UK Air Gun Laws: The Full Rules, in Plain English
Right, put the kettle on. Nobody gets excited about reading legislation, but your air rifle is worth more than a vague “I think that’s allowed”. You can only follow the law if you know what it is, and it’s much cheaper to read a blog post than to explain yourself to a police officer while your gun leaves in an evidence bag.
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ across the UK and change from time to time, so if you’re unsure, check with your local police firearms licensing team or a solicitor.
The 60-second cheat sheet
No licence is needed for an air rifle up to 12 ft/lb or an air pistol up to 6 ft/lb of muzzle energy.
You need an Air Weapon Certificate, which has been the rule since 31 December 2016.
Any air gun producing more than one joule must be held on a Firearm Certificate.
You must be 18 to buy an air rifle or ammunition.
Carry it unloaded, covered, and only with a good reason.
Legal if you shoot safely and keep every pellet on your own property.
Now for the detail.
Which rules apply to you? England and Wales vs Scotland vs Northern Ireland
The UK isn’t one set of rules, which catches a lot of people out, especially anyone crossing a border with a gun in the car.
| Licence needed? | |
|---|---|
| England & Wales | Not for legal-limit guns (12 ft/lb rifle, 6 ft/lb pistol) |
| Scotland | Yes, an Air Weapon Certificate for virtually all air weapons |
| Northern Ireland | Yes, a firearm certificate for anything over 1 joule |
Heading to Scotland? Visitors need a valid visitor permit or a full Air Weapon Certificate. Going to Northern Ireland? Visitors from Great Britain with a legal-limit air rifle need a Certificate of Approval from the PSNI. Don’t assume your home rules travel with you.
What do you need a licence for?
In England and Wales, there are two thresholds. Go over the power limit (12 ft/lb for rifles, 6 ft/lb for pistols) and your air gun becomes a Section 1 firearm that must be licensed. That means applying to your local police force for a Firearm Certificate (FAC), and you need a good reason and a sound background.
Even without a licence, you can’t just own one if you’re prohibited. Certain criminal convictions can stop you possessing an air rifle under Section 21 of the Firearms Act 1968.
Maximum power: how strong can your air gun be?
It’s energy, not speed. Legal limits are measured in foot-pounds or joules at the muzzle, not feet per second. Pellet weight changes the answer. As a rough guide, a standard .177 pellet at the limit travels at about 800 fps, while a heavier .22 pellet at the same energy is nearer 600 fps. Don’t judge your gun’s legality by the fps number on the box.
If you’ve adjusted your rifle, or bought it second-hand, check it on a chronograph (a gadget that measures pellet speed, so you can work out the energy). An air pistol over 6 ft/lb is a Section 1 firearm, and owning one without a certificate is a criminal offence. “I didn’t know it was that powerful” won’t impress a magistrate.
How old do you have to be?
May use an air gun under the supervision of someone aged 21 or older, but can’t own or buy one. The adult needs to be close enough to step in.
May use one unsupervised on private premises, but only with the occupier’s consent. They still can’t buy one.
Can buy, own and use a legal-limit air rifle, subject to the other rules in this post.
Some other points to remember:
- It’s an offence for under-18s to purchase or hire an air weapon or ammunition.
- Gifting an air pistol to someone under 18 is also against the law.
- It’s illegal for an under-18 to have an air pistol in a public place unless an exemption applies.
Buying your nephew an air rifle for his birthday is not a nice surprise. It’s an offence.
Where to store your gun and ammo
Be honest, it’s tempting to prop the rifle behind the wardrobe and forget it. The law asks for more than that.
The Crime and Security Act 2010 created an offence of failing to take reasonable precautions to stop anyone under 18 gaining unauthorised access to an air weapon. In England and Wales, the Firearms (Air Weapons) Rules 2023 came into force on 31 July 2023 and set minimum storage requirements. These include keeping the gun separately from compatible ammunition.
The Home Office guidance says:
- Never store a loaded air weapon.
