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Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information


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License expired what do I do now

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  • 12-11-2019 4:15pm
    #1
    Fx Royale
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭


    So I know there’s been a lot of posts lately about licensing but it’s getting to beyond a joke at the moment
    My license expires today and I have submitted my renewal paperwork on the 29th of august I received it on the 20th took me a few days to get land forms together
    So I heard nothing till the 19th of October which was a letter stating that they had received my application and I will have a response before or on the 19th of January so for 6 weeks it sat on a desk somewhere???wtf like
    So now my license has expired and still no grant letter??? What do I do?? Upon ringing my fo I have been told she has 300 applications on her desk and mine will be seen to in due course... what does that mean?? Do I surrender my gun to a gun dealer until I get a license or can I still have it in my possession.. what happens if im stopped..
    Sorry for the long post


Comments

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    #2
    Witcher
    Registered Users Posts: 14,519 ✭✭✭✭Witcher


    Get it into a dealer.


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    #3
    freddieot
    Registered Users Posts: 926 ✭✭✭freddieot


    Into a dealer. You have no licence, just a pending renewal application.

    I've been in the same situation at least 3 times since the switchover to the new system a good few years back.

    It's their fault but that won't save you if things go pear shaped for whatever reason ( e.g. a burglary)


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    #4
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    Legally you are now in possession of an unlicensed firearm so the best advice is as above and get it into an RFD. That'll cost you.

    Common sense would say that as the fault lies with An Gardaí that you shouldn't suffer, but the law is worded that the onus is on the applicant at all times. You could, and i'm not advocating nor suggesting this, but you could contact your FO again, tell him/her that due to the delay in processing you are now not licensed and see what they say while keeping the firearm in the house but under NO CIRCUMSTANCE GO OUT WITH IT.

    Again i stress this is a personal choice YOU have to make and i'm not condoning it, just saying.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



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    #5
    Fx Royale
    Registered Users Posts: 38 ✭Fx Royale


    Lads this is a joke they are so incompetent at doing the job and from talking to the fo it is clear it’s a job she doesn’t want to do nor has any interest in doing


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    #6
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    You may very well be right and spot on with regard to your FOs attitude, but as i said above you will be held accountable no matter how the dominos fall.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



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    #7
    Sika98k
    Registered Users Posts: 546 ✭✭✭Sika98k


    It would be interesting to find out what percentage of firearms are currently unlicensed pending renewals. There seem to be a lot of us in the same predicament.
    I had to make an appointment with my FO recently to get the wheels in motion, nice guy, the wheels are now turning but no hint of an apology for the delay over the last 6 months.
    One of the big problems is that each bit of information for each license has to be entered on the computer system. It just eats up a lot of time.
    I think there is a strong argument to be made for Shotgun certificates and firearms certificates as is done in the U.K. and other countries.


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    #8
    garv123
    Registered Users Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭garv123


    Fx Royale wrote: »
    So I know there’s been a lot of posts lately about licensing but it’s getting to beyond a joke at the moment
    My license expires today and I have submitted my renewal paperwork on the 29th of august I received it on the 20th took me a few days to get land forms together
    So I heard nothing till the 19th of October which was a letter stating that they had received my application and I will have a response before or on the 19th of January so for 6 weeks it sat on a desk somewhere???wtf like
    So now my license has expired and still no grant letter??? What do I do?? Upon ringing my fo I have been told she has 300 applications on her desk and mine will be seen to in due course... what does that mean?? Do I surrender my gun to a gun dealer until I get a license or can I still have it in my possession.. what happens if im stopped..
    Sorry for the long post

    I know of lads that it happened to before, and their FO told them to use the guns away no hassle..
    But thats not legally correct either.
    Never had a deer or pheasant ask me for my licence yet tho :D


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    #9
    BryanL
    Registered Users Posts: 1,124 ✭✭✭BryanL


    Sika98k wrote: »
    It would be interesting to find out what percentage of firearms are currently unlicensed pending renewals. There seem to be a lot of us in the same predicament.
    I had to make an appointment with my FO recently to get the wheels in motion, nice guy, the wheels are now turning but no hint of an apology for the delay over the last 6 months.
    One of the big problems is that each bit of information for each license has to be entered on the computer system. It just eats up a lot of time.
    I think there is a strong argument to be made for Shotgun certificates and firearms certificates as is done in the U.K. and other countries.

