Applying for or Renewing a Firearm Licence
Acquiring and Selling Firearms
Miscellaneous
Contact information and help
Applying for or Renewing a Firearm Licence
Am I required to complete a firearm safety course in Victoria if I completed one in another state?
If you completed an interstate course you must still complete the relevant Victorian Firearm Safety Course when the licence you are applying for requires a firearm safety course to have been completed.
Return to Top
How long does it take for a licence to be issued?
An application for a new firearm licence cannot be approved and a licence issued until at least 28 days have passed since the application was received by Victoria Police's Licensing & Regulation Division (LRD). This is a requirement of the Firearms Act.
An application to renew a firearm licence will generally be processed within 14 days of receipt. If LRD receives your renewal application after your licence's expiry date, your renewal application will be treated as a new application and the Firearms Act requires that it cannot be approved for 28 days. In this situation, you are unlicensed and must dispose of all firearms in your possession while you wait for your renewal application to be processed.
Applications can take longer to be processed where the relevant forms are not completed correctly or in full and/or supporting documentation is missing. Applications like this will be returned and/or a letter sent to the applicant directing them to address those issues which have prevented the application from being processed.
In order to avoid delays, please read all of the instructions attached to an application form carefully.
It can then take several business days for Australia Post to deliver your payment notice (or datacard) to you.
Return to Top
What should I do if I have not received my payment notice (datacard)?
New licence applicants will be sent a payment notice in the mail five to six weeks after their application has been received at Licensing & Regulation Division (LRD).
Renewal licence applicants will be sent a payment notice within three weeks of their application being received by LRD.
If you have not received a payment notice within these time frames, please contact LRD.
Please note: It may take longer for a payment notice to be generated and sent where an application has not been completed correctly or in full, and/or supporting documentation is missing. Payment notices for new licence applications cannot be generated until 28 days after the completed application was received at Licensing & Regulation Division.
Return to Top
How do I renew my licence?
A licence renewal reminder will be sent to you eight weeks before the expiry date of your current licence. If you do not receive this renewal form four weeks before your licence expires, please contact Licensing & Regulation Division and a reprint of the renewal form will be sent to you.
Return to Top
What should I do if I have not submitted a renewal application before my licence expires?
If you still want to use, store, buy or sell firearms, you will need to submit a new firearm licence application form and must dispose of any firearms you possess to a licensed firearm dealer while your application is processed. It is an offence to possess firearms without a firearm licence.
If you become re-licensed, you must also apply to LRD for a permit to acquire any firearm you disposed of and wish to re-possess.
Please note: Licensing & Regulation Division cannot extend licences and the Firearms Act requires that new licence application cannot be processed for 28 days. If your licence expired within the last 12 months, you will not need to re-supply identification documents or re-take the Victorian Firearm Safety Course.
If you do not wish to renew your licence, you must also dispose of your firearm(s) before your licence expires. If you do not, you are in breach of the Firearms Act.
Return to Top
What should I do if my licence expires while I am waiting for my renewal application to be processed?
You may keep any firearms in your possession until your application is determined.
Return to Top
What happens if my renewal application is refused?
There are three broad scenarios in which this can occur:
- LRD received your renewal application before your licence expired but refused your application after your licence expired and you decide not to apply for this decision to be reviewed by the Firearms Appeals Committee (FAC). In this case, you must dispose of your firearms within 28 days of the refusal of your application.
- LRD received your renewal application before your licence expired but refused your application before your licence expired and you decide not to apply for this decision to be reviewed by the Firearms Appeals Committee (FAC). In this case, you must dispose of your firearms within 28 days of your licence expiring.
- You apply to the Firearm Appeals Committee (FAC) to have Licensing & Regulation Division's decision to refuse your application reviewed but this decision is subsequently confirmed by the FAC. In this case, you must dispose of your firearms within 28 days of the confirmation of this decision by the FAC.
Return to Top
How do I dispose of a firearm?
Depending on the type of licence you held, you will either need to dispose of that firearm to a licensed firearm dealer, to a police station for destruction or in the manner your licence specifies. You must then send a copy of the disposal receipt you receive from the dealer or a police station to LRD. Your Divisional Firearm Officer can advise what you specifically must do with any firearm(s) you are no longer licensed to hold.
