Five stages.One outcome:licensed.
We guide clients through the full firearm licensing process in South Africa, ensuring compliance with the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 and the requirements set by the South African Police Service.
“Most refusals are not about the applicant. They are about an application that fails to answer the one question the reviewing officer has to justify.”
- Competency
- 2 – 6 months
- Licence
- 3 – 12 months
- Appeals
- Case dependent
SAPS processing times, not ours. We cannot shorten them — we make sure nothing is sent back.
What actuallyhappens, in order.
The sequence is fixed by law — you cannot apply for a licence before competency is granted, and you cannot apply for competency before you are trained. Getting the order wrong costs months.
- L-01
Accredited Training
Complete accredited training and pass the practical assessment to earn your proficiency certificate.
1 – 2 daysAccredited training provider - L-02
Proficiency Certificate
Your certificate is registered on the national database. This is the document SAPS checks first.
DaysSASSETA / PFTC - L-03
Competency Certificate
Application submitted to SAPS on form 517. This confirms you are fit and proper to possess a firearm.
Several monthsSouth African Police Service - L-04
Licence Application & Motivation
The actual licence, applied for on form 271 per firearm, supported by a detailed written motivation.
Compiled in daysSAPS · Designated Firearms Officer - L-05
DFO Submission & Approval
Your pack is submitted to the Designated Firearms Officer, reviewed, and processed through to approval and card issuance.
Several monthsSAPS
Everything SAPSwill ask for.
Tick items off as you collect them. The list stays on this device, so you can work through it over a few weeks.
Saved on this device — come back to it any time
Nothing ticked yet. Start with your ID copy.
Common mistake
Proof of residence older than three months is rejected. So is an ID copy that is not certified, or certified more than six months ago. These two alone account for a large share of resubmissions.
Safe storage
You need an approved safe before the licence is granted, and SAPS will want photographs. Bolt-down, wall thickness and mounting height all matter — ask us before you buy.
POPIA notice
Licence applications require your ID number, proof of residence and personal references. Under POPIA this is special personal information. We process it only to compile and submit your application, and we do not share it with anyone other than SAPS.
The letterthat decides it.
A motivation is not a form. It is an argument, and it has to answer the question the reviewing officer is legally required to ask: why does this person need this firearm, and why should the state believe them?
We draft it properly — structured, specific to you, and supported by the evidence your particular licence category demands. Self-defence, sport shooting, hunting and business purpose all require a different argument.
What we cover
- 01Your specific need, argued rather than asserted
- 02Reference to the correct sections of the Act
- 03Personal circumstances that support the need
- 04Evidence of threat, risk or sporting activity
- 05Business justification where relevant
- 06Safe storage arrangements and compliance
- 07Supporting annexures, indexed and referenced
What it costs.
Training is the only figure we can publish — SAPS fees and licence costs vary by category. Everything below is quoted on enquiry because it depends on your specific situation.
Licensing,answered.
Start where it is cheapest to start.
Accredited training is stage one, and it is the only stage you can book today. Everything else follows from it.