re not breaking the law by storing your air weapon in a safe and appropriate place.”