To shoot in any UKPSA Level 2, 3, 4 or 5 competition, you need a valid Competition Licence for that discipline. We have created this guide to help you understand how you go about getting one!
Note: you do not need a UKPSA Competition Licence to shoot in a Level 1 club match.
Safety Course
To be issued with a UKPSA Competition Licence you have to pass a UKPSA Safety Course in the discipline you would like to shoot. These are held at various clubs and ranges around the UK and prices vary from £85 to £195. To register your interest in attending one visit www.ukpsa.co.uk/safety-courses.
UKPSA Safety Course are delivered by UKPSA-qualified instructors. They are usually whole-day courses and are available to all regardless of experience. However, we would recommend that you have a good amount of shooting experience beforehand, ideally with some club-level practical shooting, as the safety rules can be demanding and a pass is not guaranteed.
Competition Licence
There are two types of Competition Licence - Long Gun and Short Gun. You can complete each course with various types of firearms. Below is a diagram explaining how the firearm used during your Safety Course impacts the disciplines you can shoot:
Once you have passed the Safety Course you must join the UKPSA within 6 months (if you haven't already) to get your Competition Licence. After this time the Safety Course pass will expire.
You must also participate in a recognised UKPSA match in that discipline within 24 months of the Safety Course pass for the Competition Licence to remain valid. You must then continue to compete in a recognised UKPSA match in that discipline every 24 months after that.
A recognised UKPSA match is defined as "An IPSC level 1 match run by an affiliated club with a course of fire approved by a current NROI member or an IPSC level 2 or above match." In short, unless a Level 1 meets certain criteria, you must shoot a Level 2 or above match every 24 months for your Competition Licence to remain valid.
UKPSA Safety Course & Competition Licence Guide