FIREARMS ACT 1996
Table of Provisions
PART 1--PRELIMINARY
- 1 Name of Act
- 2 Dictionary
- 3 Notes
- 4 Offences against Act—application of Criminal Code etc
PART 2--IMPORTANT CONCEPTS
- 5 Principles and objects of Act
- 6 Meaning of firearm
- 7 Meaning of prohibited firearm
- 8 Meaning of acquire
- 9 Meaning of dispose
- 10 Meaning of possession
- 11 Evidence of possession—firearms at premises
- 12 Evidence of possession—care, control or management of
- 13 Taking possession under credit contract
- 14 Authority to possess and use firearms temporarily
- 15 Paintball markers—authority to possess, use or store
- 16 Meaning of close associate of firearms dealer etc
- 17 Assessing suitability of individuals
- 18 Assessing suitability of individuals—discretionary criteria
- 18A Protection of security sensitive information
- 18B ACAT or court review—decision on security sensitive
- 18C ACAT or court review—dealing with security sensitive
- 19 Assessing suitability of individuals—mandatory criteria
- 20 Approval of courses etc by registrar
PART 3--OPERATION OF ACT
PART 4--UNREGULATED FIREARMS
PART 5--DECLARATIONS ABOUT FIREARMS
- 31 Firearms declarations by registrar
- 32 Effect of certain declarations
PART 6--ADMINISTRATION
- 33 Registrar of firearms
- 34 Functions of registrar
- 35 Delegation by registrar
- 36 Reports and recommendations
- 37 Minister's guidelines
- 38 Amnesty
- 39 Authorised instructors and club members
- 40 Approval of clubs
- 41 Registrar's approval to possess ammunition as collector
PART 7--FIREARMS LICENCES
Division 7.1--Requirement for licence etc
- 42 Offence—unauthorised possession or use of prohibited firearms
- 43 Offence—unauthorised possession or use of firearms other than prohibited
- 44 Alternative verdicts—unauthorised possession or use of firearms
- 45 Offence—contravention of condition by licensee etc
Division 7.2--Licensing schemes—general
- 46 Definitions of some licences—Act
- 47 Offence—notice of lost, stolen and destroyed licences
- 48 Offence—failing to surrender firearms when licence suspended or cancelled
- 49 Offence—failure to give up suspended or cancelled licence
- 50 Police may seize firearms under suspended and cancelled licences
- 51 Licence renewals to be treated as fresh applications
- 52 Licence categories, kinds and authority conferred by licence
- 53 Authority conferred by licence—additional matters
Division 7.3--Licensing scheme—adult firearms licences
- 54 Adult firearms licences—applications
- 55 Adult firearms licences—registrar to tell applicant about training
- 56 Adult firearms licences—requirement for further information
- 57 Adult firearms licences—decision
- 58 Adult firearms licences—refusal
- 59 Adult firearms licences—categories
- 60 When adult firearms licences may be issued
- 61 Adult firearms licences—genuine reasons to possess or use
- 62 Adult firearms licences—no genuine reason to possess or use
- 63 Adult firearms licences—restriction on issue of category B
- 64 Adult firearms licences—restriction on issue of category C
- 65 Adult firearms licences—restriction on issue of category D
- 66 Adult firearms licences—restriction on issue of category H
- 67 Adult firearms licences—restriction on issue of collectors
- 68 Adult firearms licences—restrictions on issue of heirlooms
- 69 Adult firearms licences—restrictions on issue of firearms dealer
- 70 Adult firearms licences—restrictions on issue of paintball marker
- 71 Adult firearms licences—form
- 72 Adult firearms licences—replacements
- 73 Adult firearms licences—conditions
- 74 Adult firearms licences—special conditions of category D
- 75 Adult firearms licences—special conditions for category H licences for
- 76 Adult firearms licences—special conditions for collectors
- 77 Adult firearms licences—special conditions for paintball marker
- 78 Adult firearms licences—period in force
- 79 Adult firearms licences—immediate suspension
- 80 Adult firearms licences—mandatory suspension for family violence
- 81 Adult firearms licences—cancellation generally
- 81A Adult firearms licences—reconsideration of suitability of licensee under certain
- 82 Adult firearms licences—cancellation of category H licences
- 83 Adult firearms licences—when suspension or cancellation takes
Division 7.4--Licensing scheme—minors firearms licences
Division 7.5--Licensing scheme—composite entity firearms licences
- 100 Definitions—Act
