Be over the age of 18 

- Have successfully completed an appropriate firearms safety training course during the previous year

- Have secure storage for your Firearms

- Have a legitimate reason for owning the gun such as being a member of a gun club or a collector—you may have to provide proof to support your reason

- Be a ‘fit and proper person’—this takes into consideration your criminal record and potential health issues.

- If you’re aged between 11 and 17, you can apply for a minor’s licence.

 

How to apply

 

Rifle licence A&B

Step 1

You will need a genuine reason to obtain a Category A & B Firearms Licence. You need to join a local rifle club or simular . As you can then list your genuine reason as Sports & Target Shooting or Recreational Shooting on Rural Lands or you can use a letter from a property owner if its over 40 acres of rural land in QLD.  Download form here

Step 3

Contact us and book in for a 11029NAT Weapons Act Safety Course.

Step 3

Upon completion of the 11029NAT - Course in Firearms Safety (approved for Firearms Licensing in Queensland) we will email you your ‘Statement of Attainment’ this is your proof that you have successfully completed the Safety Course. You will need this along with your proof of club membership or permission to hunt on rural lands to apply for your licence online at the Queensland Weapons Licencing website.
After completion of the online portion you will be sent an email from Weapons Licencing for you to attend your local Post office with proof of identification along with the email that you were sent, this is to have your photo taken for your licence.

Step 4

After Queensland Weapons Licencing have processed your application, you will be sent an email stating you have been succesful or denied and further action from you may need to be completed. If you have been successful your licence will arrive in the mail and then its then a trip down to your local gun shop to make your first firearm purchase of probably many.

 

Handgun licence H

Step 1

Obtaining a handgun licence is different to the steps you need to get a rifle licence, you need to be a member of a Pistol club . To join an "Approved Pistol Club" you have to go to the Police Station and ask for  an Application for Statment of Eligibilty to Join an Approved Pistol Shooting Club, Form Q515
or be a member of a club that you used to get for your Cat AB licence for more then 6 months. You fill this in and lodge it at the Police Station.
Weapons Licensing Branch will process the form and send you back a letter authorising you to join the Club of your choice. 

 

Step 2

When the letter comes back, you can then join the Pistol Club. You are now on probation for 6 months. During that time you have to attend a minimum of 3 Competion Shoots under the control of a Range officer, these shoots will be recorded on your Participation Record Card that the Club will give you when you sign up. At any time within the 6 months you can do a Course in Firearms and Weapons Safety (Approved for Firearms Licensing in Queensland) , then when your 6 months are up you can apply for your licence.

Step 3

After you have applied online (same as done for Cat AB) your application will be processed and will either be successful or further information maybe required from you. You will then recieve an email from Queensland Weapons Licencing confirming your application has been successful, then approximately 10 days after this email your licence should arrive in the mail. Now its time to drive to your local gun shop and make your first purchase. Only 1 air pistol and 1 cartridge handgun maybe be permitted in your first year of having your Cat H licence for Handgun.  

About firearms/ gun licences

Anyone in Queensland wishing to own or use a gun, crossbow, paintball gun, and even own certain types of knife, must have a valid weapons’ licence. The most commonly held licence in Queensland is a general ‘Firearms Licence - AB’ which is suitable for the needs of farmers and sports and target shooters. If you have a licence and want to buy a weapon, you must complete a 'permit to acquire - PTA'. Only people with a valid weapons’ licence can complete this form.

 

Types of weapons licence

The type of licence you need depends on the category of weapon you want to own or use, and what you want to use it for so you will need a gun course to match your requirements.  

 

Firearms

The most commonly used general licence used by farmers and sports and target shooters.

 

Minor

A restricted firearms licence for young people between the ages of 11 and17 which allows use of weapons in certain circumstances, but not the acquisition of firearms.

 

Visitor

For people temporarily visiting Queensland with a firearm. 

 

Armourer

Required if you run a business for the storage, manufacture, modification or repair of weapons. 

 

Dealer

Required if you run a business buying or selling weapons. 

