UPDATE JULY 2026
Firearms Licensing Process
As you may be aware, residents applying for or renewing a firearms certificate need to complete a health declaration and arrange for a suitably qualified doctor* to provide information to the police about any related medical conditions that could affect their suitability to possess a firearm or shotgun.
There is also a responsibility for doctors to contact and advise patients to update the Police on any new medical conditions that become relevant after the licence has been granted.
If there is a public safety concern, or if the GP believes that the patient has not or will not inform the police, then the GP should report the diagnosis to the Leicestershire Police Firearms licensing team.
To assist practices in completing such requests, we have put together the guidance below.
- If you are sending medical information to Leicestershire Police. This can be emailed by secure NHS email to GP.ReportsFirearms@leics.police.uk titled Urgent Update from GP practice.
- Practices should have a process to ensure that a firearms code is added** to patient records to indicate that a patient has applied for or had a firearms licence. Once a firearms code is added a Digital Firearms Marker will be created, which will generate an alert if a potentially relevant condition is added.
- A process has been agreed between the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Local Medical Committee (LLRLMC) and Leicestershire Police for GP practices to inform the police of anything relevant/changes.
- Email: GP.ReportsFirearms@leics.police.uk titled Urgent Update from GP practice.
- Calling 101 and asking for the firearms licensing department.
- If there is an immediate threat to public safety it is recommended to contact the police on 999.
- For reference, this is the form a resident will complete to apply for or renew a firearms licence.
*A doctor with a full, specialist or GP (rather than provisional) GMC registration and a licence to practise.
** See Digital Firearms Marker – NHS England Digital for more details
Following the tragic incident which took place in Plymouth in 2021, the Home Office has issued new Firearms Licensing Guidance, which came into effect on 1 November 2021
The guidance outlines new statutory requirements relating to the medical suitability of individuals applying for a firearms or shotgun certificate. These requirements are detailed in Section 2.25 to 2.46 (pages 6–11) of the document, under “Guidance to the Police – Fitness to be Entrusted with a Firearm.”
Under the new legislation, every applicant seeking a grant or renewal of a firearms or shotgun certificate must now provide a medical report from a suitably qualified, GMC-registered doctor. This report will assist the police in assessing whether the individual is fit to be entrusted with a firearm.
We would encourage practices to review the updated GPC guidance BMA Guidance on Firearms Licensing (updated 6 February 2023) which has been updated since the report.
This falls outside of the scope of core contract and GP NHS contractual obligations, practices may charge a reasonable fee for providing medical information to support an application.
Further information can be found here:
- Firearms licensing – GOV.UK (updated 2 May 2024)