Moving House with Firearms in the UK: How to Notify Police and Keep Your Guns Secure
Quick Answer
You must notify your police firearms licensing department as early as possible before moving house. Ensure your new storage arrangements meet security requirements before any firearms are moved, and maintain direct control over all firearms throughout the entire moving process to prevent unauthorised access.
Quick Answer
If you are moving house with firearms in the UK, the safest approach is to tell your police firearms licensing department as early as possible, make sure your new storage is secure before the guns arrive, and keep every firearm under your direct control during the move. The Home Office firearms licensing guidance and the firearms security handbook both point to the same principle: guns must be stored securely and kept from unauthorised access at all times.
This is not a job to improvise on moving day. A little planning prevents the kind of mistake that can damage your certificate, your security, and your peace of mind.
Why does moving house create extra risk for certificate holders?
Moving day creates exactly the conditions that firearms security guidance tries to avoid. Doors are open, unfamiliar people may be in and out of the property, valuables are being carried around, and normal routines break down.
That matters because the Home Office security handbook says firearms and shotguns covered by a certificate must be stored securely at all times, except in limited circumstances, so as to prevent unauthorised access. A move is one of the moments when owners are most likely to be distracted, rushed, or overconfident.
There is also a scale point worth remembering. Home Office statistics for April 2024 to March 2025 show hundreds of thousands of certificate holders in England and Wales. Most moves happen without incident, but security failures during transport or temporary storage are exactly the kind of preventable problem that licensing teams take seriously.
Do you need to tell the police before you move?
Yes, you should notify your firearms licensing department promptly about a change of address, and doing it before the move is usually the best option. The GOV.UK firearms licensing collection points certificate holders to the Home Office guide and security handbook, and both sit behind the basic expectation that police know where guns are stored and can assess whether the new arrangements are suitable.
In practice, this means contacting the licensing team for the force that currently deals with your certificate and asking what they want from you. Some forces will simply update the record and ask for cabinet details. Others may want photographs, a description of the fixing point, or a post-move visit.
You should not assume the process is identical everywhere. The principle is national, but the admin can vary from one force to another.
What should you sort out before the moving van arrives?
You should treat firearms security as a separate workstream from the rest of the move. Do not lump it in with sofas, boxes, and white goods.
Before moving day, make sure you have:
- contacted firearms licensing and noted any force specific instructions
- chosen the cabinet location at the new address
- fixed the cabinet in advance if possible, ideally within the occupied part of the home
- checked the structure is suitable for secure anchoring
- planned how firearms, bolts, moderators, certificates, and ammunition will travel
- decided who has direct control of the guns during the move
The firearms security handbook says the security of firearms in a dwelling can in most cases be achieved using a proper cabinet fixed to the structure and sited to frustrate attack or easy identification. It also notes that separate garages and outbuildings are usually a weaker choice unless the security level truly matches the standard.
Where should firearms be stored at the new address?
In most homes, the answer is a securely fixed cabinet inside the occupied part of the building. That is the default solution for most certificate holders and still the one most licensing officers expect to see.
The security handbook recommends siting cabinets out of ordinary view and fixing them to suitable structural material. It also explains that detached buildings or externally accessed outbuildings are generally less suitable unless extra security measures bring them up to standard.
A simple comparison helps:
| Location | Usually suitable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the main house | Usually yes | Best starting point for most certificate holders |
| Built in cupboard or wardrobe space | Often yes | Good if structure and fixing are sound |
| Integral garage with internal access | Sometimes | May be accepted depending on layout and risk |
| Detached garage or outbuilding | Often weaker | Usually needs stronger justification and extra security |
| Removals van or storage unit | No as routine storage | Not a substitute for approved secure storage |
How should you transport firearms on moving day?
You should move firearms yourself or keep them under the direct control of a lawful, trusted arrangement such as a registered firearms dealer. They should not disappear into a stack of labelled boxes for movers to handle.
A sensible transport routine looks like this:
- unload every firearm and double check it
- use slips or locked cases
- keep guns out of sight in the vehicle
- separate bolts or key components where practical
- carry certificates and keys on your person
- travel directly between addresses without unnecessary stops
The Home Office security material specifically refers to securely storing and moving guns. That is the key phrase. A move is not just a storage question. It is a transport security question as well.
Can removals staff handle your gun cabinet or firearms?
