United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo
Make your United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo that meets the official rules (35×45 mm, cream background). Live camera guidance and checks; your photo stays on your device.
Loading Picproved…
United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo: size and rules
Size
35×45 mm (413×531 pixels)
Background
cream or light grey
Head height (chin to crown)
29 to 34 mm
Glasses
Clear glasses only, no glare
Expression
Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Four identical unmounted prints, 45×35 mm, a current true likeness
Sign one on the back in ink with your usual signature
Each referee (or the shotgun countersignatory) signs the back of another one, saying it is a true likeness, with the date they compared it
Northern Ireland (PSNI) asks for two photos instead
Note on the sources: The Firearms Rules set the size and the signing, not the head size or background; those follow the UK passport print. Some police forces now take an online upload: follow your force's form.
Applications for a firearm certificate or a shotgun certificate in England, Wales and Scotland, new or renewed, go to your local police force's firearms licensing team with photographs that two other people vouch for.
Give one to each referee (for a firearm certificate) or to your countersignatory (for a shotgun certificate) to sign on the back, saying it is a true likeness of you, with the date they compared it. (The Firearms Rules 1998, rule 7 (legislation.gov.uk))
One 6×4 inch print holds 8 photos of 35×45 mm: the 4 you need and 4 spare. Print at 100% scale, not fit to page.
How to take the United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo on your phone
Stand about an arm's length from a plain cream or light grey wall, facing a window or other soft light, so there are no shadows on your face or behind you.
Tilt clear glasses so they don't reflect the light, push your hair away from your eyes and eyebrows, and keep a neutral face with your mouth closed.
Hold the phone at eye level, or ask someone to take it. Picproved's camera tells you when your head is straight, centred and the right size.
Picproved crops the photo to 35×45 mm (413×531 pixels) with the head 29 to 34 mm tall, evens out the cream background and checks every rule before you save.
Save the file to upload, or a print sheet to print at a photo kiosk.
Two of the four pay out only for photos that passed their own expert check or a paid human check
Proof of the rejection
None. Tell us it was rejected
Three of the four ask for proof of the rejection or a reason for the claim
Time to tell us
90 days from your order
14 days from getting the photo at one, 30 days from the rejection at another; we found no limit at the other two
No face retouching. Pay once. 90-day redo and refund, no letter needed. Saving is free while we launch; the promise covers every paid photo once payments open. How the promises compare
Questions
What size is the United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo?
35×45 mm. As a digital file that is 413×531 pixels.
What background does the United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo need?
A plain cream or light grey background with no shadows or patterns.
Can I wear glasses in the United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo?
Clear glasses are allowed if your eyes show clearly with no glare. Tinted glasses are not.
How do I make the United Kingdom Firearm and shotgun certificate photo with my phone?
Stand facing the camera against a plain wall in even light. Picproved shows live checks while you take it, crops it to 35×45 mm (413×531 pixels) and checks the rules before you save. Your photo stays on your device.
How many photos do I need for a shotgun or firearm certificate?
Four identical 45×35 mm prints in England, Wales and Scotland, under rule 7 of the Firearms Rules 1998. One 6×4 print sheet from Picproved holds eight, enough for the application and spares.
Who signs the photos for a firearms licence?
You sign one on the back. Each referee, or the shotgun certificate countersignatory, signs another, saying it is a true likeness, and adds the date.
Can I take my firearms licence photo at home?
Yes. The rules ask for a current true likeness at 45×35 mm, not a studio photo. Print the sheet at a photo kiosk at 100% scale and cut out four.
