Information for customers sending firearms

To send firearms under Section 1 and Section 2 firearms, low-powered airguns (as defined by the Firearms Act 1968, as amended), imitation firearms, deactivated guns, antique firearms, paintball guns, and inert projectiles (not prohibited under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968, as amended), you must obtain written approval from Parcelforce Worldwide prior to sending.

The following points must be adhered to when sending the above items:

• Product: Customers must use the dedicated expressAMF and expressAMF Weekend products on Click & Drop for all shipments listed above. These products are mandatory for sending firearms and related items, as outlined in your Price Confirmation Letter.
• Registered Dealers: Collections and deliveries of Section 1 and Section 2 firearms will only be accepted where both the sender and recipient are Registered Firearms Dealers (RFDs).
• Delivery Attempts: All firearms items listed above can only be delivered to the specified address. If delivery cannot be completed on the first attempt, we will automatically attempt delivery on the next working day. After this, undelivered items will be held at the local depot for 18 days before being returned to the sender.
• Export/Import Restrictions: All types of firearms and guns, including component parts, are prohibited for export and/or import outside the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
• Extended Delivery Times: Items sent on expressAMF and expressAMF Weekend to certain postcodes may have extended delivery times. You can check these here.
• Labelling: All items sent on expressAMF and expressAMF Weekend must be clearly labelled with ‘Do not fly’.
• Security: The sender must affix all labels to parcels prior to collection by the Parcelforce Worldwide driver.
• Secure Loading Area: The sending customer should provide a secure area for the driver to park and load the van (e.g., a locked car park or rear premises area), preferably covered by CCTV.
• Packaging: Items must not be identifiable from external packaging. Packaging must be suitable for labels to adhere correctly. Please see our packaging guidelines.
• Removable Cylinders: Air weapons with a removable pressurised gas cylinder attached are prohibited. Cylinders must be removed prior to transit and must not be shipped pressurised.
• Insurance: Customers are strongly advised to have their own Goods in Transit insurance policy. In addition, enhanced compensation options of £750, £1,000, and £2,500 are available when using the expressAMF service.
• Firearms Certificate: A contract can only operate while the Parcelforce Worldwide holds a valid Firearms Certificate from the customer. It is your responsibility to update Parcelforce Worldwide with any licence renewals.
• Service Withdrawal: Parcelforce Worldwide reserves the right to withdraw the firearms service if any clauses in the Terms and Conditions, including prohibitions and restrictions, are not met.
• Dangerous Goods: Any items classified as firearms, as stated above, must be sent on expressAMF. Any other items classified as Dangerous Goods (DG) require separate DG authorisation and must be shipped separately from firearms.

• Postcode Exceptions: Details of postcodes with extended delivery times can be found here.
• Prohibitions and Restrictions: Guidance can be found here. Specific instructions for sending firearms are located in the ‘Firearms’ section.
• Packaging Guidelines: Full packaging guidelines can be found here.

• You can create expressAMF and expressAMF Weekend shipments on Click & Drop in the same way as other shipments.

Please double-check that you have selected the correct product. The label should include the following:

• A signature indicator
• At the bottom of the label, the statements ‘Do not fly’ and ‘Address only’

• Please see an example below:

Scheduled Collection

• Existing Customers: For customers moving to the new platform from January 2026, we do not anticipate any changes to your current collection arrangements. If any changes occur, we will notify you in advance.
• New Customers: Scheduled collection arrangements will be confirmed as part of your onboarding process.

Ad-hoc Collection

Create Your Label and Shipment:

• Use Click & Drop to produce your shipping label and create the shipment.

 
Attach the Label:

• Affix the generated label securely to your parcel.

 
Email the Firearms Helpdesk:

• Send an email to firearms.helpdesk@parcelforce.co.uk including:
  • Collection Address
  • New Royal Mail Account Number
  • Preferred Collection Date

Important: The cut-off time for next-day collection requests is 13:00.

 
Wait for Confirmation:

• The Firearms Helpdesk will process your request and liaise with the booking system.
• You will receive an email confirming whether your booking is accepted or rejected.

 
If Rejected:

• The Helpdesk will attempt to resolve any issues and reprocess the booking.

 
Receive Your Collection Reference:

• Once confirmed, you will be provided with a reference number for your collection.

Important Advisory for Returns
By issuing a returns label to your recipient, you accept full responsibility for the manner in which the item is returned. This includes ensuring the shipment complies with all applicable Parcelforce Worldwide Prohibitions and Restrictions, Terms and Conditions, and specific regulations relating to the carriage of firearms. The recipient must not drop off items at any Post Office or Parcelforce Worldwide depot. All return collections must be arranged through our ad-hoc collection process, which you, as the sender, are required to book on their behalf.

How to send a return:

Create Your Label and Shipment:

• Create a shipping label using Click & Drop.
• The outbound address you usually enter should now be the returning address (account holder’s returning address).
• Both the Sending Address and Return Address on the label should display the returning address (account holder).

 
Label Handling:

• Once the label is created, either:
  • Place it inside your outbound box with the item, or
  • Email it to the returnee so they can print and affix it to the returning parcel.

 
Collection Arrangement:

• Sending customer must send an email to firearms.helpdesk@parcelforce.co.uk including:
  • Collection Address (returnee’s address)
  • Your Royal Mail Account Number
  • Preferred Collection Date

Important: The cut-off time for next-day collection requests is 13:00.

 
Wait for Confirmation

• The Firearms Helpdesk will process your request and liaise with the booking system.
• You will receive an email confirming whether your booking is accepted or rejected.

 
If Rejected:

• The Helpdesk will attempt to resolve any issues and reprocess the booking.

 
Receive Your Collection Reference:

• Once confirmed, you will be provided with a reference number for your collection.

If you have any questions please contact firearms.helpdesk@parcelforce.co.uk