Section 24: Supplying firearms to minors.

Firearms Act 1968 · 1968 c.27

Part I: Provisions as to Possession, Handling and Distribution of Weapons and Ammunition; Prevention of Crime and Measures to Protect Public Safety

24(1)

It is an offence to sell or let on hire any firearm or ammunition to a person under the age of eighteen.

24(2)

It is an offence—

(a) to make a gift of or lend any firearm or ammunition to which section 1 of this Act applies to a person under the age of fourteen; or

(b) to part with the possession of any such firearm or ammunition to a person under that age, except in circumstances where that person is entitled under section 11(1), (3) or (4) of this Act or section 15 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 to have possession thereof without holding a firearm certificate.

24(3)

It is an offence to make a gift of a shot gun or ammunition for a shot gun to a person under the age of fifteen.

24(4)

It is an offence—

(a) to make a gift of an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon to a person under the age of eighteen; or

(b) to part with the possession of an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon to a person under the age of eighteen except where the person holds an air weapon certificate granted under section 5 of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 or the possession is otherwise in accordance with Part 1 of that Act.

24(5)

In proceedings for an offence under any provision of this section it is a defence to prove that the person charged with the offence believed the other person to be of or over the age mentioned in that provision and had reasonable ground for the belief.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.