In short:
- This is a plain-language guide, not legal advice. The Act, the regulations and your Designated Firearms Officer (DFO) have the final word.
- Regulation 86 requires a firearm that isn't under your direct personal control to be stored, with its ammunition, in a safe or strong-room that conforms to SABS 953-1 and 953-2.
- The holder must have exclusive access, or the safe must need their presence and co-operation to open. Section 120 also makes it an offence not to keep the safe's keys in safe custody.
- Type B safes under SABS 953-1 have minimum steel thicknesses and an approved lock, and a safe under 300 kg must be bolted to the floor or wall.
- If the safe's lock fails, plan where the firearm will be stored lawfully while it's sorted out.
First, a word on what this article is
Firearm storage in South Africa is governed by the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 and the Firearms Control Regulations, 2004. Chapter 10 of the regulations deals with safe custody, and regulation 86 is the one most gun owners need to know. You can read both on Acts Online.
We're locksmiths, not lawyers. This article summarises what the published text and safe makers' summaries of the standard say, so that you can ask better questions. It is not legal advice. If your situation is unusual, such as a collection, a business or dealer licence, or shared storage, speak to your DFO at SAPS or a firearms attorney, and read the current text yourself, because legislation is amended from time to time.
The core rule: a prescribed safe whenever it isn't on you
Regulation 86(1) says that a firearm which is not under the direct personal and physical control of the licence holder must be stored, with its ammunition, in a safe or strong-room that conforms to SABS 953-1 and 953-2, unless the regulations say otherwise.
The Act backs this up with offences. Section 120(8) makes it an offence to fail to lock a firearm away in a prescribed safe, strong-room or device when it isn't carried on your person or under your direct control. It is also an offence to lose a firearm, or be dispossessed of it, because you didn't lock it away, didn't take reasonable steps to prevent its loss or theft, or didn't keep the keys to the safe in safe custody.
Two further points from regulation 86(11) shape day-to-day use:
- Unloaded storage. Firearms must be stored unloaded, except those held under a section 13 self-defence licence.
- Exclusive access. The safe must be one to which the holder has exclusive access at all times, or where the holder's presence and co-operation are needed for anyone to get to the firearm. The exceptions are dealers and gunsmiths, and temporary storage described below.
What SABS 953 asks of the safe
The SABS 953-1 standard itself is a paid document, but South African safe makers publish summaries. Mutual Safes describes two families: Type A safes, rated by resistance to attack with hand tools, and Type B safes, rated by steel thickness. Type A is the more secure of the two.
| Type | Intended for | Construction notes |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Collectors and private owners, up to 20 firearms with ammunition | Rated on resistance to hand-tool attack; wall and door thickness left to the maker |
| A2 | Collectors and dealers | Must also meet category 2 of SABS 751; door at least 20 mm thick |
| B1 | Up to 4 handguns with ammunition | Body at least 2.8 mm steel (3 mm nominal); door at least 5.75 mm (6 mm nominal) |
| B2 | Up to 10 firearms with ammunition | Same minimum thicknesses as B1 |
| B3 | Lighter safe for temporary storage in vehicles and caravans | Type B construction |
Every safe needs at least one lock: a key lock with at least six levers, a combination lock with at least three wheels, or an electronic lock. And every safe with a net mass under 300 kg must be bolted to the floor or wall, preferably both.
Lock-away safes, older safes and temporary storage
Regulation 86 also covers a few situations that catch people out:
- Lock-away safes. Regulation 86(12) sets out what a lock-away safe or device must have: steel at least 2 mm thick, a body that fully encloses the firearm, an effective integral lock, a hinge that stops the lid opening or coming off if the locking pin is removed, and a way to fix it securely to a wall, floor or vehicle. The regulations mention these mainly for storage at premises and temporary storage, so ask your DFO before relying on one at home.
- Older safes. Under regulation 86(8), a safe that complied with the earlier rules counts as compliant if a DFO issues a certificate to that effect. Under 86(9), the Registrar may certify a safe that doesn't match the standard exactly but serves the same purpose.
- Temporary storage elsewhere. Regulation 86(11)(b)(ii) allows a firearm to be stored temporarily in another holder's compliant safe, provided the person storing it notifies the DFO for that area in writing.
That last point matters if your own safe is out of action, which we come back to below.
