Licence information

• • National media releases
  • Forms
  • National Police Check
  • Jobs
  • Terrorism
  • Publications
  • Crime Stoppers
  • Site map
  • Related links
  • Missing Persons
  Quick Links

Licence information

On this page:

• Commonly used terms
• Registering and endorsing firearms
• Cancelling registration
• Minimum licence requirements
• Genuine reasons for having a firearms licence
• Firearms licence fees
• Firearms licensee's legal responsibilities
• Contact ACT Firearms

Commonly used terms

The following terms are used throughout the section of this website that deal with firearms laws. The information below is not a substitute for the legislation and it is in the interest of firearms owners to familiarise themselves with the Firearms Act and its associated regulations.

Definitions of common terms:

The 'Act'

Is the Firearms Act 1996.

Acquiring Firearms

To ‘acquire’ a firearm means to purchase a firearm, to inherit one, to receive one as a gift or to take ownership of it in any other way, except for the sole purpose of repairing it. Before you acquire a firearm you must obtain a 'permit to acquire'.

Regulations

These are the Regulations made under the Act, prescribing the more detailed requirements of the Act.

Registrar

An Australian Federal Police officer of the rank of Superintendent or above who is the Registrar of Firearms, having the legal and statutory responsibility to administer the Act and manage the operations of the ACT Firearms Registry.

Firearms Registry

The office responsible for the administration and control of firearms in the ACT, including the licensing and registration of firearms. The ACT Firearms Registry is located in the City Police Station on London Circuit, Canberra City.

Register

The Register of firearms under the Act (ie the legal inventory of firearms in the ACT).

Registering and endorsing firearms

All firearms in the ACT are required to be registered. Accordingly, it is an offence to sell, purchase, possess or use an unregistered firearm. A person who acquires a firearm must provide the Firearms Registrar with details of the firearm within 7 days after the firearm is acquired.

When a firearm is sold, the licensed owner must notify the Firearms Registrar within 7 days and provide the details set out in the regulations.

The Firearms Registrar maintains a register of all firearms in the ACT. The registry contains details of:

• each registered firearm;
• the person in whose name it is registered; and
• the person's licence or permit.

The ACT registry is linked to interstate firearms registries. For information about firearms regulations in each Australian State and Territory use the contact details below.

Endorsing your firearm

To authorise the use of firearms which are not owned by the licensee, the licensee must obtain an endorsement on their licence. Applicants for an endorsement must:

• hold a valid firearms licence, established by a genuine reason for the particular category of firearm for which endorsement is sought
• satisfy the Firearms Registrar that a special need exists (where applicable)
• be a business or licensed firearms dealer who requires employees to possess and use a firearm during the course of their employment.

The cost of registering or endorsing a firearm on a licence is $10 per firearm.

Cancelling registration

Registration of a firearm may be cancelled by the Registrar in writing, if the person in whose name a firearm is registered:

• does not hold a licence or permit for the firearm;
• is found to have made a false application in connection with the registration; or
• is convicted of an offence under the Firearms Act or its regulations.

All firearms which are owned by a licensee must be registered on the licence. For situations where joint ownership of a firearm might be required for category A or B licence holders (eg husband and wife) or where joint possession and use might apply, a system of legal endorsement on a firearm owner's licence is provided for in the Act.

Minimum licence requirements

There are a number of minimum requirements an applicant must meet to apply for a firearms licence.

The applicant must:

• provide genuine reasons for having a firearms licence
• be aged 18 years or over
• be judged to be a fit and proper person by the Firearms Registrar
• be able to prove his or her identity through a system similar to the criteria for opening a bank account or applying for a passport
• provide copies of a birth certificate and/or other documentation
• meet secure home storage and safety requirements for their firearm(s)
• be a resident of the Australian Capital Territory as evidenced by.a recent rates notice, telephone or electricity account, a lease agreement, a copy of business registration, or a letter from an employer.

Also, if applying for a licence for the first time, the applicant must undertake a firearms training and safety course that is compliant with the Firearms Registrar’s standards. These courses are available through various clubs and authorised firearms instructors.