- Store it out of sight and separately from pellets.
- Keep it inside the house rather than in an outbuilding such as a garden shed.
- If you already own firearms, you can use an existing gun cabinet if that doesn’t weaken its security.
A lockable gun cabinet, a trigger lock, and pellets kept in a separate locked box. It costs less than a decent scope, and it stops the “my mate’s kid found it” disaster. Tell your home insurer you have an air gun too.
Where can you shoot? And where you absolutely can’t
Short answer: on land where you have the owner’s permission, and nowhere else.
- Public places: Section 19 of the Firearms Act 1968 makes it an offence to have an air weapon in a public place without reasonable excuse. A reasonable excuse might include carrying it to or from a shooting club, or taking a new gun home from the dealer. Roads, pavements, parks and footpaths all count.
- Your car counts: The law treats a car as a public place, so even a gun locked in the boot needs a reasonable excuse. Don’t pop into the shop on the way home with a rifle in the boot.
- Trespass: Trespassing with an air rifle is “armed trespass”, which is a criminal offence with serious penalties. A friendly “I’m sure the farmer won’t mind” doesn’t count as permission. Get it clearly, and ideally in writing.
- Boundaries: It’s an offence to fire a pellet beyond the boundary of the premises you’re shooting on.
- Near roads: don’t shoot towards or across roads, footpaths or bridleways. There are separate rules about firing near highways, so keep well clear.
- A fitted magazine: A magazine fitted to your gun is treated as loaded. Take it out for transport.
Target shooting in your garden
Yes, you can, and it’s one of the best ways to practise. It’s legal to shoot an air rifle in your back garden provided you follow the rules. Here’s the checklist:
- A proper backstop. A pellet trap or a thick, safe target holder, set up so any missed shot is stopped dead. No backstop, no shooting.
- Know what’s behind the target. Not the fence, the neighbour’s greenhouse, or next door’s kids on the trampoline.
- Keep every pellet on your property. That’s the law, and it’s also manners.
- Beware ricochets. Pellets bounce off stone, metal, water and hard ground. Avoid shooting at hard flat surfaces.
- Check your sightlines. Know where your neighbours, pets and children are before you shoot.
- Think about noise. A pellet rifle makes a distinctive crack. Don’t shoot at 7am on a Sunday, and tell next door you’re having a go so they don’t ring 999 at the sound.
- Shoot only when it’s safe. No children running about, no dog in the line of fire.
- Never shoot after drinking. That one is obvious, but it’s also how most stories you hear end badly.
Keep the gun in a case until you’re at your shooting spot, and cased again as soon as you’re done. Neighbours seeing you walk across the garden with a bare rifle is how the police get called.
Pellets, BBs and paintballs in the garden
Everything above applies, plus a few extras:
- Pellets and steel BBs: use the right ammo for the gun (pellets in a pellet gun, BBs in a BB gun), and a backstop that suits it. Steel BBs bounce hard, so use a proper trap.
- Airsoft BBs: these are small plastic balls, softer than a pellet but still capable of hurting an eye. Always wear proper eye protection, and make sure anyone nearby does too.
- Paintballs: the mess is the least of your worries. They’re fast and they bruise. Use proper goggles, and don’t shoot at anything alive.
- Airsoft guns that look real: in the UK, realistic imitation firearms have their own rules. Never carry one in public, and don’t leave one where it can be seen from the street.
Mixing ammo types is a bad idea in any gun, and in some it can wreck the gun. If you’re not sure what your gun takes, read the manual. (Handy tip: we’ve got a lot of them at GunManualsOnline.)
What ammo is legal, and what isn’t?
- Legal: standard lead and alloy pellets, steel BBs, plastic airsoft BBs and paintballs, used in the gun designed for them.
- Not legal, or a very bad idea: anything designed to carry a noxious substance, or anything explosive or incendiary. Don’t buy dodgy “novelty” ammo from a stranger online. If you’re unsure whether something is lawful, ask a reputable dealer or your local police before you buy it.
