License Application Time Frames

Got a hand full of cards yesterday ;D ;D
??? ::) one rifle already scrapped, one resold and one in use for 3 months already.
WT genuine F ?

Province: Gauteng
Station: Benoni
Application Type: Section 16
Firearm: Glock 17
Submitted: 11/03/2025
Payment Received : 13/03/2025 (SMS)
In process at DFO: 01/04/2025
Send to Provincial DFO: 10/04/2025
Send to CFR (AVS): 23/04/2025
Send to Licensing Section: 06/05/2025
Received at Licensing Section (CFR): 08/05/2025
In Preparation for Consideration: 27/07/2025
Consideration:
Approved:

(108 Working Days So Far)

My most recent one which was approved early july was 120+ working days and it went backwards and forwards between 'in preparation' and 'for consideration' for a period of at least a month. I get the feeling they are throttling on purpose.

Did you see what those office look like. Photos from when the Parliament Standing Committee visited the CFR. My best so far has been three hunting gun renewals when to took exactly 2 weeks till approval and then 2 months for the licenses to arrive. Worst was almost a year. Missed 2 hunting season with it - first an refusal and then the wait for the 2nd time around.

Province: Gauteng
Station: Benoni
Application Type: Section 16
Firearm: Glock 17
Reference No: 101273..
Submitted: 11/03/2025
Payment Received : 13/03/2025 (SMS)
In process at DFO: 01/04/2025
Send to Provincial DFO: 10/04/2025
Send to CFR (AVS): 23/04/2025
Send to Licensing Section: 06/05/2025
Received at Licensing Section (CFR): 08/05/2025
In Preparation for Consideration: 23/07/2025
For Consideration: 31/07/2025
Approved:

104 Working Days So Far

Province: Gauteng
Station: Benoni
Application Type: Section 16
Firearm: Glock 17
Reference No: 101273..
Submitted: 11/03/2025
Payment Received : 13/03/2025 (SMS)
In process at DFO: 01/04/2025
Send to Provincial DFO: 10/04/2025
Send to CFR (AVS): 23/04/2025
Send to Licensing Section: 06/05/2025
Received at Licensing Section (CFR): 08/05/2025
In Preparation for Consideration: 23/07/2025
For Consideration: 31/07/2025
Approved:

104 Working Days So Far

Province: Gauteng
Station: Benoni
Application Type: Section 16
Firearm: Glock 17
Reference No: 101273..
Submitted: 11/03/2025
Payment Received : 13/03/2025 (SMS)
In process at DFO: 01/04/2025
Send to Provincial DFO: 10/04/2025
Send to CFR (AVS): 23/04/2025
Send to Licensing Section: 06/05/2025
Received at Licensing Section (CFR): 08/05/2025
In Preparation for Consideration: 23/07/2025
For Consideration: 31/07/2025
Approved: 01/08/2025 (SMS Received)

105 Working Days

Renewal: handed in 22 Aug, approved 4 Sept

For everyone who applied at Krugersdorp, Gauteng police station.

https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/news-headlines/local-news/2025/09/04/934-firearm-licenses-unclaimed-at-krugersdorp-police-station/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMmJURleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFRamN2bFozaUl0WUVVTjd2AR6LnbdCnVGnpFOAcyyHvhXB0IznYsfyKf52zzxNE-h4sJAF1HHqjuMotN1QFw_aem_5t4xdBv0AMLyx8G01Ye1dg

Got a renewal back yesterday, 29 days.

Got a renewal back yesterday, 29 days.

I have yet to have one that came in much under a year.

When renewals are submitted, do they follow the same route as a new license application, or are they pushed from one place to the next in a different way ?

I have a buddy who re-applied for both his S13 license and competency in June, which was around 100 days before expiry date.
He got a SMS to say competency renewal was approved 5 weeks later.

The licence renewal has been sitting at "in process at DFO" for six months, no movement to any other stage.

Does anyone else follow the renewal process / have any indication of how long renewals are taking ?

When renewals are submitted, do they follow the same route as a new license application, or are they pushed from one place to the next in a different way ?

I have a buddy who re-applied for both his S13 license and competency in June, which was around 100 days before expiry date.
He got a SMS to say competency renewal was approved 5 weeks later.

The licence renewal has been sitting at "in process at DFO" for six months, no movement to any other stage.

Does anyone else follow the renewal process / have any indication of how long renewals are taking ?

A dfo told me that renewals are done at provincial level, whilst new applications are done at national level.

A dfo told me that renewals are done at provincial level, whilst new applications are done at national level.

That's my understanding too. I have never had a renewal processed in much under a calendar year.

My renewals seldom take more than three weeks for approval, and six weeks for the license card.

My renewals seldom take more than three weeks for approval, and six weeks for the license card.

That renewal time frame says its done at provincial and the 6 weeks for a card is in line with my experience and that happens centrally in Pretoria so where the renewal application originates from wouldn't affect that.