 

Firearms Instructor

Required if you give firearms’ training on behalf of a Registered Training Organisation. 

 

Group

Authorises members of an organisation or employees of an organisation to possess and use weapons for the purpose stated on your licence e.g. members of a sports or target shooting club. 

 

Blank-fire firearm

Issued for the use of blank-fire firearms for use in the theatre or at sporting events. 

 

Theatrical ordnance supplier

Required if you run a business supplying weapons on a temporary basis for use in theatre film or television productions.  

 

Collectors Licence

Required by weapons collectors and permits the ownership of temporarily or permanently disabled weapons. 

 

Miscellanous Weapons

Required for the use of body armour, crossbows and the possession of some knives. 

 

Concealable Firearms

Specifically for handguns.

 

Security (guard)

Required if you provide armed security services for the escort of valuables.

 

Security (organisation)

Required by businesses providing armed security services for the escort of valuables by licenced employees.

 

Categories of weapons

Depending on your licence type and your need for a weapon, your licence may be endorsed with categories that are appropriate for that licence and your need.
These categories are:
(A) Rimfire rifles, single or double barrel shotguns, paintball guns, air rifles and powerheads (a specialised weapon for use underwater).
(B) Centre-fire rifles (other than semi-automatic); shotgun/rifle combinations.
(C) Semi-automatic or pump action shotguns (capable of holding 5 rounds or less); and semi-automatic rimfire rifles (capable of holding less than 10 rounds).
(D) Semi-automatic centre-fire rifles; semi-automatic shotguns (capable of holding more than 5 rounds); and semi-automatic rimfire rifles (capable of holding more than 10 rounds).
(E) Bullet-proof vests.
(H) Handguns.
(M) Crossbows, certain knives and other hand held weapons capable of causing bodily harm.
(R) Machine guns, fully automatic large calibre military weapons. There is also a category of ‘restricted items’ which includes handcuffs, thumb cuffs or other similar restraints, martial arts weapons, studded gloves and some clubs and laser pointers..

Find out more about weapon categories

 

How to apply for a gun licence

The first thing is to be prepared. Gather all the information and documents you need before starting your application. 

 New licences require a passport quality photograph and supporting documentation, such as proof that you’ve completed a firearms safety training course within the last 12 months.  

The documents you need to supply may be different depending on the type of licence you need. 

 Find out what documents you’ll need to supply for your particular application.

 You will also have to pay a fee for your gun licence.

 

Apply online

 You can apply for a weapons licence online.

You can either upload and attach the necessary documentation or send them separately by post. 

 You can pay using credit/debit Mastercard or Visa. 

 

Permit to acquire (PTA)

Once you have your weapons’ licence, you can apply for a permit to acquire (PTA) a weapon.

It is a requirement that prior applying for a firearm PTA that you have a safe storage organised for the firearm this can either be in a safe shared by another licenced person/s but in that case both parties have to be licenced to the category of firearm stored in the shared safe ie If a Category AB firearms are stored in the shared safe both person/s have to hold a Category AB firearm licence or you can purchase your own safe and store it in a safe location for further information regarding safe storage please visit the Queensland Weapons Licencing Website

Or you can download a Brochure that has been supplied by Queensland Weapons Licencing (PDF)

You must be over 18 years of age to apply for a permit to acquire, so a ‘Minors’ firearms licence is not accepted for PTA applications. 

Minors are not allowed to buy weapons in Queensland.
A single PTA is required for each firearm purchase unless in the case coming from a deceased estate in which case a copy of the will stating that all firearms are being "willed" to the applicant then all firearms can be applied for all at the same time under the one PTA application. 
As with a gun licence, you can either Apply Online on the Queensland Weapons Licencing Website

or at your local police station using the paper based form (PDF)

There is a mandatory waiting period for a PTA of 28 days from the date the application is lodged.

 

Changing you address

If you have a weapons’ licence, you need to let the police know if you change your home or weapons storage address within 14 days of the change. You can do this using the online change of address form.