Goodbye Paper Gun Registers? Home Office Plans to Revamp NFLMS with £20M Deal

The Home Office is seeking to replace its National Firearms Licensing Management System (NFLMS) in a £20 million deal. The new system, which has yet to be named, will improve the way that gun licenses are issued and tracked. It is thought that this could spell the end of traditional paper gun registers, as online gun registers could be exclusively used instead. This move comes after years of criticism for NFLMS, which has been deemed slow and inefficient.

The NFLMS was started in the mid-2000s in response to the Dunblane primary school shooting in 1997, yet has had many issues in its time. Over time, the technology powering the NFLMS has improved, with the system now also reading the Police National Computer and Police National Database. However, this new contract would streamline the system further – potentially eliminating paper gun registers completely.

More strict firearms licensing was kickstarted in 2015 by the European Union adopting new measures to make difficult to acquire firearms in the European Union. Whilst the UK is no longer part of the EU, it seems this rigid attitude is continuing further with this new bid.

Whilst some registered firearms dealers (RFDs) have adopted this online approach, using either software or online spreadsheets, others will struggle to break free from relying on the traditional pen and paper gun register. Some RFDs have been speaking of this change on online forums, one stating “with my luck on PCs I’d crash it and get struck off on my first inspection”, showing the fears some dealers have with this potential change.

So, what do you think? Is this the end of paper gun registers? Let us know in the comments below.

Visit GunPromoter today to explore our own online gun register – to save time, stay organised and, most importantly, stay compliant.

2 thoughts on “Goodbye Paper Gun Registers? Home Office Plans to Revamp NFLMS with £20M Deal”

  1. I have been an RFD for 30 years.. and a few years ago I persuaded the Computer Company who look after my computer to make a Database within specifications laid down by myself. that would surpass the requirements needed for a Register.

    This has worked very successfully since then, and is backed up every time the computer is started up. I srill use a paper register but would happy to see it go – provided I can use the Database I already have.

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  2. I’ve run a paper system as well as an electronic system that I update regularly. The paper system is by far the easiest to use at a trade show rather than relying on an electronic system. The recent data breach by Guntrader doesn’t fill me with confidence, although this has been rectified I’m sure the electronic systems are always open to attack.

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