Parliament passes new firearms laws
Parliament has passed the Arms Bill to repeal and replace the Arms Act 1983, completing a comprehensive rewrite of New Zealand’s firearms laws.
The Arms Act 2026 imposes controls that protect individuals and the public from firearms related harm and supports the safe possession and use of firearms and other weapons for legitimate purposes, such as sports, hunting, collecting, and pest control.
Some key changes include:
- Requiring any person or organisation operating under the firearms regulatory regime to act in the interests of personal, community and public safety.
- Gang membership disqualifies a person from holding a firearms licence.
- Firearms regulator given power to issue infringements for low-level non-compliance by a licensed firearm owner.
- Codifying how the firearms regulator, Police, and other agencies share information that raises concerns about a licence holders’ “fit and proper” status and to share information about risks and incidents involving arms items.
- Penalties increased to reflect the seriousness of offences.
- Greater flexibility for licence holders to store firearms in the most appropriate location to prevent theft and unlawful access.
- Dealer’s licences renamed "business licences" and their duration extended to five years for compliant holders.
- Creation of museum-specific licences.
- Fee reviews every five years
Most of the new Act, along with new firearms regulations, will come into force on 23 September 2026, with some exceptions.
The requirements for commercial ammunition sellers will come into force on 23 July 2027 with existing ammunition sellers needing to have transitioned across the new system by 23 February 2028. The remaining policy proposals will come into force on 23 February 2028.
The new Act will also establish Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand as a new independent regulator of the firearms system, replacing the Firearms Safety Authority, a branded business unit of the New Zealand Police. The new agency will start work on 23 September 2026.
Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand will be headed by an independent chief executive appointed by the Governor-General who will report to the responsible Minister. The new agency will receive corporate services from the Police, but the Ministry of Justice will be responsible for monitoring it.
The new Act also establishes a Firearms Licensing Review Committee to consider reviews against decisions by Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand to refuse, suspend or cancel firearms licences.
There is more information at:
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