Return to Top
What are the storage requirements for a firearm licence?
There are specific storage requirements for each category of firearm licence. These storage requirements must be met in order for an individual to possess a firearm. Divisional Firearm Officers will check that you are storing your firearm(s) correctly both when you obtain a firearm for the first time and whenever you change your storage address. They may also conduct random inspections from time to time.
Each licence application form contains information about the storage requirements for that particular category and type of licence. For more information, you should contact your local DFO or see schedule 4 of the Firearms Act.
Return to Top
How old do I have to be to apply for a licence?
For a junior licence, you must have reached the age of 12 but be under 18. For an adult licence, you must be 18 years old or over.
Return to Top
What proof of identification do I need to provide at an authorised photo point?
You will need to take proof of identification which displays a photo of yourself, e.g. your driver licence or passport.
Return to Top
Acquiring and Selling Firearms
How long does it take for permit to acquire applications to be approved?
Your first application for a permit to acquire a firearm will take at least 28 days to be approved. This is a requirement of the Firearms Act.
Licence holders that already have a firearm registered to their licence will generally receive their permit in the mail within 10-15 working days.
Applications can take longer to be processed where the relevant forms are not completed correctly or in full and/or supporting documentation is missing. Applications like this will be returned and/or a letter sent to the applicant directing them to address those issues which have prevented the application from being processed. In order to avoid delays, please read all of the instructions attached to an application form carefully.
Return to Top
Can I advertise the sale of firearms?
Only licensed firearm dealers may advertise the sale of a firearm. Section 101(1) of the Firearms Act details that it is illegal for a person to publish (or cause to be published) an advertisement for the sale of a firearm by a person who is not a licensed firearm dealer.
The exception to this is where an advertisement is published by an approved club or in a commercially published firearm or shooting sports magazine. Victoria Police does not consider internet websites to fall within the description of a 'commercially published firearms or shooting sports magazine' and will not allow persons or organisations that are not licensed firearm dealers to advertise on the internet.
Return to Top
Miscellaneous
What do I need to do when transporting a firearm?
As a licence holder, you are responsible for ensuring that firearms are carried in a manner that is secure and not dangerous. You must also take all reasonable precautions to ensure that your firearms are not lost or stolen during transportation.
You should contact your Divisional Firearm Officer for specific information about moving your type of firearm(s) by the mode of transport you intend to use. If you plan to travel interstate with firearms, you should contact the relevant state or territory firearm authority to determine what your obligations will be there.
Return to Top
Do I need to hold a firearm licence if I am starting a sporting event with a handgun or starting pistol?
This will depend on which of the three types of pistols used for starting sporting events you want to use.
Our information sheet on starting pistols contains more detailed information and will help you determine your licensing obligations.
Return to Top
How do I transfer a firearm on one of my licences to another of my licences?
You will need to:
- Supply LRD with detailed information about the firearm including the make, model, type, action, capacity, calibre, configuration, serial number, year of manufacture and barrel length (if it's a handgun).
- Meet all the pre-requisites of the licence you want the firearm to belong to
For example, if you want to transfer a handgun from your general category handgun licence to your collector licence, you will need to:
- have your application endorsed by the nominated officer of your club
- provide a statement indicating how the handgun would fit into the theme of your collection.
But if you want to transfer your handgun from your collector licence to your general category handgun licence you will need to:
- demonstrate you have a genuine reason for doing so (i.e. you will use this handgun for target shooting, work as a security, prison, armed or cash-in-transit guard etc). You could demonstrate this with a letter of endorsement from a club or from an employer; and
- Ensure you handgun is suitable for that reason (e.g. it is the appropriate calibre)
Return to Top
What does a Divisional Firearm Officer do?
Divisional Firearm Officers (or DFOs) are located throughout Victoria and administer and enforce laws relating to firearms and weapons. They help licence holders and the firearm community understand their responsibilities and comply with the law.
Return to Top
Do I need a permit to Acquire if my firearm is being replaced under warranty?
A new Permit to Acquire is not required if:
- The warranty claim takes place within 12 months of the original purchase
- The firearm is EXACTLY the same (make, model, type, action, etc)
Return to Top
How much ammunition can I store, sell, collect and import?
