Plans for Gun Licence Price Hike Withdrawn
Plans to increase firearms licensing fees, which triggered significant opposition from the rural community, have been withdrawn.
A Department of Justice consultation had been seeking views on raising the cost of a five-year firearm certificate from £98 to £250.
Campaigners have welcomed the withdrawal, stating the proposal had caused
"widespread concern".
Justice minister Naomi Long expressed hope that ending the consultation would create space to find a way forward
"as the current situation is not sustainable".
The consultation aimed to gather opinions on proposals to achieve full cost recovery of firearms licensing.
Answering questions in the assembly earlier this month, Long noted that it cost the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) £2 million to subsidise applications last year amid increased budget pressures.
Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) deputy president Glenn Cuddy criticised the scale of the proposed increase, describing it as
"simply not justified and would have placed unfair additional costs on farmers at a time when they are already under immense pressure".
The consultation opened on 30 March, but this week Long stated her department had
"received feedback… seeking additional information and raising concerns on related matters".
"Having considered those issues and in light of recent advice from officials, I have decided to withdraw the consultation at this time,"she added.
While firearms licensing fees remain
"heavily subsidised from the core PSNI budget", Long emphasised the importance of
"addressing the concerns raised".
"I hope that by withdrawing the current consultation, it will provide the space for positive engagement, in good faith, to find a way forward as the current situation is not sustainable."
Cuddy highlighted that guns are not
"recreational for farmers"but are essential for rural life, including pest control, livestock protection, and land management.
"That distinction was not properly recognised within the consultation,"he said, also expressing concerns about
"the evidence"and a
"limited data exercise"used to justify the price increase.
"The minister has indicated that a new approach to firearms licensing fees will now be developed in conjunction with stakeholders. The UFU expects agriculture to be fully represented as part of that process."
What Have the Police Said?
Although a firearms certificate in Northern Ireland currently costs £98, the actual cost to the police for processing an application is generally much higher.
Last year, the Policing Board published figures revealing that the PSNI's firearms and explosives branch incurred a £2 million loss processing firearm certificates.
In response to a question in May 2025, the PSNI reported generating £1.3 million through firearms registration payments, while processing applications cost £3,295,000, resulting in a shortfall of £1,995,000.
As of January 2025, 53,000 people held firearms licences in Northern Ireland.
NI contacted the PSNI for comment on the matter, but the police declined to comment.
System 'One of Europe's Best'
Farmer Thomas Conway, from Park, expressed confusion over the proposed increase, stating he could not understand why the rise was
"such a colossal amount".
He described the current licensing system as
"not without its problems, not without delays, but it is stringent and one of the best in Europe".
"Personally I think I could understand a 5% or 10% increase,"Conway said.
"But when what is being proposed is such a huge rise, and with no details or evidence as to how it would improve the system, that has been very concerning."
He added that the withdrawal of the consultation was
"certainly welcome news".
Who Else Has Welcomed the End of the Consultation?
Countryside Alliance Ireland (CAI) also noted that the planned price hike had sparked a
"fierce backlash from the rural community".
CAI director Gary McCartney said,
"Bad proposals that harm our countryside must always be challenged robustly."
"We are pleased the justice minister has listened to our concerns on this occasion."
McCartney added that the proposed increase
"risked placing an unfair additional burden on responsible certificate holders who already operate within one of the most tightly regulated systems in the UK."
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) also supported the withdrawal of the consultation.
BASC Northern Ireland director Tommy Mayne stated,
"BASC opposes any increase in fees without a full, independent, and transparent review of the necessary processes involved in firearms licensing."
