Firearm Licence Frequent Questions

How long does a competency or a firearm licence take?

There is no fixed time. SAPS publishes no service standard, and it differs a lot between police stations and provinces. A complete application at a well run station often takes a few months; an incomplete one, or a busy office, takes much longer. For a first firearm, plan for the better part of a year from your first course to holding the firearm, because competency and licence are two separate waits.

Full guide: How long does a SAPS firearm licence take?

I have been on "Consideration" or "Preparation" for weeks. Am I stuck?

Not necessarily. Applications often sit at one stage for weeks and then move several stages at once, and the order in which batches are finalised is not always first come, first served. Weeks at one stage is common. If nothing has moved for about three months, or the status goes backwards, ask your DFO in person to check that nothing is missing.

Full guide: How to check your SAPS firearm licence status

What do the stages on the SAPS tracker mean?

In short: Handed in and Payment means your station has it; At DFO and DFO processing means your station is checking it; Provincial DFO and Prov QC means the provincial office is checking it; CFR and AVS means it is at the Central Firearms Register in Pretoria; Licensing, Preparation and Consideration mean it is being prepared for and waiting for a decision; Approved means a decision was made and the card or certificate still has to be printed and sent to your station.

How do I track my firearm or competency application?

Use the reference number on the acknowledgement of receipt your DFO gave you when you handed in. You can check it on the SAPS online status enquiry or the SAPS app, or ask your DFO. Firearm License Pro South Africa also tracks it for you free: we record every status change with the date, keep your DFO's details, and email you if nothing moves for a month. It works whether or not we prepared your application.

Full guide: Track your SAPS firearm application, free

I never got a reference number. How do I track my application?

The reference number is on the acknowledgement of receipt your DFO gives you when you hand in. If you did not get one or lost it, go back to the station where you applied and ask the DFO to look it up with your ID number. Without the number the online enquiry cannot find you.

When do I get the number that starts with C?

The C number is your competency certificate number. It is printed on the certificate (SAPS 524) once your competency is approved. Before that you track with the reference number on your acknowledgement of receipt.

The app says "Payment received" but the DFO says it has moved on. Which is right?

Your DFO. The online tracker often runs behind the internal system and is sometimes down while SAPS updates it. If they differ, go by what your DFO tells you.

It says approved, but I got no SMS. Can I go and collect?

Approved means a decision was made, not that the card is ready. It still has to be printed and sent to your station. You can phone or visit your DFO and ask whether it has arrived. Take your ID and your receipt when you collect. SAPS usually sends an SMS for licences; competency applications do not always get one.

Someone says they work with the DFO and can speed up my application for a fee. Is that real?

No. Treat it as a scam. Nobody can legally pay to move your application, and offering money to an official is a crime. Also be careful of SMSes that ask you to pay or click a link about your "competency reference". SAPS does not ask for payment by SMS.

I want a firearm. Where do I start?

1) Decide what it is for, because that decides the section you apply under (13 self defence, 15 occasional hunting or sport, 16 dedicated, 20 business). 2) Do the training at a SAPS accredited training provider for that type of firearm. 3) Apply for competency on the SAPS 517. 4) Once you have competency, choose the firearm and apply for a licence for it on the SAPS 271.

Full guide: Buying your first firearm in South Africa

I have my competency. Can I now apply for a licence?

Yes, for the type of firearm your competency covers. You apply for a licence for one specific firearm, identified by its serial number, so first choose the firearm at a dealer (or the private seller). It stays with the dealer until your licence is issued.

Can I get a licence before I buy the firearm?

No. A licence is for a specific firearm with its serial number. You pick and pay for it at a dealer, the dealer keeps it, and you apply with its details.

What documents do I need?

For competency (SAPS 517): certified ID copies, colour ID photos, your training certificate and statement of results, proof of address, and your references. For a licence (SAPS 271): certified ID copies, photos, your competency certificate, proof of address, your motivation, and the firearm's details from the dealer. Many stations want certified copies not older than three months.

Full guide: Documents you need for a SAPS firearm licence

Can I use my landlord's proof of address with a different surname?

Usually yes: the account holder signs an affidavit that you live there, and you add their proof of address. A lease agreement in your own name also works.

What about witnesses or references?

The SAPS 517 asks for people who know you to vouch for you, with their names, ID numbers and contact details. Stations handle them differently: some phone them, some ask them to come in with their ID. Ask your own DFO how they do it before you hand in, so your references are ready.

Which police station must I apply at?

At the DFO for the area where you ordinarily live, in person (section 9(1) of the Act and regulation 13). If you work in another town, it is still the station where you live.

Are fingerprints taken on Saturdays?

That depends on your police station. Many DFO offices only work weekdays. Phone your station before you go.

Can I apply online?

No. SAPS applications are handed in in person at your DFO with your fingerprints and original documents. Online services, including ours, help you prepare a complete, correct pack to print and hand in.

Do I apply online with Firearm License Pro South Africa?

No. We do not hand in or apply for you. We design your motivation and your application and put together the complete application bundle, personalised to you and your reasons. You still take the bundle in person to your local DFO. We also give you one place to manage your firearms and competencies, we tell you when your next renewal is due, and you can track your application once SAPS has it.

How much does it cost?

SAPS charges a small application fee for competency and a fee per firearm licence. These fees are set by regulation and change, so confirm the amount at your DFO. The bigger costs are training, the safe, and (if you use one) preparation help.

Full guide: What a firearm licence actually costs in South Africa

How long is a competency valid? Mine is from 2021 (or 2009).

