Following the deregulation of sound moderators (also known as silencers or suppressors) on 29 June 2026 as a result of a successful campaign by the Countryside Alliance, the British Shooting Sports Council, of which the Alliance is a member, has prepared guidance with its legal expert to help shooters interpret the new legislation.
All references to moderators within this text also includes flash hiders.
Following the commencement of the relevant provisions of the Crime and Policing Act 2026, sound moderators are no longer treated as firearms in their own right, will not need to be listed on a certificate and do not need to be entered on NFLMS.
The legal position is now:
Where a sound moderator is intended to be used with a Section 1 firearm it is an offence to be in possession of such an item unless the owner holds a current firearm or shotgun certificate.
A person who may lawfully possess a Section 1 firearm may also acquire and possess a sound moderator intended to be fitted to that firearm, without any separate authority or certification.
The important consideration is the firearm for which the moderator is intended to be used. Not simply whether it is physically capable of being fitted to another firearm.
The phrase "intended to be fitted" should be interpreted objectively, having regard to the circumstances of possession and the lawful purpose(s) for which the moderator is held. It should not be determined solely by the moderator's technical compatibility with other firearms. An intention to use the sound moderator with a firearm which does not come within Section 1 of the Act removes the requirement for the owner to hold a firearm or shotgun certificate. A moderator capable of fitting multiple firearms does not change legal status merely because it is capable of being used on a firearm of a different class.
The following examples illustrate how the legislation should be applied.
Moderators for Section 1 firearms
A person who lawfully possesses a Section 1 rifle may acquire and possess a suitable sound moderator without the need for it to be separately authorised on a firearm certificate.
No variation application is required. No separate authority is required.
Existing moderators previously entered on firearm certificates
Many certificate holders already possess moderators that were previously authorised on their firearm certificates.
If a firearm or shotgun certificate is still held - No action is required.
Those moderators remain lawfully possessed and there is no requirement to have them removed from certificates or to apply for replacement authorities.
Moderators capable of fitting more than one firearm
Some moderators are capable of fitting both firearms requiring a firearm certificate and firearms that do not require one, such as certain air rifles. The fact that a moderator is physically capable of fitting more than one firearm does not, of itself, determine whether it may be possessed. The relevant consideration is the firearm for which the moderator is intended to be used. A person who may lawfully possess that firearm may also lawfully possess a suitable moderator for it.
Moderators intended solely for shotguns and non-Section 1 air rifles
A moderator intended for use only with a shotgun or an air rifle that does not require a firearm certificate may be freely acquired and possessed. This remains the case even if an identical model could also physically fit a Section 1 firearm.
Moderators intended for airsoft or paintball devices
Moderators manufactured and intended for use with airsoft or paintball devices may continue to be acquired and possessed without restriction.
Moderators fitted to deactivated firearms
A moderator fitted to, or intended solely for display with, a lawfully deactivated firearm may be possessed without restriction.
Deactivated sound moderators
Some sound moderators were previously deactivated because they were themselves treated as firearms. Since sound moderators are no longer firearms, there is no legal requirement for a moderator to be deactivated. A previously deactivated moderator may continue to be possessed lawfully.
General principle
When considering whether a sound moderator may be lawfully acquired or possessed, the question should be: "Is this moderator intended to be used with a Section 1 firearm?"
If the answer is yes, no separate authority for the moderator or flash hider is required, so long as the owner remains a firearm or shotgun certificate holder.
The penalty for unlawful possession of such an accessory is a summary offence carrying a Level 3 Fine.
Sound moderators have ceased to be a controlled accessory, therefore a seller is not required to check that the buyer has the authority to possess it. The onus to have authority to hold a sound moderator lies with possessor. The only offence created is for unlawful possession of a sound moderator.
N.b. this legislation covers England, Wales and Scotland, however sound moderators for air guns remain subject to separate licensing requirements in Scotland.
British Shooting Sports Council
Chairman: Mark Garnier OBE MP
Secretary: Jeremy Hinde
Legal Advisor: Nick Doherty
Constituent Associations: APSI, BASC, CPSA, CA, DWA, FCSA, GTA, HBSA, ICSI, MLAGB, NGO, NRA, NSRA, SAGBNI, UKPSA, VAA.
Photo credit: Roger Seddon