If you shoot, here is a welcome change worth knowing about. As of the 29th of June 2026, sound moderators are no longer controlled under firearms licensing in England, Wales and Scotland. The change came in under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which removed moderators and flash suppressors from the legal definition of a firearm.
In plain terms, that means a lot less paperwork, and for many people no paperwork at all. Here is how it breaks down.
If you use a moderator on a shotgun or an air rifle, you can now buy one freely, with no certificate needed. Shotgun and air weapon moderators have never needed to sit on a certificate, and that stays exactly the same. Nothing to apply for, nothing to wait for.
Moderators for Section 1 firearms, your centrefire and rimfire rifles, still sit with certificate holders only. You must hold a firearm or shotgun certificate to possess one, so this is not a free-for-all. What has changed is the hassle: you no longer need to apply, pay for and wait on a variation to your certificate just to add a moderator. You can simply acquire one when you need it.
If you have a moderator listed on your certificate right now, there is nothing you need to do. The entry simply falls away at your next renewal, with no action required from you.
It is a sensible, long-campaigned-for change that takes a bit of admin off everyone, shooters and police licensing teams alike. As ever, if you are unsure how it applies to your own setup, your local firearms licensing team will be happy to help, and you are always welcome to pop in and ask us.
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