How to get your firearm licence in Queensland (QLD)
To obtain a firearm (gun) licence in Queensland you will need to head over to the Queensland Police Weapons Licensing Website to apply. But sometimes you just want the information in plan English, right? Below we’ve outlined the main steps you need to go throw in order to get a gun licence in Queensland. This article information about firearms and regulation and licence requirements including long arm (centrefire, rimfire and shotgun) as well as handgun application requirements.
To skip to a specific firearm type click on the links below.
Step 1: Get your 'genuine reason' sorted!
To get a firearm licence in Queensland you’ll need to a have what’s called a ‘genuine reason for owning a firearm‘. This is a legal requirement which you will need to state on your firearm application and it’s best to sort it out before you do anything else.
If your intention is to use the firearm for sport, target shooting or recreational shooting you’ll be looking for a Category A & B firearm licence. The only way to get Genuine Reason in Queensland for these activities is by being a member of an approved hunting club.
Step 2: Book and complete your firearm safety course
Once you’ve sorted our your genuine reason the next step is to book in your firearm safety course also referred to as the 10618NAT Weapons Act Safety Course.
Completion of this course is a requirement for obtaining your firearm licence. You can book a course with any of the Certain Registered Training Organisations (RTO) are accredited in a course in firearms safety (Course code 10618NAT).
A quick google search of ‘10618NAT RTOs Queensland‘ will turn up a bunch of providers. Simply pick one and book your course.
Once you complete the course you will be issued with a ‘Statement of Attainment’ which you will need to provide along with your application, which we cover next.
Step 3: Applying for your Queensland firearm licence online
To apply for your Queensland firearm licence you will need to visit Queensland Police Weapons Licensing Website.
As a reminder you will need to provide the following documents along with your applications.
- Proof of current financial membership of an approved Queensland shooting club (like Hunting Trips Australia) linked to your genuine reason for owning a firearm. This proof is usually in the form of a membership certificate and needs to clearly show the name of the club, your name and the full expiry date of your membership.
- The ‘Statement of Attainment’ from the completion of your safety course.
- Any history of criminal offences
- Any medical history
Step 4: Identification check
Once you have completed your Queensland firearm online application you will be then be required to perform an identification check.
You can perform your identification check and have your passport quality photograph (which is free) at your local participating Australia Post outlet.
All documents must be original and current. If documents are not original and current at the time of lodgement, you will need to ensure you have collected these documents prior to lodging your New Licence Application, either online or in-person.
Photocopies and certified copies of original documents are not acceptable. They need to be the originals.
A successful identification check will require a minimum of three documents
- One Commencement document
- One Primary document
- One secondary document
You can learn more about what documents fall into these categories by following the link below.
Step 5: Deliberation process
Due to a Australian legislative requirements new firearm licence applications cannot be issued until 28 days has passed from the date of completion. Furthermore it can take up 14 days for your application to be assessed. Therefore it can take up to 42 days before you know whether or not your application has been successful.
Note – your application may be denied if you have a criminal history or intervention order against you or if you have a record of physical or mental illness which evidence suggests would exclude from owning or using firearms. It is possible to get a firearm licence even under these conditions, however it might involve you to undergo additional application processes and investigation.
Step 6: Purchasing your first firearm
You’ve completed your completed your firearm licence application you will be notified by the Queensland Police if it was successful.
If you were successful you will be given a temporary licence you can use to purchase your first firearm while you are waiting for your licence card to arrive in the mail.
You can only purchase firearms, ammunition, firearm parts and firearm accessories if you have a current Queensland firearms licence. That licence must allow you to carry and use those items. That is to say you will only be able to purchase a firearm or ammo as it relates the type of licence you obtained (category A, category B or both)
Finally in order to purchase a firearm you must also have a Permit to Acquire (PTA) issued by Queensland Police. You will be asked the details of your weapons licence when applying for a permit.
A permit to acquire is for a single weapon only. You must apply each time you want to get a weapon.
Is with most states in Australia if this is the first time you are purchasing a firearm there is a legal legislative requirement that enforces a 28 day waiting period from the date you buy the rifle. This means from the date you walk into a gun store and buy the rifle you will need to wait 28 days before you can pick it up.
Other Useful QLD Gun licence Resources
If you landed here by mistake and you are actually wanting to get your firearm license in a different state check out the links below.
- Victorian Firearm Licence Instructions
- New South Wales Firearm Licence Instructions
- New South Wales R-Licence Instructions
- North Territory Firearm Licence Instructions
- Western Australia Firearm Licence Instructions
- South Australia Firearm Licence Instructions
- Tasmania Firearm Licence Instruction