    System should be that you are licenced to have a firearm/s, guns are added to or subtracted to that licence.


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    #10
    ZiabR
    Registered Users Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭ZiabR


    BryanL wrote: »
    System should be that you are licenced to have a firearm/s, guns are added to or subtracted to that licence.

    Like it is in the UK? I completely agree. Our system is a complete joke. Having to own a separate licence for each gun is madness. It seems they just like to make things as hard as possible for people seeking licences.

    Once you receive a licence for a firearm type, i.e. Shotgun, Rifle or Pistol, you should be able to add or remove firearms of the same category from that licence without having to go through an application process again.

    I can understand having to submit an application again if you suddenly want a Pistol after only owning a Shotgun licence.

    If they adopted a hybrid of the UK system it would cut down on 75% of paper work and applications as many of us just want to upgrade or add guns of the same category to our licence.


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    #11
    BattleCorp
    Registered Users Posts: 11,758 ✭✭✭✭BattleCorp


    ZiabR wrote: »
    If they adopted a hybrid of the UK system it would cut down on 75% of paper work and applications as many of us just want to upgrade or add guns of the same category to our licence.

    Go away with your sensible ideas will you. Don't you know the endgame here is to get rid of all firearms in civilian ownership.


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    #12
    Ubbquittious
    Registered Users Posts: 6,189 ✭✭✭Ubbquittious


    Don't worry about it.



    Happened to me as well took ages to get the license. At no point did a guard mention taking the gun to a "RFD" whatever the hell that is :confused:


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    #13
    hedzball
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭hedzball


    Ubbquittious wrote: »
    Don't worry about it.



    Happened to me as well took ages to get the license. At no point did a guard mention taking the gun to a "RFD" whatever the hell that is :confused:

    Had the same issue come up in our club with a member.. the local ags simply said its just out of date. The gun is still in that persons name. Took another 4 months to get sorted after all of that.


    Bringing it to a dealer is fierce exciting stuff altogether


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    #14
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,450 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    This is a public forum, easily and openly read by anyone and their Mother, and while things may work slightly different in the real world the best advice is always the legal one.

    Before scoffing at the notion/suggestion of going to an RFD (Registered Firearms Dealer) when your license has expired or when advised to do so, don't forget the court cases of lads being charged with or having their firearms seized because of stupid things such as possession of a bullet display or a bullet clock or even having a regular scope on a rifle (i sh*t you not). So imagine if some overzealous Garda finds out your license is expired.

    Most cases that have gone all the way to court were thrown out, but a few stuck.

    My point is the discussion of illegal activity is not permitted on this forum. Telling someone "sure you'll be grand" is incorrect or more accurately, not the full picture. Chances are they may be fine but the advice should always be contact your FO, and then do what is legally safe because when your license expires it doesn't matter if you name is still down for having PREVIOUSLY been licensed, you are now NOT licensed. As per the Garda website:
    ......failure to receive an FCR/new license prior to the expiry of their current certificate, please immediately contact your local Garda Station. Failure to do so may result in an individual being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

    An FO (Firearms Officer) is a made up title we [the shooting community] put on the person from An Gardaí that deal with firearms, but there is no such position and even if their rank is Superintendent they still have no authority to instruct you to do anything that is contrary to the firearms act which says when your license expires you are now no longer licensed.

    No one is saying to be watching the clock and by one minute past midnight on the deadline of your license to run to the RFD, as common sense has a little to do with it, but i have not seen the level of problems with licensing in the last few months to a year as i have since the introduction of the new licensing system. In the end AGS will not be held accountable, you will be. That is not conspiracy theory, its a fact because the firearms act says you [the licensee] are responsible.
    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



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