Thread: Pistol Storage Rules

I was about to grab a 6mm safe when the seller confirmed it wasn't certified. From what I can discover, sellers of new gun safes need to have the safe itself certified as suitable for pistol however, this conflicts with the law that basically states:

s28 Security precautions in relation to pistols, prohibited firearms, prohibited magazines, and restricted weapons

"locked in a steel safe or steel box or steel cabinet (being in every case a safe, box, or cabinet of sound construction and of a type approved in writing either generally or in
the particular case by a member of the Police) bolted or otherwise securely fixed (in a manner approved in writing either generally or in the particular case by a member of
the Police) to the building within which the pistol, prohibited firearm, prohibited magazine or restricted weapon is kept."

3.2.2 Police recommends
1. The steel safe, steel box or steel cabinet should be constructed from 6mm mild steel or its equivalent. The steel safe, box or the cabinet should be built and finished in a competent manner with negligible gaps between all fixed parts. If you propose to construct the safe, box or cabinet of a single plate dimension measuring less than 6 mm mild steel, you must provide evidence to a member of Police, to demonstrate the material will perform to the same standard or exceed the performance of 6mm mild steel.

Long story short, surely I can just buy a stout safe whose body and door is at least 6mm and is securely fastened?

Originally Posted by yosamitesam

s28 Security precautions in relation to pistols, prohibited firearms, prohibited magazines, and restricted weapons

"locked in a steel safe or steel box or steel cabinet (being in every case a safe, box, or cabinet of sound construction and of a type approved in writing either generally or in
the particular case by a member of the Police) bolted or otherwise securely fixed (in a manner approved in writing either generally or in the particular case by a member of
the Police) to the building within which the pistol, prohibited firearm, prohibited magazine or restricted weapon is kept."

Long story short, surely I can just buy a stout safe whose body and door is at least 6mm and is securely fastened?

Sure, as long as you are confident a member of the Police with approve it in writing for your particular case.
Certified would just mean that that model has been approved, in general.

Sounds like you'd need to either just go for a model that has been approved in general or first talk to you arms officer to ensure they are willing to approve a model in writing for you. They may require engineering specification so can you get this for it?

Only the measurement and lock info. The plate is certainly 6mm steel.

If it's not certified (the "approved in writing generally" bit), you need to get it inspected by the Police (the "in the particular case by a member of the Police" bit).
It's probably not legal until it's been inspected, so I wouldn't have pistols in it during the inspection...

As Makros said, talk to your arms officer, at the very least it shows you are trying to do things right.

The approvals have to be done by a registered engineer who will sign his name to the certificate, as the Police are not qualified to make such decisions. For a one-off item it will be quite expensive so you would be better off to purchase a commercial box that has been type-approved. There are several on the market (Gun City, H&F, etc.).

If you refer to it as a 6mm Steel Cabinet when speaking to the police/arms officer it's a lot more straightforward, that's why the wording calls a cabinet, box and safe out as separate things. A safe requires certification.
The in writing part means that the inspector has seen it and signed it off on their paperwork as meeting the requirements of the act 6mm, stout construction, suitable lock, suitable fixing to the building etc... It's not like they write an essay about it.

Don't store restricted items in it until signed off.


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I've been storing pistols for nearly 20 yrs. Had the inspections as you would expect. Have two long gun safes sold as "E Cat" and a recently acquired older used safe with original label stating " Pistol Safe". My most recent inspection on relocating was first inspection of the "Pistol" safe. After checking securing bolts and locking mechanism the FA guy moved on. I've never in all my inspections over the years had to provide an engineering certificate. Possibly because the commercially acquired safes were already known to Police. But, more to the point, I have never ever had the results of an inspection confirmed to me in writing. Not once. And I have no real idea what they wrote in their little book or , the recent time, what was entered into his laptop. I guess if there was an issue I'd know about it lol