Every Home Office approved club has to keep a shooting record. If you shoot at an approved club in England, Wales or Scotland, the club logs your attendance. That record matters to the club’s approval. It also matters to your own Firearms Certificate.
This page explains what a Home Office shooting record must contain. It also covers who gets logged and how long clubs keep it. Phoenix Rifle Club members can download our attendance form at the bottom.
Why the Shooting Record Exists
Section 15(1) of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 governs Home Office approval. Section 45 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 later amended it. Approval lets club members shoot club firearms without holding a personal Firearms Certificate.
Approval comes with conditions. One condition is that the club keeps an attendance register for all members. That register records the firearms used on each visit. A club that fails its conditions can lose approval.
What a Home Office Shooting Record Must Contain
The register covers every member. Where a member shoots a firearm on their own Firearms Certificate, the register records:
- The calibre of the firearm
- The type of firearm
- The serial number
- The date of the visit
Clubs log visiting shooters the same way. For inter-club matches, the shooter’s own club records their attendance. For open competitions, the organising club records the competitors.
How Long Records Are Kept
Home Office guidance sets a minimum of six years. That is worth knowing. You may need to evidence regular shooting from several years back.
The Twelve Month Rule
This is the part that catches people out. An approved club must tell the police if a member has not shot there for twelve months. The club must also notify the police when someone leaves, normally within a month.
The purpose is not punitive. It lets the police check whether a certificate holder still shoots regularly somewhere else. But a long gap will get noticed and reported.
The practical takeaway is simple. Shoot regularly, and check that someone signs you in each visit.
Why It Matters for Your Firearms Certificate
A consistent shooting record is your clearest evidence of good reason. Police licensing departments want to see a genuine, sustained pattern of use. Occasional visits are much harder to defend.
Probationary membership alone is usually not enough. Home Office guidance is explicit on this point. Police will not normally grant a certificate to a probationary member. The probationary period runs for at least three months. During it you should attend and shoot regularly.
Working toward your first certificate? See our guides to membership and firearms licencing and the legal requirements for UK rifle ranges.
Keeping Your Own Copy
The club keeps the official register. Even so, there is a good case for keeping your own copy. It gives you a personal log for certificate applications and renewals. It also records what you shot and when.
We keep the form below at the range. Members are welcome to use it for personal tracking too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Home Office shooting record?
It is the attendance register every approved club must keep. It logs each member’s visits and the firearms they used. It is a condition of approval, not an optional habit.
How long must a club keep attendance records?
Home Office guidance states a minimum of six years.
What happens if I do not shoot for a year?
The club must tell the police. This does not automatically affect your certificate. It does prompt the police to check whether you shoot elsewhere.
Are visitors and guests recorded too?
Yes. Clubs log all visiting shooters the same way as members.
Does my shooting record help my Firearms Certificate application?
It is central to it. Regular, documented attendance is the main evidence of good reason for target shooting.
This page summarises published Home Office guidance for general information. It is not legal advice. For the full detail, see the gov.uk guidance on approval of rifle and muzzle-loading pistol clubs. Your local police firearms licensing department can also advise.
Download the Form
Looking for a shooting range near Cardiff or South Wales? See our guides to the indoor shooting range in South Wales, Cardiff.