Firearms Fees
The Firearms Acts contain a number of powers to charge fees, as follows:
	section 32 of the 1968 Act sets out the fees payable for the grant, renewal, variation or replacement of a firearms certificate and the grant, renewal or replacement of a shot gun certificate;
	section 35 of the 1968 Act sets out the fee for the grant or renewal of a certificate of registration as a firearms dealer;
	paragraph 3 of the Schedule to the 1988 Act sets out the fee payable for the grant, renewal or extension of a licence issued under paragraph 1 of that Schedule exempting museums from certain provisions of the 1968 Act;
	section 15 of the 1988 Act sets out the fee to be paid for the grant or renewal of an approval for an approved rifle or muzzle-loading pistol club.
	Section 43 of the 1968 Act confers power on the Secretary of State to amend the level of fees set out in sections 32 and 35 of that Act. The Home Office consulted on increases to the fees payable under sections 32 and 35 of the 1968 Act in November 2014. The response to the consultation was published on 12 March 2015 (House of Commons, Official Report, column 34WS to 35WS). The revised fees came into effect on 6 April 2015 (as a result of the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2015 (SI 2015/611)).
	There is no equivalent power to charge a fee for the grant of an authorisation under section 5 of the 1968 Act for the possession of prohibited weapons and ammunition. Authorisations may be granted under section 5 to a wide range of organisations, including (but not limited to):
	Firearms dealers for the purpose of storing, manufacturing, trading or restoring prohibited weapons;
	Carriers for the purpose of transporting prohibited weapons;
	Private Maritime Security Companies for the purpose of the deployment of armed guards to protect UK ships from piracy in the high risk areas;
	Olympic (and Commonwealth) shooting squads so that they can possess pistols which are a prohibited weapon.
	The cost to the Home Office and Scottish Government of the licensing regime for section 5 authorisations and museum and shooting club licences is currently an estimated £700,000 per annum. Section 132 confers a power on the Secretary of State to set fees in connection with authorisations under section 5 of the 1968 Act, and updates existing powers to set fees in connection with museum firearm licences and shooting club licences.