There are three kinds of figure on this page, and they are not equally reliable. SAPS's own target and its reports to Parliament are official. Stage-by-stage times come from one commercial tracker's published medians, whose method is not published. Individual applicants' stories show what can happen, not what usually does. We say which is which every time.
The official target
SAPS aims to finish a firearm licence application within 120 working days, roughly five and a half to six calendar months. The law itself sets no deadline: the Firearms Control Act gives the Registrar no time limit to decide an application. The target is one SAPS set for itself.
| Period | Target | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About 2014 to 15 February 2021 | 90 working days | SAPS briefings to Parliament |
| Since 15 February 2021 | 120 working days | SAPS, citing Covid-19 and the 2020/21 amnesty |
| Any time | No deadline in law | Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 |
SAPS's target is 120 working days. In a January 2025 reply to Parliament, the Minister of Police said the average was 120 working days, counted "from the date of capture" on SAPS's firearm register system. Time your application spends at the station waiting to be captured is not counted in that figure.
How often SAPS meets it
Not often. In August 2021 SAPS told Parliament how many applications it finalised between April and July 2021, and how many of those took longer than 120 working days. Most did.
Applications finalised, April to July 2021
Within and outside the 120 working-day target, as reported by SAPS to Parliament.
Of 47,313 licence applications finalised, 18,120 met the target. Of 42,199 competency applications, 10,755 did.
A later reply to Parliament, with figures to 31 October 2024, said 4,697 licence applications were outstanding at provincial offices. Its ageing table showed how many were already older than 120 days.
Applications older than 120 days, October 2024
As reported to Parliament by the Minister of Police.
Time per stage
SAPS does not publish how long each stage takes. The figures below are one commercial tracker's published medians, based on the status changes its users have logged. Its two published sets of figures do not always agree, so where they differ we show the higher one. Treat them as a rough guide: figures vary, and your file may move faster or much slower.
Median days at each stage of a new licence
One commercial tracker's published medians. The two slowest stages are in brass.
Card printing after approval is not included: no source gives a figure for it. What each stage means
The same tracker puts a typical new licence at about 130 to 180 calendar days from start to finish. Applicants on forums report far longer waits: a licence taking 11 months is one example from 2021.
The slowest steps
Two steps at the Central Firearms Register (CFR) in Pretoria account for the biggest share of the wait in the tracker's figures:
- Stage 6, at the CFR (AVS). Your file is verified by the CFR's Application Verifications Services office. SAPS has told Parliament that fingerprint (AFIS) and ballistic reports are among the causes of delay. Tracker medians: 25 to 34 days.
- Stage 8, received at the Licensing Section. An evaluator weighs your motivation, competency and safe storage. Tracker medians: 33 to 36 days.
Neither step needs anything from you, unless the CFR asks for more information. If it does, answer through your Designated Firearms Officer (DFO) the same week.
Competency and renewal timings
Competency certificates
Officially, only a quarter of competency applications finalised between April and July 2021 met the 120 working-day target (10,755 of 42,199). One commercial tracker gives a much shorter range of 30 to 90 days, split into three parts. It gives each part as a range; the chart shows the top of each range.
Competency application, top of each range
One commercial tracker's published figures. Figures vary.
Applicants in 2021 reported nine months to a year for a competency, and one said it took about 11 weeks just to leave the station. The official figures and these reports suggest the tracker's range is optimistic.
Renewals
One commercial tracker reports renewals sit at an "In Process" step for a median of about 104 days. No official renewal timing was found. What matters most is applying at least 90 days before your licence expires: if you do, the licence stays valid until the renewal is decided, however long that takes. Read the renewals guide.
Why applications stall
SAPS has named several causes of delay in its own reports to Parliament. Applicant guides add one more.
| Cause | Where it bites | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Payments not linked to the application | Stage 1 | SAPS to Parliament, 2021 |
| Provinces not doing their quality checks | Stage 5 | SAPS to Parliament, 2014 (provinces "failed to conduct quality checks") |
| Waiting for fingerprint (AFIS) and ballistic reports | Stage 6 | SAPS to Parliament, 2021 |
| Extra workload from Covid-19 and the 2020/21 amnesty | All stages | SAPS, when it moved the target to 120 days in 2021 |
| Long waits for licence cards to be printed | After approval | An applicants' organisation's guide |
The fix most within your reach is the second one. A complete file at the station is the best protection against a file being sent back. Our documents checklist lists what to bring.
While you wait, and when to escalate
- Keep your Z263 payment receipt and SAPS 523 acknowledgement. They are your proof of when you applied.
- Note the date of the SMS with your reference number. That is roughly when the 120 working-day clock started.
- Keep your phone on during stages 2 and 3. The DFO may call your references or come to inspect your safe.
- Answer any request for more information through your DFO straight away.
Before that, your application is within SAPS's own target, even if it feels slow. After it, you have a fair reason to ask what is happening.
SAPS's own advice, from 2021, is to escalate in this order:
- The DFO at the station where you applied.
- The station commander.
- The district commissioner.
- The provincial commissioner's office.
SAPS's firearms call centre is also listed on its website: 012 353 6111, or cfrenquiry@saps.gov.za. Have your reference number ready. Some attorneys argue that an unreasonably long delay can be taken to the High Court, but that is a step for legal advice, not a first move.
Questions about timing
Is 120 working days a legal deadline?
No. It is a target SAPS set for itself. The Firearms Control Act sets no time limit for deciding an application.
When does the 120 days start?
From the date your application is captured on SAPS's system, according to the Minister of Police. Time spent at the station before capture is not counted.
How long is 120 working days in months?
Roughly five and a half to six calendar months, because weekends and public holidays are not counted.
My status has not changed in weeks. Is something wrong?
Not necessarily. The CFR and Licensing Section steps often last a month or more each. If the total time since capture has passed about 120 working days, start with your DFO. Check what your status means.
Where do your stage times come from?
From one commercial tracker's published medians. SAPS does not publish stage-by-stage times. Where the tracker gives two figures, we show the higher one.
