Firearms certificate application: Will mental health affect my firearms certificate application?

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Will mental health affect my firearms certificate?

There's provision within the Firearms Act to allow non-licence holders to use an estate rifle under supervision.

By David Frost

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

A friend has just been offered shooting and stalking on a Scottish estate. The trouble is he suffered a period of serious depression some years back and while he is now fully recovered, he's worried this might affect his application for a firearm certificate. Can you offer any advice?

Shooting legal advice
DAVID FROST
Depression is one of the medical conditions that must be declared when applying for a shotgun or firearms certificate.

Whether it would be a reason for refusing the grant of a certificate depends on the nature of the depression and the way it is controlled.

Your friend should visit his GP, explain the circumstances and seek advice. In cases like this the police will almost certainly want to talk to the doctor so it is important that he realises what is at stake.

Your friend should also ask the GP for a copy of any correspondence he has with the police and a summary of anything that may be said over the phone.

Another option for your friend is to borrow a rifle from the landowner and use it in his presence or that of another person who holds an FAC with the rifle on it.

This is known as the Estate rifle exemption and is intended to allow non-certificate holders to borrow a rifle for use under supervision.