Legal Documents

The following are laws and official guidance which are of particular interest to airsoft skirmishers.

Most, if not hopefully all of these documents are in PDF format – this is to facilitate easy downloading and/or printing of legislation. Where possible, the documents are hosted on the Government legislation portal – so they should be up to date.

We also provide a simpler FAQ style format which explains the basics of the law surrounding Airsoft in bitesize chunks.

Laws Concerning Airsoft Replica Appearance

• VCRA specific legislation for England, Scotland and Wales
  • s.36 – s.40 Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
    • s.36: Manufacture, import and sale of realistic imitation firearms
    • s.37: Specific defences applying to the offence under s.36
    • s.38: Meaning of “realistic imitation firearm”
    • s.39: Specification for imitation firearms
    • s.40: Supplying imitation firearms to minors
• VCRA specific legislation for Northern Ireland
  • sch.2 s.4 – s.6 Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006
    • sch.2 s.4: Manufacture, import and sale of realistic imitation firearms
    • sch.2 s.5: Specific defences under s.4
    • sch.2 s.6: Meaning of “realistic imitation firearm”
• VCRA explanatory notes, section 2: firearms
• VCRA guidance:
  • England, Wales and Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
• SI 2007 No. 2606
  • r.3(2)(a) created the skirmisher’s defence
• Explanatory memorandum to SI 2007 No.2606

Laws Concerning Airsoft Replica Possession

• s.19 Firearms Act 1968 (as amended)
  • amended by s.37: Possession of air weapon or imitation firearm in public place
• Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Use) Act 1933
  • The author of this guide admits that this is a tenuous inclusion, but rather an interesting read anyhow. This is only in force in England and Wales – or at least, appears to be. It looks to be in force and no revocation/repeal orders refer to this act.

Laws Concerning Airsoft Replica Function

• s.57 Firearms Act 1968 (as amended)
  • s.57: Interpretation
• s.57A Firearms Act 1968 (as amended)
  • s.57A: Exception for airsoft guns
• s.1 Firearms Act 1982
• Crown prosecution service guidance for firearms and imitation firearms

Scotland specific laws

• s.1 Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015
  • s.1(4)(a) imports the definition of an air weapon from s.57 Firearms Act 1968 (as amended), which imports the Airsoft exemption from s.57A Firearms Act 1968 (as amended)

Northern Ireland specific laws

• The Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004
  • sch.1(9): Air weapons can be held without licence if muzzle energy is sub 1J
• The Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004 explanatory notes
• Northern Ireland Firearm Guidance

 

This was last updated in October 2018.