Air guns require a licence from 31 December

The Air Weapon and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 comes into effect on 31 December 2016.

The new law will require any person who possesses, purchases, uses, or acquires an air weapon to have a certificate to legally hold them.

Superintendent Derek Mateer said: “I would like to thank communities throughout Scotland for their support in relation to both the Air Weapon surrender campaign and the ongoing licensing process, where we have seen more than 18,000 unwanted air weapons surrendered to Police Scotland for secure destruction since the summer. Should you still have an unwanted air weapon, you can still hand it in.

“I would like to remind the public that anyone who still has an air weapon and wishes to keep it must apply for a licence. We are currently processing around 7000 applications that were applied for before the 31 October 2016 and would seek to remind anyone who applied after this date, who does not have their certificate by the end of this year, that in line with the legislation they must make arrangements to have their air weapon(s) stored in a safe and appropriate place, with either someone who has an air weapon, firearm or shotgun certificate or is a registered firearms dealer to avoid committing an offence.”