TO ALL MEMBERS
Please print this out and put it somewhere with your paperwork for your firearms license.
A member has requested clarification about a confusing requirement of licensing and a FLRC (Firearms Licence Renewal Certificate) commonly referred to as a “club chit”.
Also a PTA (Permit To Acquire) is not a “club chit” for purchase of a firearm for club use so please use the correct terminology.
Here is a quick explanation.
Before the new Act and Regulations H1 licences were only issued for one year. This required you to be advised by SAPOL Firearms Branch, by letter, that your licence was due to expire on a certain date. You received your FLRC (club chit) and presented this at Service SA with the letter from Firearms Branch and got a new licence. This was done every 12 months.
What has changed?
You are still advised by SAPOL Firearms Branch, by letter, that your licence is due to expire on a certain date. You receive your FLRC (club chit) and present this at Service SA with the letter from Firearms Branch and get a new licence but now you can obtain a licence for three years! However the requirement to prove you still want to retain your H1 handguns every 12 months has not changed!.
So Firearms now have the following in place.
1. When you first go to Service SA with your FLRC (club chit) and Firearms letter, you will pay the required amount, have your photo taken and receive a receipt for your 3 year licence. As an example, if I did this today I would have a receipt that has the expiry date of 08 January 2028 on it (3 years from now). My new licence would also have the 08 January 2028 expiry date printed upon it when I receive it.
2. However to retain your H1 licence and handguns you still have to complete your shoots for a 12 month period and (using our today’s date as an example) obtain a FLRC (club chit) with the anniversary date of 08 January 2026 on it. The next one will have 08 January 2027 on it and the last one will be the FLRC (club chit) with 08 January 2028 on it that you will need, to take a paper copy to Service SA to renew your Firearms licence. These anniversary FLRC (club chits) can now be sent to SAPOL FIrearms Branch electronically or digitally using email on your anniversary of expiry. The last club chit must physically accompany your firearms renewal paperwork at Service SA
The secretary will snail mail you a copy along with your new PAR every year.
It is YOUR responsibility, NOT the secretaries responsibility to send in the club chit to Firearms Branch
This also ensures that the SAPOL Firearms Branch is well aware you are a financial member for that year in accordance with the legislation.
So as a flow of events.
1. You obtain a licence for 3 years!
2. 12 months later you get a FLRC (club chit) after completing your required shoots.
3. You send the FLRC (club chit) to Firearms (email or snail mail) on the anniversary of the first year of expiry
4. 12 months later you get a FLRC (club chit) after completing your required shoots
5. You send the FLRC (club chit) to Firearms (email or snail mail) on the anniversary of the second year of expiry
6. 12 months later You get a FLRC (club chit) after completing your required shoots
7. You go to Service SA with your renewal letter from Firearms and your FLRC (club chit) and obtain a new firearms licence for 3 years
8. Repeat the above process.
Any questions please email me.