- Sell and buy properly: it’s illegal to sell an air rifle or ammunition to anyone under 18. Don’t let your mate’s teenager “borrow a few pellets” from the tin.
Taking your gun out: don’t be that bloke
We’re all aware how it looks. Someone walking down the high street with a rifle on their shoulder is going to get a very quick response from the police, and a few terrified phone calls first. Here’s how to stay sensible:
- Unload it and remove the magazine.
- Case it. Cover air weapons when you transport them, for example in a gun slip. A solid case is better still.
- Keep it out of sight in the boot or a locked compartment. Never leave it in a parked car overnight, or unattended.
- Go direct. Take a direct route from home to your shooting spot, with a good reason you can explain. Don’t stop off at the supermarket on the way.
- Carry proof. A note of your permission, the landowner’s phone number or your club membership card can save an awkward conversation.
- Never put a loaded gun down. Always unload and uncock it first.
- Don’t treat it like a toy. No waving it around, no pointing it at people (even “as a joke”), no taking it to a pub or a party.
What to do if the police turn up
It can happen: a neighbour’s worry, a call about “a man with a gun”, or a routine check. Here’s how to handle it:
- Stay calm and polite. Panicking or getting angry makes everything harder.
- Don’t touch the gun if it’s out. If you’re holding it, put it down safely, unloaded, and step away when asked.
- Keep your hands where they can be seen and follow instructions.
- Explain clearly who you are, where you have permission to shoot, and what you were doing.
- Be honest. If you’ve done nothing wrong, a straight answer is your best friend.
- Ask them to explain what they’re checking and why, and ask for their name and number.
- Don’t consent to anything you’re unsure about. If you’re worried about a search or about handing over your gun, politely ask what the legal basis is and speak to a solicitor.
Never run, hide the gun, or lie. The fastest way to turn a simple conversation into a serious one is to look guilty.
Shooting in nature: what’s OK and what isn’t
You’ve got permission, you’ve got a safe backstop, and you’re out on a quiet bit of land. That doesn’t mean everything with a heartbeat is fair game.
Generally OK
With the landowner’s permission, and always check the current rules for your country.
- Rats: a legitimate pest-control target, especially around farm buildings, feed stores and chicken runs.
- Rabbits and grey squirrels: common pest species, subject to the landowner’s wishes.
- Certain pest birds: only those covered by the relevant general licence (for example some pigeons and crows), and only under its conditions. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and general licences change, so read the current one for your country before you shoot.
Never OK
- Protected species. In the UK, most wild birds are protected, including birds of prey, owls, garden birds and swans. Badgers, bats and red squirrels are also protected. Intentionally harming them can mean a fine, a ban, or prison.
- Deer. Air guns are not an acceptable means of taking deer.
- Pets and livestock. Yes, someone really has to say it. Your neighbour’s cat is not “a pest”, and cruelty to animals is a serious offence.
- Anything on land you don’t have permission for.
- Anything you can’t hit cleanly.
Our approach to pest control: one shot, done right
We grew up around hunting, on a farm and out in nature, from working with birds of prey to using air rifles for pest control. We spent years watching foxes and badgers out in the fields, and we’ve seen what good and bad shooting look like. Here’s where we stand:
- We don’t see foxes and badgers as pests. We’re the ones invading their land, not the other way round. We believe in living in harmony with nature, and we don’t approve of killing either animal. Badgers are legally protected, and an air rifle is the wrong tool for a fox anyway.
- A fox in the hen house is a security problem, not a fox problem. If a fox breaks in and kills your chickens, that’s down to how the coop was secured, so take responsibility for it. Killing a fox because a coop wasn’t secured properly doesn’t fix anything, and another one will be along next week. Secure your birds instead:
- Use a solid, properly built coop with a roof that can’t be lifted.
- Fit strong latches. Foxes can open simple ones, so use a two-step lock or a padlock.
