Air Weapons Surrender Scheme.
The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 comes fully into effect on 31 December 2016. The new law will require any person who possesses, purchases, uses or acquires an air weapon to have a certificate to hold them legally.
It will be an offence not to have a certificate for these purposes from 31 December 2016, unless you are exempt, but from 1 July 2016, you will be able to apply to Police Scotland for a certificate.
Clearly define the air weapons which will be subject to licensing
Broadly follow the principles and practises of existing firearms legislations
Enable a fit person to obtain a licence to own, possess and shoot an air weapon in a regulated way without compromising public safety
Ensure appropriate enforcement of the new regime with robust offences and penalties to deal with any person who contravenes the regime
Police Scotland will run an Air Weapon Surrender Scheme between Monday 23rd May and Sunday 12th June 2016. Local Police divisions have designated Police Offices where specially trained officers will be on hand to accept and make safe surrendered air weapons. If you would like to find out more about your local Police Office to surrender an air weapon, please click on the link bellow.
Surrendering Your Air Weapon
The below video shows the simple procedure of how you can hand in your air weapon. There are various locations where you can hand it in and these can be found in the divisional pages. By 31st December 2016 you'll need to surrender your air weapon or license it.
For more information visit the Scottish Government's Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act page.
Listen below to a victim's story who was shot by an air weapon.