They can move an empty cabinet if needed, but firearms themselves should stay under your own control. Even if a removal crew is entirely reputable, they are not there to take possession of your guns.
The better approach is to empty the cabinet, move the firearms separately, and lock them into the new secure storage as soon as the cabinet is fixed. If the cabinet has to travel on the same day, plan the sequence so there is as little time as possible when the guns are between secure locations.
What if the new cabinet is not ready yet?
If the new storage is not ready, pause and solve that first. This is one of the few points where delaying part of the move is much better than pressing on.
Your options may include:
- installing the cabinet before the rest of the move happens
- arranging temporary storage with a registered firearms dealer
- agreeing a lawful temporary arrangement after speaking to licensing
What you should not do is treat a locked spare room, loft, or van as a good enough stopgap. Those shortcuts are exactly what create licensing trouble.
How should you deal with ammunition during a move?
Ammunition needs its own plan. The security handbook notes that section 1 ammunition carries its own security considerations, and even where shotgun cartridges are treated differently in law, safe storage is still plainly the sensible standard.
Keep ammunition dry, organised, and within your authorised limits. Where practical, store it separately from the firearms during transport and at the new address. If you use a separate internal ammunition box or a separate locked container, keep control of those keys as closely as you would the gun cabinet key.
What mistakes cause the most problems?
The biggest mistakes are usually simple rather than dramatic. People assume the move is only for a few hours, assume the van is safe if it is locked, or assume they can sort out the cabinet after everything else is unloaded.
The most common avoidable errors are:
- not telling licensing until after the move has happened
- arriving at the new address before storage is ready
- leaving firearms unattended in a vehicle
- letting movers or casual helpers handle guns
- losing track of bolts, keys, or certificate documents
- using a weak fixing point for the new cabinet
If you avoid those six errors, you are already well ahead of most moving day risks.
When should you ask for help?
You should ask for help early if the move involves unusual circumstances. Examples include a long distance move with an overnight stop, temporary accommodation, a mobile home, a listed building where cabinet fixing is awkward, or a property where only a garage seems available.
In those cases, speak to firearms licensing before you move and get a clear answer. If the logistics are messy, a registered firearms dealer may be the cleanest temporary solution.
What is the best practical checklist for moving house with firearms?
A short checklist keeps the process calm and professional:
- Notify firearms licensing and ask what they need.
- Install or confirm secure storage at the new address.
- Plan direct transport for firearms, ammunition, and keys.
- Move guns separately from general household items.
- Do not leave firearms unattended in a vehicle.
- Lock everything away as soon as you arrive.
- Keep a written note of the move date, new address, and any licensing contact.
If you keep digital records in Vectis Shooting Log, it is also worth noting the address change, storage update, and any temporary movement in your admin trail. Good records make later questions much easier to answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to tell the police when you move house with firearms?
Yes. Certificate holders should tell their licensing department promptly when they change address so the new storage arrangements can be assessed and the certificate record can be updated.
Should you contact firearms licensing before the move date?
Yes. Contacting the licensing team before the move is the safest approach because it gives the force time to advise on security and, if needed, arrange an inspection.
Can you leave guns in the removals van overnight?
No. Firearms should stay under your direct control and should not be left unattended in a removals vehicle overnight unless your police force has agreed a secure arrangement.
What is the safest way to transport firearms during a house move?
Unload them, use slips or locked cases, separate bolts or key parts where sensible, keep them out of sight, and move them directly between secure locations with minimal stops.
Can you store firearms at another certificate holder's house while moving?
Only if the arrangement is lawful for the specific firearms involved and both security and certificate authority are in place. If in doubt, use a registered firearms dealer or ask your licensing department first.
Do shotguns and section 1 firearms need different planning during a move?
The legal categories differ, but the practical principle is the same. Both must be kept secure from unauthorised access at every stage of the move.
What should you do about ammunition when moving house?
Keep ammunition secure, separate it sensibly from firearms where practical, and make sure your total holdings remain within certificate limits throughout the move.
Will police inspect your new cabinet after you move?
They may. Some forces will inspect before or after the move, especially if the new property presents different security risks or the storage setup has changed.
Is it enough just to update your address at renewal time?
No. A change of address should be notified promptly rather than left until renewal, because the police need current information about where firearms are stored.
Useful official reading includes the GOV.UK firearms licensing collection, the firearms security handbook, and the Home Office guide on firearms licensing law.