Sound moderator reform moves forward

- Latest news

February 27, 2026

BASC has described government proposals to reform the law relating to sound moderators as “a step in the right direction”, following the acceptance of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill at Report Stage in the House of Lords.

BASC has campaigned for many years for the removal of unnecessary controls on sound moderators. We have argued consistently that they are safety devices which reduce noise, protect hearing and minimise disturbance, and not firearms in their own right.

BASC’s sustained engagement with ministers and officials also contributed to securing a formal government government consultation on the issue, which examined the case for reform.

The amendment would remove sound moderators from their current classification as Section 1 firearms. If passed into law, moderators would no longer need to be individually authorised on a firearms certificate through the variation process.

Removal of variation requirement

The Government has chosen to retain a limited offence relating to the possession of a moderator for a Section 1 firearm by someone who does not hold a valid firearm certificate.

While this does not amount to full deregulation in the form BASC originally proposed, the central reform – removing moderators from their current Section 1 status – represents meaningful and practical change.

In practical terms, the most significant impact will be the removal of the variation requirement. Rifle certificate holders will no longer need to apply, pay for and wait for a variation to acquire a moderator, saving both time and money.

For police firearms licensing departments, removing the need to process and administer those entries will eliminate around one third of associated administrative workload, reducing bureaucracy across the system.

BASC’s director of firearms, Bill Harriman, said: “This is a welcome step in the right direction.

“For many years BASC has made the case that requiring individual authority and variations for sound moderators creates unnecessary bureaucracy without improving public safety.

“Reclassifying moderators so they are no longer treated as Section 1 firearms would reduce administrative burden across the board and allow licensing units to focus their resources where they are most needed. While the proposal does not fully reflect everything we sought, it represents meaningful progress.”

What the changes mean in practice

Under the current proposals:

Rifle certificate holders (Section 1) would no longer need to apply for a variation to acquire a moderator, nor have it individually entered onto their certificate.
Shotgun certificate holders (Section 2) would not be affected by the retained possession offence, which applies specifically to Section 1 firearms.
Most airgun users would see no change, as the majority of airguns in England and Wales are not Section 1 firearms.

The Bill must complete its remaining parliamentary stages before the changes take effect. Until the legislation receives Royal Assent and is formally commenced, sound moderators remain defined as Section 1 firearms and existing licensing requirements continue to apply.

BASC will continue to monitor its progress closely, engage with government where necessary and provide further updates to members as the legislative timetable and implementation arrangements become clearer.

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