Firearms law
2026 Arms Act changes
The Arms Act 2026 replaces the Arms Act 1983. This page summarises what changes for an ordinary individual firearms licence holder, not a dealer, museum, pistol club or ammunition seller.
Last reviewed: .
Not legal advice. This is a plain-English summary for general information, not a substitute for reading the primary source or getting advice on your own circumstances. Within Range does not administer firearms licensing and is not affiliated with Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand or NZ Police.
Key dates
- 23 September 2026: most of the Arms Act 2026 takes effect, and Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE) replaces Te Tari Pūreke as the independent firearms regulator.
- 24 June 2028: individual licence holders must register their arms items with the Firearms Registry, or declare they hold none. This deadline is unchanged.
- 23 February 2028: a second set of provisions takes effect, covering biosecurity/pest-control endorsement duration, health-suspension length, collectors' storage flexibility and visitor licences (see below).
- July 2027: ammunition sellers move from notifying the regulator to needing prior approval. This affects the business side, not you as a buyer.
The new regulator
Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE) is a new independent regulator, replacing Te Tari Pūreke, the Firearms Safety Authority, from 23 September 2026. FSE takes on licensing, the Firearms Registry, and firearms-safety education and compliance. NZ Police keeps responsibility for criminal law enforcement and prosecutions, and continues to provide FSE with corporate support (IT, finance, HR) under a formal working arrangement. The Ministry of Justice takes on appointments (including the new Licensing Review Committee, below) and oversight of FSE's performance.
What changes for you on Day One
- Your existing firearms licence remains current. The new Act's conditions start applying to it from 23 September 2026.
- If you already applied before that date and the decision isn't final, the new Act's rules apply to the rest of your application. You won't need to resubmit the form, though the regulator may ask for more information.
- New: the Act bars gang members from holding a firearms licence, on top of the existing "fit and proper" test.
- New: an independent Firearms Licensing Review Committee, sitting in panels of three, can review licence conditions and decisions to refuse or revoke a licence. It offers a faster, cheaper alternative to appealing straight to the District Court.
Endorsements and permits
An existing endorsement continues, and the new Act's conditions apply to it from 23 September 2026. A few practical changes:
- Permits to import and to possess carry new terminology, and a possess-permit application must now explain why possessing that specific item is appropriate.
- If you want to manufacture a pistol, a restricted weapon, or a pistol carbine conversion kit, you will need an approved permit to possess before you can do so.
- If a gunsmith returns an item to you within 21 days, you do not need a permit to possess for that return.
- If you hold a biosecurity/pest-control endorsement (the "pest controller" endorsement is renamed "animal and biosecurity controller"), its duration moves to five years from 23 February 2028. You'll also need to keep telling the regulator about relevant changes in your circumstances.
Terms you'll see change
The Act renames several terms. The wording on your licence, correspondence or a future permit may use the new term for something you already own or hold. The rules for what counts as each category don't appear to change, only the label.
| Current term | New term |
|---|---|
| Prohibited firearm | Restricted firearm |
| Prohibited magazine (pistol, more than 10 rounds) | Large capacity pistol magazine |
| Prohibited ammunition | Restricted ammunition |
| Prohibited item | Restricted item |
| Non-prohibited firearm | Standard firearm |
| Non-prohibited magazine | Standard magazine |
| Specially dangerous airgun | High-energy airgun |
| Dealer | Business |
| Pest controller | Animal and biosecurity controller |
| "Fit and proper to possess and use firearms or airguns" | "Fit and proper to hold a licence" |
| Temporary suspension | Suspension (clubs and ranges keep the old term) |
Firearms Registry
No change for individual licence holders: you must still register your arms items, or declare you have none, by 24 June 2028. (Business and museum licence holders have a separate deadline, now moved out to 24 June 2029.)
Suspensions and future infringements
- From 23 February 2028, a health-related suspension lasts 12 months, giving more time to seek medical advice and address the concern before a further decision is needed.
- The Act allows FSE to eventually issue infringement notices for low-level non-compliance, but not right away. The regime doesn't exist yet and is expected 12–18 months after commencement.
Visitors to New Zealand
From 23 February 2028, a visitor firearms licence can cover multiple trips to New Zealand within an 18-month period (a one-trip or multi-trip option), rather than a single visit. This matters if you host or guide overseas hunting clients.
What this page does not cover
This page is scoped to an ordinary individual licence holder. It does not cover business (formerly dealer) licensing, museum licences, pistol and other shooting clubs and ranges, or the ammunition-seller approval process in detail. Read the official FAQ below for those.
It also doesn't cover physical storage or transport requirements. The official source's own "safety, storage and wellbeing" material covers suspension length and future infringements, not day-to-day storage rules. The Arms Regulations 1992 and the Firearms Safety Code still govern how you store and transport firearms and ammunition, and this Act does not appear to change them.
Source
Firearms Safety Authority: What the 2026 changes mean for you (read in full 10 September 2026), and the Arms Bill, 2025 No 233, on legislation.govt.nz. Check the primary source yourself before relying on any date or requirement here. Provisions not yet in force by Order in Council can still move.