Notification of purchases.

[bnz41]

And Essex

[DW58]

I hadn't thought of e-mailing a variation, but as the form is a PDF in any case and I complete them on screen, then I guess there's not really any difference sending it electronically or by mail.

[Demonic69]

Surely a variation has to be done by mail as your certificate is altered?
South Yorkshire accept email notification but tend not to provide a receipt. I like it as I'll always have evidence that they've been notified, regardless of any issues they might suffer at their end

[nickb834]

Yeah for variations but as per OP - for notification of purchases then by e-mail it's fine.

[@nd]

And the MET also give you a receipt

[condorman]

And devon & cornwall :goodjob:

[Polchraine]

As a matter of interest, my local Firearms Office will accept e-mail notifications of acquisitions/disposals as an alternative to the normal form - is this widespread?

Have been sending emails to the Met for a few years.

It did take them time to allow read receipts to be returned to me though.

[Polchraine]

And the MET also give you a receipt

It took some nagging!

[Mattnall]

According to the HO Guidance the police should accept the email notification. Best practice states they should automatically send an electronic receipt and you should keep both as your proof.

Section 33 of the 1997 Act requires that, within seven days of the transaction, the transferor
and transferee must send, electronically (for example, by e-mail or fax) or by recorded or
special delivery, notification to the chief officers of police who issued their own certificates....

[Gaz]

According to the HO Guidance the police should accept the email notification. Best practice states they should automatically send an electronic receipt and you should keep both as your proof.

Section 33 of the 1997 Act requires that, within seven days of the transaction, the transferor
and transferee must send, electronically (for example, by e-mail or fax) or by recorded or
special delivery, notification to the chief officers of police who issued their own certificates....

It's a shame section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1977 doesn't apply to email:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/30/section/7

Where an Act authorises or requires any document to be served by post (whether the expression “serve” or the expression “give” or “send” or any other expression is used) then, unless the contrary intention appears, the service is deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting a letter containing the document and, unless the contrary is proved, to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.