- Use strong mesh, with a wire skirt or a buried edge so nothing can dig underneath.
- Shut your birds in at dusk, every single night.
- Consider electric netting for the run.
If that’s hard to accept, take a moment to think about how we treat the creatures we share the land with, and about your own humanity.
- Humane pest control only. A rat infestation or a damaging pest is a real problem, and dealing with it quickly and humanely is a responsible thing to do.
- If you aren’t a trained, accurate shot, don’t target animals at all. Practise on paper targets until you can group tight shots consistently, at the range you’ll actually shoot.
- One shot, a clean kill. For small quarry, that means a precise head shot at a sensible range. No “let’s see if I can hit it” shots, no long-range gambles, and no shooting if the animal isn’t clearly in your sights.
- Follow up properly. If an animal isn’t dead, dispatch it humanely straight away.
- Know your limits. Wind, light, distance and nerves all matter. If you’re not sure, don’t shoot.
The law backs this up too: causing unnecessary suffering to animals is an offence, so “I missed and it ran off hurt” isn’t just sad, it can be a criminal matter.
Be careful about your mental health, and talk to someone
This part isn’t funny, but it matters, and we want to say it plainly.
Life is hard sometimes. A bad week, a worrying bill, a falling-out with someone close, or just a grey patch with no obvious cause. We all have good days and bad days, and sometimes we can’t find the words for how we feel.
What the rules say. If you hold a certificate, such as a firearm certificate in England and Wales, an Air Weapon Certificate in Scotland, or a firearm certificate in Northern Ireland, your doctor and the police are part of that system. When a licence is granted, police ask the GP to place a marker on the patient’s record, so that if a relevant condition develops the GP can consider telling the police. There’s no statutory duty to tell the police you’re depressed during the life of a certificate, but when you renew you must answer the health questions truthfully, or you commit an offence. If the police are told, they will act.
For a legal-limit air rifle in England and Wales, no certificate is needed, which is why the medical-marker system doesn’t apply in the same way. But police can still step in if someone’s safety is at risk, and some owners have had their guns removed after information from a doctor.
But here’s the thing that matters most:
- Don’t hide how you feel from your doctor because you’re worried about your gun. Your personal wellbeing comes well before any pastime, however much you enjoy it.
- It isn’t necessarily forever. Even if officers seize guns, it doesn’t have to be permanent, and it doesn’t mean you won’t get them back.
- A past low spell isn’t an automatic bar. Previous mental health issues are not an automatic bar to holding a licence.
- Ask about options. If you’re struggling, you can ask your doctor or the police about temporarily storing your gun with a trusted person or a dealer while you get better. Check the rules where you live first.
Look after yourself:
- Talk to your friends and family. Sometimes the weight is just carrying it alone. And sometimes the cause is the friends or family around you, an old row that was never settled, or someone who drains you. Notice it, and talk to someone who lifts you up.
- Remember the bad days pass. There will be good days again, days you look forward to, when you feel on top of the world.
- Take time out. Go for a walk. Look at the trees. Sit somewhere quiet with a brew. It sounds small, but it works.
- Get help early. Talk to your GP. If you need to talk to someone right now, Samaritans are free on 116 123, any time, day or night. In an emergency, call 999.
Call Samaritans: 116 123 Emergency: 999
You are worth more than your hobby. Now, go and have a brew.
Final thoughts: know the rules, enjoy the sport
Being a responsible air gun owner isn’t complicated:
- Know your gun’s power limit, and keep it legal.
- Store it securely, and keep it away from under-18s.
- Carry it unloaded, covered and out of sight, with a good reason.
- Only shoot where you have permission, with a safe backstop.
- Treat every animal, neighbour and passer-by with respect.
- Look after yourself too.
Air gunning is a brilliant, skilful hobby, and the more of us who do it sensibly, the better it is for everyone. And if you want to understand your gun better, you can find owners manuals and exploded diagrams for hundreds of models here at GunManualsOnline.
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