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Firearms Act 1968
- Firearms
The Firearms Act 1968 is the principal statute regulating the possession and use of firearms and ammunition in Great Britain. It defines categories of firearms, requires certificates for the possession of most firearms, and creates offences of possession, use, and trafficking. Section 1 firearms require a firearm certificate; section 2 covers shotguns; section 5 covers prohibited weapons.
In practice
Section 47 of the Firearms Act 1968 provides a power of stop and search for firearms where the officer has reasonable cause to suspect the person is carrying a firearm in a public place. Armed policing in England and Wales is carried out by specially trained firearms officers. The deployment of armed officers is authorised by a chief officer or nominated firearms commander.
Related terms
Last updated 12 October 2026