New South Wales Consolidated Regulations New South Wales Consolidated Regulations(cf 1997 cl 103)
(1) The Commissioner may, by notice in writing served on a person who has possession of a firearm or a spare barrel that is capable of taking and discharging ammunition for that firearm, allot a number in respect of the firearm or spare barrel.
(2) The Commissioner is not to allot such a number unless the Commissioner is of the opinion that there is no other unique number that could be used to sufficiently identify the firearm or spare barrel.
(3) A person (including a licensed firearms dealer) must not have possession of a firearm or spare barrel in respect of which a number has been allotted by the Commissioner in accordance with this clause unless that number has been imprinted on it in the following manner:(a) in the case of a firearm-by stamping or, with the approval of the Commissioner, by engraving the number in an exposed position on the firearm, or(b) in the case of a spare barrel-by stamping or engraving the number on the outer surface,in numerals not less than 2 mm in height on a metal part of the firearm or spare barrel.Maximum penalty (subclause (3)): 20 penalty units.
(4) A person does not commit an offence under subclause (3) in respect of having possession of a firearm:(a) if the person did not know and had no reason to suspect that a number had been allotted by the Commissioner in respect of the firearm, or(b) if the person, being a licensed firearms dealer, replaces a barrel that is so damaged or worn as to require its replacement, and all particulars as required in relation to that replacement are supplied in writing to the Commissioner within 24 hours of replacing it.