An application for the grant of a firearm or shot gun certificate shall be made in the prescribed form to the chief officer of police for the area in which the applicant resides and shall state such particulars as may be required by the form.
Rules made by the Secretary of State under section 53 of this Act may—
(a) require any application for a certificate to be accompanied by up to four photographs of the applicant;
(b) require the verification in the prescribed manner of any prescribed particulars and of the likeness of any such photograph to the applicant.
(c) require any application for a certificate to be accompanied by a statement by the person verifying the matters mentioned in paragraph (b) above to the effect that he knows of no reason why the applicant should not be permitted to possess a firearm.
Subject to the special provision made for shot gun certificates by section 28(3) below, a certificate shall, unless previously revoked or cancelled, continue in force for three years, . . . from the date when it was granted or last renewed, but shall be renewable for a further period of three years, . . . by the chief officer of police for the area in which the holder resides, and so on from time to time; and the foregoing provisions of this section apply to the renewal of a certificate as they apply to a grant:
The Secretary of State may by order provide that subsection (3) above shall have effect as if the references to three years were references to such other period as is specified by the order.
An order made under subsection (3A) above shall apply only to certificates granted or renewed after the date on which the order comes into force.
The power to make orders under subsection (3A) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument and any statutory instrument containing such an order shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
A person aggrieved by the refusal of a chief officer of police to grant or to renew a certificate under this Act may in accordance with section 44 of this Act appeal against the refusal.
It is an offence for a person to make any statement which he knows to be false for the purpose of procuring, whether for himself or any other person, the grant or renewal of a certificate under this Act.