Firearms licensing

Freedom of Information Act request number: 2022-083

Version date: 14/04/2022

The Firearms Licensing Department have provided the following information:

Please can you tell me what the average wait time is in this police force area for issuing both shotgun and firearms licences and how it has changed over the past two years

We are unable to give an accurate ‘average time’ due to how the applications are processed, for example if an application comes in on day 1 and it is for a Vet who needs the renewal done urgently for work reasons, this would be done in 1 day. Other applications could take 7 months, therefore the figures are not accurate when shown as an average.

How many applications are currently being processed and how that number has changed over the past two years

Total Outstanding applications = 3047 – There has been a year on year rise over the last two years.