The Government increased all fees associated with firearm and shotgun ownership massively in 2025, ostensibly to inject money into a failing system and charge gun owners the actual administrative cost of each licence.
However, a recent Freedom of Information request discovered that many forces have absorbed the extra money into general expenditure and have not invested it into licensing personnel or infrastructure.
Below is a full breakdown of the current cost of every type of licence issued for firearms by UK police forces.
With several forces also over-reaching their statutory powers in an overt attempt to pressure wavering gun owners to give up their guns due to the overbearing nature of the renewal process, we can see this price hike as yet another attack on the shooting community by the authorities.
Any sportsman who may be close to the renewal or application processs, or who is curently involved in it and is experiencing difficulties would be well advised to read the Home Office Guide issued to Chief Constables. This governs what they can and cannot ask or demand in the application process. Applicants well versed in this guidance are better able to rebut unrreasonable demands made by individual officers.
The link below will be invaluable and We suggest readers take teh time to familiarise themselves with the content.
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