The safe and your licence application
Guides to the licensing process describe the safe being checked as part of an application. Farmers Weekly, for example, describes the DFO asking a successful applicant to install an approved safe, which is then inspected before the licence is issued. In practice that means:
- Keep the safe's invoice and the maker's documentation showing its SABS 953 type.
- Fix it down as the maker instructs, somewhere you can reach it but visitors and staff can't see it.
- Take photos of the safe, its label and the fixing, and keep them with your licence papers.
- If you inherit or buy a second-hand safe, check its type before you rely on it, and ask your DFO if you're unsure.
Keys and codes: where exclusive access gets tested
Most problems with gun safes at home aren't about steel thickness. They're about who can get in. Regulation 86(11) and section 120(8) together point to some sensible habits:
- Don't share the code or key with family members, staff or a house-sitter who isn't the holder of the firearms inside.
- Don't leave the key in an obvious place. A key in the bedside drawer next to the safe defeats the point of the lock, and the Act specifically mentions keeping keys in safe custody.
- Electronic locks need batteries. Change them on schedule following the maker's manual, and keep any override key away from the safe.
- Households with more than one holder should check with the DFO how shared storage fits the exclusive-access rule before setting it up.
Our article on forgotten safe codes covers the code side in more detail, including multi-user locks.
When the gun safe itself gives trouble
A gun safe is still a safe, and its lock can fail like any other: a dead keypad, a key that won't turn, bolts that bind, or a forgotten code. A few things are different, though:
- The holder needs to be there. Before we open any safe we ask for proof of ownership. For a gun safe, the licence holder should be present.
- Don't force it. Drilling, prying or levering the door can damage the safe so it no longer does its job, which leaves you with a storage problem on top of a lock problem.
- Replacement parts. If a lock has to be replaced, ask the safe maker which locks they approve for that model, so the safe still meets the lock requirements of its type.
- Plan the gap. If the safe will be out of use for a while, arrange temporary storage that the regulations allow, such as another holder's compliant safe with written notice to the DFO.
Our safe repairs service deals with lock and bolt faults, and safe opening handles safes that won't open, non-destructive methods first. As a mobile locksmith in Boksburg we come to you, 24/7. There's an R250 call-out, the technician quotes on site before any work starts, and payment is by EFT, cash or card. If you're going away, our guide to securing your home before going away covers the safe as part of the bigger picture.
Questions
Can a locksmith certify my safe as SABS compliant?
No. Under regulation 86(8) and (9), certifying an older or non-standard safe is for a DFO or the Registrar. For a new safe, the maker's documentation shows which SABS 953 type it was built to.
Can my spouse know the code to my gun safe?
Regulation 86(11)(b) requires the holder to have exclusive access, or for the holder's presence and co-operation to be needed for access. Sharing the code with someone who isn't the holder of those firearms sits awkwardly with that. If you both hold licences, ask your DFO how to arrange storage properly.
Is a small pistol lock box enough at home?
Regulation 86(1) points to a safe or strong-room that conforms to SABS 953-1 and 953-2. Lock-away devices are described separately in regulation 86(12), largely for premises and temporary storage. Check the box's documentation and confirm with your DFO before you rely on it.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our safe repairs & code changes service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Boksburg, so we come to your door.
Sources and further reading
- Firearms Control Regulations, regulation 86: Safes and safe custody (Acts Online) — 86(1) storage in a SABS 953-1 and 953-2 safe or strong-room; 86(8) and (9) certification of older or equivalent safes; 86(11) unloaded storage, exclusive access, temporary storage with written notice to the DFO; 86(12) lock-away safe requirements
- Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000, section 120: Offences (Acts Online) — 120(8): offences of failing to lock a firearm away in a prescribed safe, losing it through that failure, and not keeping the safe's keys in safe custody
- National Hunting and Shooting Association: Firearm and safes (regulation 86 extracts) — wording of regulation 86(11), (12) and (5)
- Mutual Safes: SABS information — SABS 953-1 Types A1, A2, B1, B2 and B3; Type B wall and door thicknesses; A2 door thickness; lock options; safes under 300 kg bolted down
- Farmers Weekly: The fine print of firepower, gun laws and ownership — DFO asks for an approved safe to be installed and inspected before the licence is issued