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Hi all,

First post, thanks for having me.

I apologise in advanced if this topic is covered already, i'm sure it is somewhere but couldn't find my specific issue...

Anyway, my question is, is it compulsory to be a full member of a home office club prior to you submitting your FAC licence, as this would cover your 'good reason'?

My issue is that I have access to good private land to shoot on, its ideal for rifle shooting. I did join a club January 2020 and did a shoot and became a provisional member, ofcourse COVID hit and there was a complete halt for shooting all year and i've been unable to return to complete my membership.
On the fact that I have private land to shoot on, for the purposes of target shooting, would this be good reason and justified in the eyes of my FEO, regalrdless that I am not fully fledged member of a club?

Thanks all.

You might get it for vermin control not sure you would get it for target shooting on private land. Your firearms licencing department will be able to answer your question ask them.

The requirement to be a member of a Home Office Approved club is a statutory one. It does not, of itself, constitute a complete good reason. Conversely, the requirement applies in respect of firearms for which the only good reason for possession is target shooting. That's a point of legislation frequently not appreciated by licensing authorities.

The result is that, if you use the same firearms both for live quarry shooting and for target shooting, Approved club membership is not a legal requirement to get a condition permitting use for target shooting. However, the police may insist on it anyway in exercise of their discretion. If you only offer target shooting as a good reason, you will have to be a full member of at least one Approved club, and that club will have to be named on your Certificate. That applies regardless of where you intend to go shooting, and does not limit where you intend to go shooting.

Section 44 Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 refers.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/5/section/44

Welcome to the nut house!
I think Iain and Alpha have summed it up pretty well. If you can claim vermin control on your private land then you can apply for it for that. If it is just for target then you will have to wait.
Shouldn't be too long now.