Licensed firearm dealers can sell, possess and store any quantity of cartridge ammunition but larger amounts of cartridge ammunition store have greater storage requirements. Dealers can also import any amount of cartridge ammunition as long as they have an import permit from LRD.
Licensed ammunition collectors can store and collect any amount of cartridge ammunition and can also import any amount of cartridge ammunition as long as they have an import permit from LRD.
Licensed firearm dealers can sell any amount of gunpowder and propellants provided they have a Worksafe Licence to Sell Explosives. Although dealers can also store any amount of gunpowder or propellants, they must have a WorkSafe Licence to Store Explosives in order to store more than 20kg of propellants or more than 5kg of propellant gun powder. Dealers must also have a WorkSafe Licence to Import Explosives to import any amount of gunpowder and propellants.
Return to Top
How can I pay for my licence or permit?
You need to pay the prescribed fees for your licence or permit at a bank. Some banks will charge for this service but Westpac bank does not. Licensing & Regulation Division does not accept cash, credit cards, EFTPOS or cheques.
Return to Top
How Do I become a Security Industry Firearms Instructor?
Information on the requirements for becoming a Security Industry Firearms Instructor can be accessed via Security Industry Firearms Instructor
Change of address, personal details and circumstance
What should I do if my details have changed?
Licence holders alone are responsible for informing Victoria Police of any changes to their details. Licence holders or applicants whose personal details have changed, must provide details in writing of this change to Victoria Police's Licensing & Regulation Division.
Change of address: Where any address details have changed - residential, postal, business or ordinary storage - you are required by law to inform Licensing & Regulation Division of this change within 14 days. You can use a Change of Details form to do this.
Change of name: You are required by law to inform Licensing & Regulation Division of your change of name. You can use a Change of Details form to do this. You must also provide a certified copy of:
- The change of name certificate issued by the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages; OR
- your full birth certificate (including the schedule of all names changes); OR
- your marriage certificate; OR
- your divorce certificate.
Only certified copies (copies of documents or records that have been signed and certified by an authorised person as a true copy of an original) will be accepted.
You can email, fax or post your completed Change of Details form to LRD.
Return to Top
What should I do if I have lost my licence or had it stolen?
You must notify Licensing & Regulation Division in writing as soon as practicable. You will need to complete a Request for Duplicate Licence form and have a new photo taken at an authorised photo point. You will also be sent a new payment notice and a list of authorised photo points. LRD will not accept passport (or other) photos that have not been taken by an official at an authorised photo point.
Return to Top
How do I notify Licensing & Regulation Division of the death of a licence holder?
The executor or administrator of the estate of a deceased person who possessed firearms, must notify Licensing & Regulation Division in writing of the person's death as soon as practicable. This notification must include:
- the name and contact details for the executor of the estate;
- the full name of the deceased licence holder;
- the deceased's date of birth and death (certified copies of death certificates are preferable);
- the deceased's firearm licence number (if known);
- details of any firearm in the estate (including the make, model, calibre, serial number etc).
The executor of the estate has six months from the date of death to dispose of the firearms registered to the deceased person. During these six months, the executor or administrator of an estate may:
- retain possession of any firearms, storing them in accordance with schedule 4 of the Firearms Act or in any other manner Licensing & Regulation Division has approved;
- arrange for a Licensed Firearms Dealer to store the firearm(s) on his or her behalf;
- arrange for another licence holder to store the firearm(s) provided they have the appropriate type of licence and storage facilities.
Return to Top
Contact information and help
What should I do if I cannot find the answer to my question?
Send Licensing & Regulation Division an email at licensingregulation@police.vic.gov.au with your question. We will endeavour to send you a response within seven days.
Return to Top
How do I contact Licensing & Regulation Division?
Visit us: Level 4, Tower 3, Victoria Police Centre, 637 Flinders Street Docklands 3008.
(Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm)
Phone us: 1300 651 645
Fax us: (03) 9247 6485
Email us:
licensingregulation@police.vic.gov.au
Write to us: GPO Box 2807, Melbourne Victoria, 3001
Return to Top
