{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-northern-ireland-order-2004/article-7",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-northern-ireland-order-2004/article-7.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/2004/702",
  "legislation_title": "The Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/firearms-northern-ireland-order-2004",
  "path": "article/7",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "7",
  "heading": "Grant of firearm certificate to young persons",
  "text": "(1) In this Article “young person” means a person under the age of 18 who has attained the age of 16.\n(2) The Chief Constable may grant a firearm certificate to a young person for the acquisition and possession, but not for the purchase, of a firearm and ammunition if—\n(a) each firearm to which it relates is—\n(i) an air gun to which paragraph (4) applies;\n(ii) a shotgun; or\n(iii) a .22 rimfire rifle that is to say of a calibre not exceeding 5.59 millimetres; . . .\n(b) the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that the firearm and any ammunition for it to which the certificate relates are for the purpose of—\n(i) pest control; or\n(ii) the protection of livestock;\non agricultural land occupied by the holder or on which he works and also resides ; ...\n(c) the young person has produced with his application to the Chief Constable, the permission in writing of a parent or guardian to the acquisition and possession of the firearm and ammunition to which the application relates.and\n(d) the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that arrangements must be in place for ensuring that a parent or guardian assumes responsibility for the secure storage of the firearm and ammunition to which the certificate relates.\n(3) The Chief Constable may grant a firearm certificate to a young person for the acquisition and possession, but not for the purchase, of a firearm and ammunition if—\n(a) each firearm to which it relates is—\n(i) an air gun to which paragraph (4) applies; or\n(ii) a shotgun; ...\n(b) the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that the holder shall have the firearm and any ammunition for it to which the certificate relates in his possession only—\n(i) for sporting purposes or for the purpose of pest control ; and\n(ii) during the period until he attains the age of 18 under the supervision of a person who has attained the age of 21 and has held a firearm certificate for a firearm of that type for at least three years. and\n(c) the Chief Constable attaches a condition under Article 6(1) that arrangements must be in place for ensuring that a person who has attained the age of 21 and has held a firearm certificate for a firearm of that type for at least three years assumes responsibility for the secure storage of the firearm and ammunition to which the certificate relates.\n(4) This paragraph applies to an air gun which is capable of discharging a missile so that the missile has, on being discharged, a kinetic energy in excess of one joule.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in art. 7(2) inserted (28.7.2010) by Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1759), reg. 5(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in art. 7(2)(a) omitted (28.7.2010) by virtue of Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1759), reg. 5(2)(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Art. 7(2)(c) and preceding word inserted (28.7.2010) by Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1759), reg. 5(2)(b)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in art. 7(2)(b) omitted (12.12.2019) by virtue of The Firearms Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1420), regs. 1(1), 5(2)(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Art. 7(2)(d) and word inserted (12.12.2019) by The Firearms Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1420), regs. 1(1), 5(2)(a)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in art. 7(3) inserted (28.7.2010) by Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1759), reg. 5(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Word in art. 7(3)(a) omitted (12.12.2019) by virtue of The Firearms Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1420), regs. 1(1), 5(2)(b)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in art. 7(3)(b)(i) inserted (13.5.2016) by Justice Act (NorthernIreland) 2016 (c. 21), s. 61(1), Sch. 5 para. 2(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in art. 7(3)(b)(ii) substituted (28.7.2010) by Firearms (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1759), reg. 5(2)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Art. 7(3)(c) and word inserted (12.12.2019) by The Firearms Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1420), regs. 1(1), 5(2)(b)(ii)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2004/702/article/7",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:40:06.780545+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}