Sch 1Code of Practice for the Security, Storage and Transport of Firearms, Ammunition and Related Items

Schedule 1—Code of Practice for the Security, Storage and Transport of Firearms, Ammunition and Related Items The penalty for each category of offence is set out in Part 6 of the Act. 1—Short title This code may be cited as the Code of Practice for the Security, Storage and Transport of Firearms, Ammunition and Related Items. 2—Interpretation (1) In this code of practice, unless the contrary intention appears— building does not include an outbuilding; cctv system means a closed circuit television system or digital equivalent that is maintained and in good working order; container means a container that is strong and structurally sound, made of timber, metal, fibreglass or injection moulded hard thermoplastic and is fitted with a substantial locking mechanism and strong hinges; display level 1—a firearm or firearm part or ammunition is secured in accordance with the requirements of display level 1 if it is— (a) secured in a locked display cabinet fitted with glass or other material that is of sufficient strength so as to be reasonably expected to prevent unlawful entry; or (b) in the case of a firearm or firearm part or ammunition that is of a design or type to which the following requirements are capable of applying—secured to a solid wooden or metal bench, or a solid and structurally strong plastic table, by means of a steel cable— (i) that is not less than 4 millimetres in diameter; and (ii) that passes through the trigger guard (if present) or some other part of the firearm, firearm part or ammunition; and (iii) that is fixed to the bench or table with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength so as to be reasonably expected to prevent unlawful removal of the firearm, firearm part or ammunition; display level 2—a firearm is secured in accordance with the requirements of display level 2 if— (a) the firearm is secured to a strong metal rack by means of— (i) a steel cable not less than 4 millimetres in diameter that passes through the trigger guard or some other part of the firearm and is locked with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength so as to be reasonably expected to prevent unlawful removal of the firearm from the rack; or (ii) a solid steel rod or bar not less than 10 millimetres in diameter that is fitted in such a manner, and locked with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength, so as to be reasonably expected to prevent unlawful removal of the firearm from the rack; and (b) the rack to which the firearm is secured is attached to the premises in which the firearm is kept by securing it to a solid concrete, brick, metal or timber floor, wall or other permanent internal structure of the premises; display level 3—a firearm is secured in accordance with the requirements of display level 3 if— (a) the firearm is secured in a locked display cabinet that is of solid construction made of metal and laminated glass that is of a thickness of not less than 7.5 millimetres; and (b) the display cabinet referred to in paragraph (a) is attached to the premises in which the firearm is kept by securing it to a solid concrete, brick, metal or timber floor, wall or other permanent internal structure of the premises; and (c) either— (i) the trigger of the firearm within the display cabinet is immobilised by means of a trigger lock or other immobilisation device; or (ii) the firearm is secured to the display cabinet by means of a steel cable of not less than 4 millimetres in diameter that passes through the trigger guard or other part of the firearm and is locked with a locking mechanism of sufficient strength so as to be reasonably expected to prevent unlawful removal of the firearm; or (iii) the firing pin of the firearm is removed and the firing pin is not secured in the display cabinet with the firearm; intruder alarm system means an intruder alarm system that is maintained and in good working order and complies with the following requirements: (a) the alarm system must be connected to the mains power of the premises in which it is installed and contain a battery backup in case of power failure; (b) the alarm system must incorporate a sensor system to detect the breaking of external glass windows or to detect movement by way of a microwave, passive infrared, ultrasonic or other similar detection system; (c) each sensor of a sensor system referred to in paragraph (b) must have an anti-tamper circuit that operates continuously whether the alarm is activated or not; (d) the controls for the alarm system must, so far as is reasonably practicable, be located out of sight and protected against access by an unauthorised person; key includes a key or key card, combination or key code, electronic access code or other means of unlocking or disabling a lock or other security mechanism; level 1 safe means a safe that complies with the following requirements: (a) the body and door of the safe must be made of structural grade mild steel that is of a thickness of not less than 2 millimetres; (b) the door of the safe must be— (i) recessed or flush fitted and sized to prevent leverage points; and (ii) fitted with— (A) a 3 point locking mechanism activated by an internal key or electronic lock, or a pin combination lock or pick resistant deadlock or biometric fingerprint scanner; or (B) an external lock— • the body of which is not less than 40 millimetres wide and has a hardened steel shackle; and • that is fitted with a cover so as to prevent the lock from being cut, removed, breached or otherwise tampered with; level 2 safe means a safe that complies with the following requirements: (a) the body and door of the safe must be made of structural grade mild steel that is of a thickness of not less than 3 millimetres; (b) the door of the safe must be— (i) recessed or flush fitted and sized to prevent leverage points; and (ii) fitted with— (A) a 3 point locking mechanism activated by an internal key or electronic lock, or a pin combination lock, pick resistant deadlock or biometric fingerprint scanner; or (B) an external lock— • the body of which is not less than 40 millimetres wide and has a hardened steel shackle; and • that is fitted with a cover so as to prevent the lock from being cut, removed, breached or otherwise tampered with; outbuilding means a building subordinate to the main building on premises (including a garage or shed)— (a) that is affixed to land (whether or not it is detached from the main building of the premises on which it is located); and (b) that is fully enclosed, strong and in a structurally sound condition; and (c) the door or point of entry of which is capable of being securely locked, (but