A competency stays valid for the same period as the licence it relates to (section 10(2) of the Act): about five years with a section 13 licence, ten with section 15 or 16. It is renewed together with the licence (section 10A, form SAPS 517(g)), with a sworn declaration, and the tests do not have to be redone. If you have an old competency with no valid licence behind it, ask your DFO whether it is still accepted before you apply for a licence.

I have a handgun competency. Can I add a rifle or shotgun?

Yes. Do the training and assessment for the new type at an accredited provider and apply for further competency. Your provider will tell you whether the knowledge of the Act part must be repeated.

My statement of results was called fake. What can I do?

Go back to the training provider and ask for the results to be confirmed, and ask your DFO what exactly they found. Keep copies of everything. If the provider cannot help, report it to SAPS.

I was arrested but the case was withdrawn. Can I apply?

Yes, you may apply. The grounds in the Act that stop a competency all need a conviction (section 9(2)), and a withdrawn case is not a conviction. Declare it on the form if the form asks, with the case number and outcome. SAPS may still look at the facts when it decides whether you are a fit and proper person.

I have an old conviction (for example drunk driving, or a fine). Can I apply?

It depends on the offence and the sentence. Section 9(2) lists the convictions that stop a competency, for example certain violent or sexual offences where you were sent to prison without the option of a fine, and domestic violence. For those, you may apply five years after you completed your sentence (section 9(3)(b)). A traffic fine is not on that list. Drunk driving is not named in the Act, but the Act does look at abuse of alcohol, so declare it and ask your DFO. Every case is different; if you are unsure, get advice before you apply.

There was a protection order against me. Can I get a competency?

A protection order does not stop you automatically. But the Registrar may declare a person unfit to possess a firearm because of it, after giving them a chance to be heard (section 102). If you were declared unfit, the notice says for how long, at most five years. Declare the protection order honestly on the form.

My record was expunged. Must I declare it?

We could not find a clear rule on this in the firearm law. Keep your expungement certificate with your application and ask your DFO how they want it handled.

When must I renew?

At least 90 days before your licence expires. That is the deadline in the Act, not a suggestion. Renew your competency at the same time.

Full guide: How to renew a firearm licence in South Africa

I renewed in time but SAPS is slow. Am I legal?

Yes. If you handed in the renewal at least 90 days before expiry, section 24(4) keeps your licence valid until SAPS decides. Keep the SAPS receipt with your licence card.

My licence has already expired. Can I renew?

No, an expired licence cannot be renewed. Since the Constitutional Court's Fidelity judgment (2022) you may apply for a new licence for the same firearm. First take the firearm and a copy of the expired licence to your DFO for inspection and a verification certificate; the firearm then stays in your safe until the new licence is decided.

Full guide: Expired or late firearm licence renewal

Do I need crime statistics for a section 13 renewal?

Not as a rule. Your motivation must show why you still need the firearm for self defence; crime figures for your area can support that but are not a fixed requirement.

Will the Firearms Control Amendment Bill take away my licence?

Not today. It is still a proposal: it has not been introduced in Parliament, approved or signed, and the official new draft has not been published. Your licence and competency remain valid under the current Firearms Control Act. Keep renewing at least 90 days before expiry.

Read more: The Firearms Control Amendment Bill: what it means for your licence today

What safe do I need?

A safe that meets the South African standard for firearm safes (SANS 953-1, regulation 86). In practice SAPS expects it fixed to a wall or floor so it cannot be carried away, and checks this at the inspection before a first licence.

Full guide: Firearm safe storage requirements in South Africa

Must my firearm be in the safe when I am home? (bedside, under the pillow)

The law requires the safe whenever the firearm is not under your direct personal and physical control (regulation 86). While you carry it or have it with you, it may be out of the safe. A firearm left in another room, or in the car, must be locked away. If you are not sure whether next to the bed counts, use the safe.

How must I carry a handgun in public?

In a holster or similar holder, completely covered, and under your effective control (section 84 of the Act). Some places are declared firearm free zones (section 140), shown by signs, and many private premises do not allow firearms. Look for the signs and ask before you go in.

May the police take my firearm at a roadblock to check it?

Yes. A police official may ask you to show your licence and the firearm, and may check the serial number against your licence (section 107). If you cannot show the licence, the firearm may be seized. Nobody may ask you for money: if that happens, note the names and vehicle, and report it.

I am going on holiday. Can I take my firearm?

Yes. The same carrying rules apply everywhere, and when the firearm is not with you it must be locked in a safe that meets the rules. If you fly, there are separate airline and SAPS steps.

Full guide: Flying with your firearm in South Africa

How many firearms may I own?

Section 13 (self defence): one. Section 15 (occasional hunting or sport): up to four, but only three if you also have a section 13 licence, and only one of them may be a handgun. Section 16 (dedicated): no fixed limit, with dedicated status.

Full guide: How many firearms can I own in South Africa?

My licence or firearm was lost or stolen. What now?

Report it at the nearest police station within 24 hours (section 29 for the licence, section 120(11) for the firearm) and keep the case or OB number. Then ask your DFO for a duplicate licence.

I inherited firearms. What must happen?

The executor of the estate deals with the firearms first (sections 147 and 148, regulation 103), usually by keeping them at a dealer. To keep a firearm yourself, you need your own competency and a licence for it. The Act sets no fixed deadline for heirs, but start early.

My firearm was taken by the police for ballistics. How do I get it back?

Speak to the detective on the case first, or the DFO at that station, with your licence and the case number. They can tell you whether it may be released and what you must bring.

My application was refused. What now?

You may appeal. Read the refusal letter carefully for the reason, fix what it points to, and appeal on the SAPS 530 within the time it gives you.

Full guide: Your firearm licence was refused, how to appeal