What does my SAPS firearm status mean?

These are the messages the SAPS firearm status enquiry shows, in the order a new firearm license application normally moves through them, with what each one means in plain English.

New license application statuses

1. Payment Received: SAPS has linked your payment (the Z263 receipt) to your application. You're officially in the system.
2. Received at DFO: Your file is with the Designated Firearms Officer at your police station.
3. In Process at DFO: The DFO is checking your forms and documents. They may phone your references or visit to see your safe.
4. Send to Provincial DFO: Your file is on its way to the provincial firearms office.
5. Received at Provincial DFO for QC: The provincial office is doing a quality check to make sure nothing is missing or wrong.
6. Send to CFR (AVS): Your file has been sent to the Central Firearms Register (CFR) in Pretoria.
7. Send to Licensing Section: The CFR is passing it to the section that makes the final decision.
8. Received at Licensing Section: The licensing section has your file. This is often the longest wait, so be patient.
9. In Preparation for Consideration: Your file is being prepared for the officer who will decide.
10. For Consideration: An officer is looking at your application and deciding right now.
11. Approved: Great news! You'll usually get an SMS too. You don't have to wait for the card: go to the DFO at the police station where you applied and ask for your temporary authorisation, a printed paper proof that your license is approved. Take your ID. The card follows later.

Competency certificate steps

A competency application goes through these 15 steps. Correspondence with CRC means the Criminal Record Centre is checking your fingerprints and record.

1. Payment Received
2. Received at DFO
3. In Process at DFO
4. Send to Provincial DFO
5. Received at Prov DFO for Quality Control
6. Send to CFR (AVS)
7. Received at CFR (AVS)
8. Send to Competency Section
9. Received at Competency Section
10. Correspondence with CRC
11. In Process at CRC
12. Completed at CRC (Feedback Electronically)
13. In Preparation for Consideration
14. For Consideration
15. Approved

Other messages

• No record found: SAPS hasn't captured your application yet. That's normal for the first 1 to 3 weeks. After that, take your SAPS 523 receipt back to your DFO.
• Refused: you should receive the reasons in writing. Appeals have strict deadlines, so contact your association straight away.
• No status available contact the DFO: SAPS shows this as a placeholder. Your status line above it still tells you where your application is.

No reference number?

If you didn't get an SMS with your reference number, go to the police station where you applied and ask the DFO for it. Take your ID and your SAPS 523 receipt.