Constabulary-by-Constabulary: how long did it take you to get your ticket?

[Richard V]

Cheshire = 5 weeks from posting my form to receiving license in the post

Still consistantly 5 weeks. It was 5 weeks when I got mine in August

 

[Andrew Pittam]

Anyone have any idea how long west yorkshire police take? posted my form off 5 weeks ago. Im not in any major rush, and it did say on the application that it could take 8 - 12 weeks. I phoned them this week to let them know my cabinet was ready for inspection and was advised that my application had been passed on to the inspecting officer (or something like that) and i would get my visit when he got to me in the pile!!!

got told that i shouldnt have installed my cabinet incase it was in the wrong place...........having read all the guidelines, made me chuckle slightly given that its not a definative requirement to have a cabinet, and i have located mine in a loaction out of sight from visitors, and attached it to a brick wall.........not entirely sure if that can be constituted as a "wrong place" or not!

 

[ehb102]

New grant in South Cambridgeshire - I got a phone call within three days of posting my application, had a home visit the next week and got my license two weeks later. I love South Cambs firearms division! I hear that they are going to be merged with other, less well-thought of firearms divisions to save money :-(

 

[Jeremy Baker]

Northants around 8 weeks

 

[spow]

Derbyshire, 6 weeks from posting out to getting SGL through letterbox.

Hi Al,

was that a renewal? i'm currently in week 8 and waiting in Derbyshire for my first SGC

 

[Al-Nitro]

Hi Al,

was that a renewal? i'm currently in week 8 and waiting in Derbyshire for my first SGC

All new here

Received our licence 2 weeks ago.

The officer did mention these past few months has been very busy with renewals, so i am suprised how quickly he delt with our applications.

Where abouts are you from, and where do you shoot ?

 

[Lock Stock & Barrel]

And as luck would have it, I opened the 'Pull!' magazine today only to find an article on this very thing - and legal advice on what to do if you're renewal is taking too long and running you the risk of illegally holding firearms due to being in possession of an expired license.

Page 21 of the November/December edition for anyone interested.

 

[Hamster]

My first application was literally lost by Kent Police back in 79 so it took 2 tries and a few months but current co-terminous ones are taking around 3 months.

 

[spow]

All new here

Received our licence 2 weeks ago.

The officer did mention these past few months has been very busy with renewals, so i am suprised how quickly he delt with our applications.

Where abouts are you from, and where do you shoot ?

hi Al, i'm in north east derbyshire. Posted on here yesterday and got a call from the FEO hours after, visit this afternoon. Coincidence or what!! Hopefully will be shooting @ copper beeches and Nottingham gun club amongst others

 

[philpot]

My wife had to wait 28 weeks for her licence to arrive from the Humberside police who had made many redundancies. It was not a problem as we were covered by my ticket. I phoned to see how things were going on three occasions only to be told it just needs signing off. Not very good in my books.

Phil

 

[squimp]

Glos renewals are always delayed - regardless of early return of the documentation.

Last time I had to extract a 'letter' to permit me to take my gun and go game shooting in Wales after my expiry date.

I once had a civilian come and check my security and he admitted to having two boxes of unprocessed application/renewal forms sitting at his house! I nearly made an official complaint - but then realised that I would never get my licence renewed!

 

[ips]

I have never had a long wait or any problems. In fact they have all been very friendly, the officer who came last year for my renewal even wore white gloves (the sort snooker refs wear) to handle my guns, he said he respected shooters guns and didnt want to leave any greasy paw prints on em. Very commendable I thought.

 

[Fletch]

Wiltshire sent my renewal back in 7 days. Could not believe it after reading everybody else's experience.

 

[tbriggs166]

north yorkshire - fac and shotgun 6 months :/

 

[shortlegs]

South wales 6wks SGC & european firearm pass .

 

[** Pending Removal **]

Thames Valley......instant.

Got the renewal through before the old one ran out.

They have always been very fast and are extremely helpful if you speak to them in a polite way explaining what you need.

Simples.

Never ever had a problem with either initial cert or any renewals in over 25 years.

 

[ExSCA]

Seconded on Thames Valley - my first application took only a few weeks. My FAO (steve) is lovely (shoots locally as well)

 

[teepee1234]

Earlier this year, I wanted a European Firearms Pass, so phoned my FAO to ask how to go about it.  Very helpful, explained what I needed to do and he said they'd use my photo they had on file.  A week later the EFP arrived!  Excellent service! 

Except it had the wrong gun on it!  When I called, he told me - in a somewhat embarrassed manner - that they had a bit of a backlog of paperwork...!  I'd sent the notification of gun change on the day that I bought my new gun...seven months previously!

Kinda scary that they have, to all intents and purposes, lost track of who has what gun...   

 

[IanS]

Teepee,

my son had a similar problem when it was time to turn in handguns. He was told that the second gun on his certificate was not legally held and they had no record of it, yet it was notified to them 18 months previously. They said they wouldn't prosecute if he dropped his claim for compensation.

Thames Valley were very good processing my application, no complaints, I think it took about 4 weeks from sending form to home visit where certificate was handed to me.

 

[Fletch]

Wiltshire constabulary sent my renewal back in 7 days! Could not believe how quick after reading everybody else's experiences.