Every firearm licence in South Africa is issued under a section of Chapter 6 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000. The section you apply under decides which firearms you may hold, how many, how much ammunition, and how long the licence lasts. It also decides what you have to prove. Pick the section that matches your real reason for owning the firearm, because that is what the evaluator at the Central Firearms Register (CFR) measures your application against.
All the licence types at a glance
This table summarises what the Act says for each section. On a phone, each section shows as its own card.
| Section | Who it's for | What it covers | How many, and ammunition | Valid for|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13: self-defence | A person who needs a firearm for self-defence and cannot reasonably meet that need any other way | A handgun that is not fully automatic, or a shotgun that is not fully or semi-automatic | One per person. Up to 200 cartridges per licensed firearm | 5 years |
| 14: restricted self-defence | Someone who can show a section 13 firearm will not protect them well enough | A semi-automatic rifle or shotgun that cannot readily be converted to fully automatic, or a firearm declared restricted by the Minister | One per person. Up to 200 cartridges per licensed firearm | 2 years |
| 15: occasional hunting and sport | Hunters and sport shooters who are not dedicated members of an association | A handgun that is not fully automatic, or a rifle or shotgun that is not fully or semi-automatic, and their barrels, frames or receivers. Not restricted firearms | Up to four (three if you hold a section 13 licence), and no more than one handgun. Up to 200 cartridges per licensed firearm | 10 years |
| 16: dedicated hunting and sport | Registered members of an accredited hunting association or sport-shooting organisation | A handgun, rifle or shotgun that is not fully automatic, and their barrels, frames or receivers | No number limit in the Act. The 200-cartridge limit does not apply | 10 years |
| 16A: professional hunting | Professional hunters backed by an accredited professional hunting association | A handgun, rifle or shotgun that is not fully automatic, and their barrels, frames or receivers | The 200-cartridge limit does not apply | 10 years |
| 17: private collection | Members of an accredited collectors association | Any firearm the association approves for collection, including certain prescribed prohibited or restricted firearms | No number limit in the Act. Stored at the place named on the licence | 10 years |
| 18: ammunition in a private collection | Members of an accredited collectors association | A permit for collection ammunition, which may not be fired | Up to 200 rounds of any one calibre, unless the Registrar approves more in writing | 10 years |
| 19: public collection | Public collectors and accredited museums | A firearm licence and ammunition permit for a public collection | Up to 200 rounds per calibre, unless approved in writing | 10 years |
| 20: business | Security service providers, accredited trainers, film and theatre suppliers, game ranchers, hunting businesses and other accredited business purposes | Any firearm other than a prohibited one | Not set out in our sources | 10 years for game ranching and hunting businesses, 5 years for other businesses |
Source: Firearms Control Act sections 13 to 20, 27 and 91, and the SAPS licence category FAQ.
Rules that apply to every section
- One licence per firearm. Each firearm needs its own licence, and the fee is charged per firearm.
- Competency comes first. No licence may be issued to someone without the relevant competency certificate (section 6(2)). See the competency guide.
- 200 cartridges per firearm. A licence holder may not possess more than 200 cartridges for each licensed firearm (section 91(1)). Dedicated hunters, dedicated sports shooters and professional hunters are exempt, as is ammunition bought and fired at an accredited range.
- A safe at home. Any firearm not under your direct control must be locked away with its ammunition in a safe that meets the SABS standard. The documents guide covers the inspection.
Self-defence: sections 13 and 14
Section 13 covers one handgun or one shotgun that is not fully or semi-automatic, and you may hold only one. It lasts five years, half as long as a hunting or sport licence, so you will renew it more often.
The test is need. The Act says the licence goes to a person who needs a firearm for self-defence and cannot reasonably meet that need any other way (section 13(2)). Your motivation has to show both halves of that sentence.
Section 14 is for a restricted firearm, such as a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun, for self-defence. You must show that a section 13 firearm would not give you enough protection (section 14(4)). It lasts only two years, and again you may hold one.