does not include a fully enclosed garage that is under the main roof of a residence or place of business); prescribed safe means a safe (other than a level 1 safe or a level 2 safe) that has a body and door made of steel of a thickness of not less than 1.6 millimetres; storage level 1—a firearm is secured in accordance with the requirements of storage level 1 if— (a) it is locked in a level 2 safe located in a building or outbuilding on the premises in which it is kept; and (b) unless the safe weighs at least 150 kilograms when empty, the safe is bolted to a solid concrete, brick, metal or timber floor, wall or other permanent internal structure of the building or outbuilding in which it is located with at least 2 solid anchor bolts; and (c) the premises on which the safe is located are installed with either— (i) a cctv system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect and record any unauthorised entry to the premises, building, outbuilding or room in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm; or (ii) an intruder alarm system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect, to the maximum extent reasonably practicable, any unauthorised entry of the premises, building, outbuilding or room in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm, by means of either or both of the following: storage level 2—a firearm is secured in accordance with the requirements of storage level 2 if— (a) it is locked in a level 2 safe located in a building or outbuilding on the premises in which it is kept; and (b) unless the safe weighs at least 150 kilograms when empty, the safe is bolted to a solid concrete, brick, metal or timber floor, wall or other permanent internal structure of the building or outbuilding in which it is located with at least 2 solid anchor bolts; and (c) the premises on which the safe is located are installed with both— (i) a cctv system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect and record any unauthorised entry of the premises, building, outbuilding or room in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm; and (ii) an intruder alarm system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect, to the maximum extent reasonably practicable, any unauthorised entry of the premises, building, outbuilding or room in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm, by means of either or both of the following: storage level 3—a firearm is secured in accordance with the requirements of storage level 3 if— (a) it is locked in a strongroom located in a building or outbuilding; and (b) the premises on which the strongroom is located are installed with both— (i) a cctv system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect and record any unauthorised entry of the premises, building, outbuilding or strongroom in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm; and (ii) an intruder alarm system that is activated and operating at any time the premises are unoccupied in order to detect, to the maximum extent reasonably practicable, any unauthorised entry of the premises, building, outbuilding or strongroom in which a firearm is kept, or any unauthorised interference with a firearm, by means of either or both of the following: strongroom means a strongroom that complies with the following requirements: (a) the strongroom must not have any windows or skylights; (b) the floor, ceilings and walls of the strongroom must be made of— (i) reinforced concrete; or (ii) double brick; or (iii) reinforced besser blocks, of a thickness of not less than 140 millimetres; (c) any door to the strongroom must be made of— (i) solid sheet structural grade mild steel of a thickness of not less than 10 millimetres; or (ii) solid sheet cut resistant steel of a thickness of not less than 3 millimetres that— (A) has a chemical composition that includes at least 12% manganese; and (B) is encased within, or reinforced by, solid sheet timber of a thickness of not less than 40 millimetres; (d) any door to the strongroom must be fitted with— (i) internal hinges that are concealed or have the hinge pins welded; and (ii) — (A) a 3 point locking mechanism; or (B) 4 shoot bolts that are located on the inside of the strongroom at the top and bottom of the door, that is, or are, activated by an internal key or electric lock, or a pin combination lock, pick resistant deadlock or biometric fingerprint scanner; under the main roof, of a residence or place of business, means within the enclosed internal structures of the building constituting the residence or place of business. (2) For the purposes of this code of practice, a firearm will be taken to be loaded if a round is in the breech, barrel or chamber of the firearm or in a magazine comprising part of or attached to the firearm. 3—Application (1) Except for the provisions of clauses 5, 25 and 26(4), this code of practice does not apply to a deactivated firearm. (2) Unless the contrary intention appears, this code of practice applies to the possession of a firearm by a person whether the person is in possession of the firearm under a firearms licence or not. 4—Security requirements of code are minimum requirements (1) A reference in a provision of this code of practice to a particular level of display, safe or storage is to be taken be a reference to the minimum security requirements in respect of the item to which the reference relates, that must be satisfied in order to comply with the relevant provision of the code whereby, the use of the number 1 indicates the lowest level of security requirements that must be satisfied, the use of the number 2 indicates the next level of security requirements, and the use of the number 3 (where applicable) indicates the highest level of security requirements that must be satisfied. (2) Furthermore, a reference in a provision of this code of practice to— (a) a requirement to use a prescribed safe, level 1 safe or level 2 safe to secure a specified item, is to be taken to be a lower level of security than a requirement to comply with storage level 1, storage level 2 or storage level 3; and (b) a requirement to use a prescribed safe to secure a specified item, is to be taken to be a requirement for a lower level of security than the use of a level 1 safe or a level 2 safe; and (c) a requirement to use a strongroom to secure a specified item, is to be taken to be a requirement for a higher level of security than the use of a prescribed safe, level 1 safe or a level 2 safe or compliance with storage level 1 or storage level 2. (3) Nothing in this code of practice is to be taken to prevent a person from complying with a higher level of security with respect to a particular item than the requirements specified by a particular provision.