An application for the grant of a 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 those photographs 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 shot gun.