Occasional hunting and sport: section 15
Section 15 suits someone who hunts or shoots now and then without being a dedicated member of an accredited association. It covers non-automatic handguns, and rifles and shotguns that are neither fully nor semi-automatic. It lasts ten years.
| Your situation | Most section 15 licences you can hold |
|---|---|
| No section 13 licence | 4, with no more than one handgun |
| You hold a section 13 licence | 3, with no more than one handgun |
| You hold additional licences (see below) | These reduce the count |
SAPS asks hunters to support the application with the species they hunt, proof of hunting, where they will hunt and a declaration from the farm owner. Sport shooters show proof of participation, their discipline, club or association membership and results.
Dedicated hunting and sport: section 16
Section 16 is for people whose hunting or sport shooting is formal and ongoing. It allows any non-automatic handgun, rifle or shotgun, the Act sets no limit on how many section 16 firearms you hold, and the 200-cartridge limit does not apply. Each licence lasts ten years.
The price of those freedoms is membership. Your application must include a sworn statement from the chairperson of an accredited association confirming you are a registered member. What dedicated status involves is explained further down.
Professional hunting, collections and business
The remaining sections serve narrower groups. Each one needs backing from an accredited body.
- Section 16A, professional hunting. Needs a sworn statement from the chairperson of an accredited professional hunting association. Ten years.
- Section 17, private collection. For firearms an accredited collectors association approves for collection. Needs the association chairperson's sworn statement, and the firearm must be kept at the place named on the licence. Ten years.
- Section 18, collection ammunition. A permit, not a firearm licence. Collection ammunition may not be fired. Ten years.
- Section 19, public collection. For public collectors and accredited museums. The firearms may only be used on an accredited range. Ten years.
- Section 20, business. The only business licence. Ten years for game ranching and hunting businesses, five for everyone else.
Additional licences for the same firearm
If you live on the same premises as a licence holder, you may apply for an additional licence for their firearm under section 13, 14, 15 or 16 (section 12). SAPS also lists section 16A as eligible.
How to choose the right section
Start from why you want the firearm, not from the firearm you want. Then check that the firearm fits that section.
| If your main reason is | Look at | Ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Protecting yourself and your home | Section 13 | Can I show a real need that I cannot meet another way? |
| Protection where a handgun or shotgun is not enough | Section 14 | Can I show why a section 13 firearm falls short? |
| Hunting or shooting a few times a year | Section 15 | Do I already hold a handgun under section 15? Only one is allowed. |
| Hunting or sport shooting as a committed member | Section 16 | Am I a registered member of an accredited association, and will its chairperson confirm it? |
| Collecting | Sections 17 and 18 | Will an accredited collectors association approve this firearm for my collection? |
Your competency must also match the firearm. The SAPS 517 competency form separates handgun, rifle and shotgun, and associations report a 2017 SAPS directive that splits rifles further into self-loading and manually operated. Associations report that a semi-automatic rifle application needs the self-loading rifle competency.
What dedicated status involves
Dedicated status comes from your accredited association. You prove it with a sworn statement from its chairperson, attached to your application.
Join an accredited body
SAPS lists accredited hunting associations and sport-shooting organisations on its firearms page.
Become a registered member
Meet the association's own requirements for dedicated members and keep your membership paid up.
Get the sworn statement
The chairperson, or someone they delegate in writing, confirms you are a registered member. Attach it to your SAPS 271.
Our sources do not set out what associations require of dedicated members, so ask yours what it expects of you. Associations also report that a letter endorsing the specific firearm and calibre you are applying for "has become a prerequisite", although we could not find it as a requirement in the Act.
Dedicated status matters again at renewal. A licence is renewed only if you show you still meet its requirements (section 24(3)).
Questions about licence types
Can I hold a self-defence licence and hunting licences at the same time?
Yes. Holding a section 13 licence lowers your section 15 limit from four to three, and still only one of those may be a handgun.
Does each licence type cost the same?
The gazetted fee for a licence to possess a firearm was R183 for 2025/26, charged per firearm. We found no gazetted figure for 2026/27, so confirm the current fee at your Designated Firearms Officer (DFO) before you pay.
How long does my competency last?
A competency to possess a firearm stays valid for as long as the licence it relates to, and is renewed with that licence. The Act sets no separate fixed term for it.
Can I switch a firearm to another section later?
Our sources do not cover moving a licence between sections. Ask your DFO before you apply.
Is a section 18 permit a firearm licence?
No. It is a permit to keep ammunition in a private collection, and that ammunition may not be fired.