Genuine reasons for having a firearms licence

A firearms licence applicant is required to provide and prove at least one genuine reason for possessing or using a firearm. In cases where applicants may have more than one genuine reason all reasons should be stated.

IMPORTANT: Personal protection is not a genuine reason for owning a firearm.

Genuine reasons and general evidence requirements are outlined below. The ACT Firearms Registry should be contacted for detailed and specific information.

Note that some genuine reasons prescribe that the firearm cannot be used for any other purpose.

Sport and target shooting

An applicant for this sort of licence must provide evidence that they are an ‘active member’ of an approved club that conducts competitions or activities requiring the use of a firearm for which the licence is sought.

An 'active member' is a person who participates in club shooting activities on at least four days a year, or makes a personal contribution, other than financial, to the club.

Recreational hunting and vermin control

Evidence to be provided in support of this application:

Applicants living on rural land must:

• prove that they are the owner of the land;
• provide written permission from the owner or occupier of the land to shoot on the land; or
• prove that the applicant is an active member of an approved club, using the firearm solely for the purpose of taking part in recreational hunting activities conducted by the club
  • and provide evidence that the principal object of the club is to conduct recreational hunting activities, requiring the use of firearms for which the licence is sought
  • and prove that the club has permission from the owner or occupier of the land for recreational hunting or vermin control.

Applicants living on reserved land must provide evidence of permission from the Environment ACT, ACT Forests or other authority to use the firearm(s) for the purpose of recreational hunting and/or vermin control.

Applicants involved in primary production must provide documentation proving that the applicant is a person whose occupation is that of a primary producer, or who is the owner, lessee or manager of land used for primary production and that the intention to use the firearm is solely in connection with farming or grazing activities.

Applicants involved in vertebrate pest animal control must prove that they are a professional contract shooter or employed in controlling pest animals on rural land, or employed or authorised by a government agency to control animals that are pests.

Applicants involved in business or employment must demonstrate that it is necessary in the conduct of the applicant’s business or duration of employment to possess or use the firearm.

Applicants involved in animal welfare must be:

• an officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals;
• a veterinary surgeon;
• a person employed by or within an administrative unit with responsibilities for animal welfare; or
• an owner, transporter, drover or other animal handler who may need to destroy animals to avoid their suffering.

Firearms collectors

Applicants who are firearms collectors must be members of a collectors club or association which is approved by the Registrar and whose members collect the type of firearms for which the licence is sought.

Organisations

Applicants submitting as composite entity must demonstrate that they are a body corporate, partnership or government agency which is required to possess firearms for use by its employees in the legal performance of its functions.

Special need conditions for category B, C and H firearms

In addition to meeting the genuine reason criteria for ownership of a firearm, applicants for category B, C and H firearms are required to satisfy the Firearms Registrar that they have a special need for the firearm to carry out the specific task at hand.

See Special need conditions for category B, C and H firearms licences.

Firearms licence fees

The cost of a permit to acquire a firearm includes both the registration of the firearm and the permit to acquire the firearm.

Firearms licensee’s legal responsibilities

• Lost or stolen firearms
  It is a condition of your licence that, if your firearm has been stolen, lost or destroyed you must report that fact to the Firearms Registry within two days of becoming aware of its loss, theft or destruction.
• Change of address
  A licensee or the holder of a permit must notify the Registrar of any change of address within two days.
• Discharge of firearm (public place)
  A person must not, without a reasonable excuse, have a firearm on his or her possession in a public place, or discharge a firearm near a street or in a public place.
• Using postage to send firearms
  It is illegal to send or receive firearms in the mail in the ACT. It is also illegal to direct or request another person to do so.
• Control of firearms under the influence
  It is an offence to handle a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or any other drug. Transferring possession of a firearm to such a person is also prohibited.
• Production of licence
  Your must produce your licence or permit when requested by a police officer. If you do not have the licence or permit in your immediate possession, you must produce it to a police officer as soon as practicable within 24 hours, or state your name and residential address to the police officer.

Contact ACT Firearms

Contact other state firearms registries