LicenceMyGun

The part of your firearm licence application they actually read.

Q: Do you guarantee my application will be approved?

No. SAPS decides, on its own criteria. We prepare documents that answer what is asked, clearly and completely.

The SAP 271 is the easy part. Your application turns on the motivation letter, and we build yours from your own circumstances, for the section you are applying under.

Start an application See how it works

R299 once per application. SAPS status checks are free with a free account.

EXAMPLE

SECTION 13 · SELF-DEFENCE2 / 5

NEED AND REASONS

My property is a corner stand with two street-facing boundaries, a pedestrian gate concealed from internal view, and failing street lighting along the western wall.

Armed response to my address averages 18 to 22 minutes, and the nearest police station is 11 km away. I am alone at the property on weeknights.

Self-defence. Pick a section to see how the letter changes.

13Stages at SAPS

6Documents prepared

R299Once, per application

Section I · How it works

Three things happen

You do the first and the last. We do the middle.

01

You answer the questions

About thirty minutes. Only the questions your licence section actually turns on, not every box on the form.

02

We prepare the documents

Your SAP 271, a motivation letter written from your answers, and a list of what to attach, in the order the officer wants them. You pay R299 at this point, once.

03

You read, sign and hand in

At your own Designated Firearms Officer. Read every page before you sign it. You are responsible for what you submit.

Section II · What you get

What you get for R299

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A completed SAP 271Filled from your answers, ready to print and sign.

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A motivation letterWritten around the test your licence section sets, in your own circumstances.

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An editable Word copyChange anything before you sign it. It is your document and your signature.

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A documents checklistEverything you need to gather and attach, in the order the officer will want them.

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A crime statistics reportSAPS figures for your own police station, as a separate annexure. Section 13 applications.

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A crime intelligence reportRecent reported incidents near your address, as a separate annexure. Section 13 applications.

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A second attemptIf the letter does not read the way you want, adjust your answers and write it again.

Then you wait. At least know where you stand.

Check any SAPS firearm licence, competency or renewal reference, straight from the source. Free with a free account, whether you buy anything or not.

Check a reference

C10739114COMPETENCY

Payment received

Received at DFO

In process at DFO

Sent to Provincial DFO

Received at Prov DFO for quality control41 days

Sent to CFR

Received at CFR

Sent to Competency Section

Example of a result. Your own check reads live from SAPS.

R299 Once, per application. No subscription, nothing added at checkout. Start an application

What we cannot do

×Approve your application, speed it up, or influence the outcome. SAPS decides.

×Give you legal advice. We are not a law firm and nothing here is advice about your own situation.

×Submit anything for you. You hand your documents in yourself, at your own DFO.

×Appeal a refusal on your behalf. For that you need an attorney who does firearm work.

Section III · Questions

What is a firearm licence motivation letter?

A written statement that goes in with your SAP 271 explaining why you need the firearm you are applying for. It has to establish what your licence section requires, in your own circumstances. It is usually the part of the application the decision actually rests on.

What is the SAP 271?

The application form for a firearm licence in South Africa. Your motivation letter and supporting documents are attached to it as annexures.

What is the difference between Section 13, 15 and 16?

They are different licence types under the Firearms Control Act. Section 13 is for self-defence, Section 15 for occasional sport shooting or hunting, and Section 16 for dedicated sport shooting or dedicated hunting. Each sets a different test your motivation has to meet, which is why the questions you are asked change with the section you choose.

How long does a SAPS firearm licence application take?

SAPS publishes no official turnaround time. Waits of several months are common and vary by province and by station. We do not publish a figure of our own, because we have not measured one. What we can tell you is which stage your application has reached and when SAPS last moved it.

When must I renew a firearm licence?

At least 90 days before it expires. SAPS guidance is that an application lodged in time keeps the licence valid until the application has been decided.

Where do I find my reference number?

On the SMS SAPS sent you after you handed in your application. Competency reference numbers start with a C and renewal references with an R. Licence references have no letter in front of them.

Do you guarantee my application will be approved?

No, and nobody honestly can. SAPS decides, on its own criteria. We prepare documents that answer what is asked, clearly and completely.

What happens to my information?

Your application and any documents you upload are deleted six months after you last use them, and we email you before that happens. You can delete an application yourself at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

These are general answers about how the process works, not legal advice about your own application, a refusal or an appeal. For that, speak to your Designated Firearms Officer or a qualified attorney.