- 101 Composite entity firearms licences—applications
- 102 Composite entity firearms licences—requirement for further information
- 103 Composite entity firearms licences—decision
- 104 Composite entity firearms licences—refusal
- 105 Composite entity firearms licences—categories
- 106 Composite entity firearms licence—principal's name
- 107 When composite entity firearms licences may be issued
- 108 Composite entity firearms licences—genuine reasons to possess or use
- 109 Composite entity firearms licences—no genuine reason to possess or use
- 110 Composite entity firearms licences—restriction on issue of category B
- 111 Composite entity firearms licences—restriction on issue of category C
- 112 Composite entity firearms licences—restriction on issue of category D
- 113 Composite entity firearms licences—restriction on issue of category H
- 114 Composite entity firearms licences—form
- 115 Composite entity firearms licences—replacements
- 116 Composite entity firearms licences—conditions
- 117 Composite entity firearms licences—period in force
- 118 Composite entity firearms licences—immediate suspension
- 119 Composite entity firearms licences—mandatory suspension for family violence
- 120 Composite entity firearms licences—cancellation
- 121 Composite entity firearms licences—when suspension or cancellation takes
Division 7.6--Licensing scheme—temporary international firearms licences
- 122 Meaning of foreign firearms licence—div 7.6
- 123 Temporary international firearms licences—applications
- 124 Temporary international firearms licences—requirement for further information
- 125 Temporary international firearms licences—decision
- 126 Temporary international firearms licences—refusal
- 127 When temporary international firearms licences may be issued
- 128 Temporary international firearms licences—genuine reasons to possess or use
- 129 Temporary international firearms licences—form
- 130 Temporary international firearms licences—conditions
- 131 Temporary international firearms licences—period in force
- 132 Temporary international firearms licences—cancellation
- 133 Temporary international firearms licences—when cancellation takes
PART 8--TEMPORARY RECOGNITION OF INTERSTATE LICENCES AND PERMITS
- 134 Definitions—pt 8
- 135 Temporary recognition of interstate licences—declaration of licence
- 136 Temporary recognition of interstate licences—general
- 137 Temporary recognition of interstate category C licences
- 138 Interstate residents moving to ACT—category A, B, and paintball marker
- 139 Interstate residents moving to ACT—category C and H licences
- 140 Temporary recognition of interstate licences for international visitors—shooting or
- 140A Temporary recognition of interstate category D licences—vertebrate pest animal
PART 9--PERMITS GENERALLY
- 141 General power to issue permits
PART 11--REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS AND FIREARM USERS
Division 11.1--Interpretation
- 155 Meaning of owner and user particulars—pt 11
Division 11.2--Register of firearms
- 156 Register of firearms
- 157 Contents of register
- 158 Register not available to public
- 159 Two-yearly reviews
Division 11.3--Registration of firearms
Division 11.4--Registration of firearms users
- 168 User registration—application
- 169 User registration—request for further information etc
- 170 User registration—decision
- 171 User registration—refusal
- 172 Effect of registration as user
- 173 User registration—period in force
- 174 Automatic cancellation of user registration
- 175 Automatic cancellation of user registration—certain registered
Division 11.5--Offences—registration
- 176 Offence—failing to notify event causing cancellation of user registration
- 177 Offence—unregistered firearms
- 178 Offence—requirements relating to registered firearms
- 179 Offence—possessing firearm under another licence
PART 12--SAFE STORAGE OF FIREARMS
- 180 Offence—failing to comply with storage requirements
- 181 Offence—storage requirements for category A, category B and paintball marker
- 182 Offence—storage requirements for category C, D and H licences
- 183 Seizure of firearms if storage requirements not met
PART 13--FIREARMS DEALERS
Division 13.1--Interpretation
- 184 Meaning of prohibited person—pt 13
Division 13.2--Licences and licensed firearms dealers
- 185 Offence—firearms dealers to be licensed
