First competency
Done your proficiency training? The competency certificate is the SAPS step that comes before any firearm licence. We prepare your complete first competency application for handgun, rifle, shotgun or all three.
99% of rejected applications are due to mistakes. Not with us. We prepare your full application and you receive a ready-to-print, ready-to-submit application with further instructions.
Free to ask. You get the right application and your price before you pay anything.
Cathy van der Westhuizen
For 27 years Cathy was the officer who received and checked firearm applications at the station. She knows exactly what the DFO looks for and why files come back. She checks every application before it reaches you.
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google · 27 years SAPS · Not SAPS, no guarantees
1 You need the proficiency training certificate and unit standards from an accredited training provider, for each type of firearm you want competency in.
2 You must be 21 or older and a South African citizen or permanent resident. SAPS also contacts two people who know you.
Not trained yet? Our accredited training partner runs courses in Pretoria, on selected dates. Message us and we will tell you the order to do things in.
How it works
Our process and what it includes
- Everything runs via email. The final product you receive from us is ready to print and submit, with further instructions.
- Each application is 100% correct, without the mistakes that delay the process.
- Includes every declaration SAPS requires and the supporting SAPS documentation completed in advance on behalf of the DFO, to save you time at the police station.
- You simply go to the station by appointment to take fingerprints, pay and sign. The rest is completed and ready for submission, without the risk of delays due to application faults.
- Planning the licence already? Ask us for a combined price for the competency and the licence application.
Getting started
WhatsApp us a short summary: which types of firearm you trained for and whether you already have a firearm in mind. We confirm the right application and send you an estimate.
If you accept the estimate, we send you the invoice. As soon as payment is received, you receive an email with the list of documents we need to complete your application.
What you get
- The SAPS competency application typed and complete, for every type of firearm you trained for
- The declarations SAPS requires, prepared and ready for your signature
- Guidance for the two people who vouch for you on what SAPS will ask them
- Your supporting documents in the order the DFO expects, with a checklist on top
- Every page checked by Cathy before it goes to you
- Exact hand-in instructions, and what the next step is once your certificate arrives
Basic document needs
Phone photos are fine. You bring the originals to the station. Your checklist after payment lists exactly what your case needs.
- A copy of your ID
- Your proficiency training certificate and unit standards
- Proof of where you live, not older than three months
- Names and contact details of two people who can vouch for you
- If you are married or live with a partner, their details (SAPS requires it)
Cost. One fixed price, told to you on WhatsApp before you pay. The SAPS fee is paid separately in cash at the station; your checklist gives the exact amount.
Firearm competency certificate: frequently asked questions
South Africa, Firearms Control Act, through your local SAPS Designated Firearms Officer.
The certificate SAPS issues to confirm you may possess a particular type of firearm. It is not a licence; it is the step before one. You apply for it after your proficiency training, and SAPS will not consider a licence application without it.
Proficiency is the training: the theory and practical assessment at an accredited provider, which gives you a training certificate and unit standards. Competency is the certificate SAPS issues afterwards, on your application. Training first, then competency, then the licence.
You complete the SAPS competency application (form SAPS 517) with the declarations, your training certificate, ID, proof of residence and two people who can vouch for you, and hand it in at your local DFO, who takes your fingerprints. We prepare the complete application so you only go to the station to take fingerprints, pay and sign.
Usually faster than a licence, but SAPS publishes no guarantee and it differs by station. An application sent back for corrections starts the clock again, which is why a complete file matters.
Yes, if you may want to licence a handgun, rifle or shotgun later. Each type needs its own training and its own competency. Adding a type later is a separate further-competency application, so it is cheaper and quicker to include every type you trained for now.
Normally five years alongside a self-defence licence and ten years alongside a hunting or sport-shooting licence. If all four firearm categories are on one competency certificate and you hold a licensed section 13 self-defence handgun, the five-year rule applies to the whole certificate, regardless of your section 15 or 16 licences. It runs with the licence, so read the date on the certificate and diarise it.
You must be 21 or older, a South African citizen or permanent resident, and SAPS must find you a fit and proper person. SAPS makes that judgement; nobody can promise it.
Usually yes. SAPS wants the accredited unit standards for a private licence, and police or military training is not the same thing.
One fixed price for our work, told to you on WhatsApp before you pay anything. SAPS charges its own fee, paid in cash at the station when you hand in; your checklist gives the exact amount. Training is paid to the training provider.
No. You hand in your own application at your police station; nobody may do that for you. We are an independent private company, not SAPS, and we cannot guarantee a decision. We make sure your file is complete and correct. SAPS decides.
What clients say
Google reviews ★★★★★ 5.0 on Google
“Exceptional service from start to finish!”
Bernadette Richter
“Wow, what an absolute pleasant experience I’ve had working with you.”
Brendon
“Our family had a unique scenario with an estate firearm application and Cathy gave us the proper advice over a consultation call. Her expertise is above and beyond.”
Combrinck Associates
Facebook page reviews Recommended on Facebook · 6 000 followers · See our Facebook page
“Fast, efficient and friendly! Cathy is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with! Highly recommended!”
Chris Kriel · Facebook recommendation
“Best in the business and thoroughly knowledgeable. Quick responses. Most definitely recommend and wish them all the best in their business.”
Ashley Clint Newton · Facebook recommendation
“I have received excellent assistance from Cathy for many years as a firearm owner.”
Alivia Brown · Facebook recommendation
Contact us
Send us a short summary of your situation on WhatsApp or by email. We reply during office hours, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:00, with the right application and your price.
Firearm Licensing Assistance SA is an independent private consultancy. We are not part of SAPS and cannot approve, speed up or guarantee any application. You hand in your own application; we prepare and check it. We do not sell firearms or ammunition. Proficiency training is delivered by an accredited training partner in Pretoria, not by FLA SA.