- 186 Information about close associates of certain firearms dealers
- 187 Meaning of prohibited person for licensed firearms dealers
- 188 Registrar's statement whether person prohibited—application
- 189 Registrar's statement whether person prohibited
- 190 Offence—prohibited person not to be involved in firearms dealing business
- 191 Offence—restrictions on acquisition and disposal of firearms by firearms dealers
Division 13.3--Licensed firearms dealers—records and returns
- 192 Definitions—div 13.3
- 193 Offence—records generally
- 194 Acquisition and disposal—records
- 195 Correction of recorded entries
- 196 Offence—inspection of records
- 197 Offence—records of former firearms dealers
- 198 Offence—monthly returns
- 199 Additional requirements for firearms dealers
- 200 Security of displayed firearms
- 201 Interstate transactions between dealers
PART 14--ENFORCEMENT
Division 14.1--Interpretation
- 202 Meaning of offence—pt 14
Division 14.2--Powers of police officers
- 203 Power to enter premises
- 204 Production of evidence of identity
- 205 Consent to entry
- 206 General powers on entry to premises
- 207 Powers on entry—condition
- 208 Offences—noncompliance with directions and requirements
- 209 Power to seize things
- 210 Receipt for things seized
Division 14.3--Search warrants
- 211 Warrants generally
- 212 Warrants—application made other than in person
- 213 Search warrants—announcement before entry
- 214 Details of search warrant to be given to occupier etc
- 215 Occupier entitled to be present during search etc
Division 14.4--Things seized
- 216 Access to things seized
- 217 Return or forfeiture of things seized
Division 14.5--Enforcement—miscellaneous
- 218 Damage etc to be minimised
- 219 Compensation for exercise of enforcement powers
PART 15--OFFENCES
- 220 Offences—trafficking firearms
- 221 Discharge etc of firearm—public places etc
- 222 Discharge of firearm—general
- 223 Carriage or use of firearm—improper manner
- 224 Offences—operation of shooting ranges
- 225 Offences—operation of paintball ranges
- 226 Offence—unlawful disposal of firearms
- 227 Offence—unlawful acquisition of firearms
- 228 Offence—unauthorised manufacture of firearms
- 229 Use of mail for sending firearms
- 230 Use of mail for sending firearms outside ACT
- 231 Advertising sale of firearms
- 232 Means of delivering possession of firearms
- 233 Transport of firearms and ammunition
- 234 Transporting prohibited firearms or pistols
- 235 Possession of spare barrels for firearms
- 236 On-the-spot inspection of firearms by police
- 237 Offence—disposal of firearms by unauthorised holders generally
- 238 Offence—disposal of inherited firearms
- 239 Unsafe firearms
- 240 Shortening firearms
- 241 Converting firearms
- 242 Restrictions where alcohol or other drugs concerned
- 243 Offence—selling ammunition generally
- 244 Offence—sale of ammunition by licensed firearms dealers
- 245 Offence—sale of ammunition by authorised club members
- 246 Offence—selling ammunition to people from outside ACT
- 247 Offence—selling ammunition for starting pistols
- 248 Offence—acquiring ammunition
- 249 Offence—possessing ammunition generally
- 250 Modification of firearms
- 251 Approval of modifications
- 252 Offences—defacing, altering and removing identification marks
- 253 Pawning of firearms
- 254 Production of licence or permit on demand
- 255 Requirement to notify change of address
- 256 Misuse of licences and permits
- 257 Offence—lost, stolen or destroyed firearms
PART 16--NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW OF DECISIONS
- 258 Meaning of reviewable decision—pt 16
- 260 Reviewable decision notices
- 260A Applications for review
PART 17--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
- 261 Disclosure by health professionals of certain information
- 262 Destruction or disposal of seized or surrendered firearms
- 263 Disposal of uncollected firearms
- 264 Certificates of safety
- 265 Acts and omissions of representatives
- 266 Third-party interests—complaints to registrar
- 267 Investigations
- 268 Offences by corporations
- 269 Evidentiary certificates
- 270 Determination of fees
- 271 Approved forms
- 272 Regulation-making power
- 273 Licensing of entities to operate approved shooting ranges
- 274 Licensing of entities to operate approved paintball ranges
- 275 Authorised possession or use of prohibited firearms with pistol grips for sport or target