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FIREARMS ACT 1996

Table of Provisions

PART 1--PRELIMINARY

  • 1 Purpose  
  • 2 Commencement  
  • 3 Definitions  
  • 3A Temporary declarations by the Chief Commissioner for the purposes of certain definitions  
  • 3B Permanent declarations by the Chief Commissioner for the purposes of certain definitions  
  • 3C Chief Commissioner may allow a person to continue to be licensed or renew firearms licence following temporary or permanent declaration  
  • 4 Act binds the Crown  

PART 2--POSSESSION, CARRIAGE OR USE OF FIREARMS AND RELATED ITEMS

Division 1--Offences

Division 2--Longarm licences

Division 3--Handgun licences

Division 4--General provisions applying to longarm and handgun licences

Division 5--Junior licences

Division 6--Firearms collectors and heirlooms licences

Division 7--Firearms ammunition collectors licences

Division 8--General provisions applying to licences under this Part

  • 31 Application for a licence  
  • 32 Information which is required for an application for a licence  
  • 32A Chief Commissioner may refuse to make a decision on an application for a licence  
  • 33 28 day waiting period  
  • 33A Notice that licence may be refused  
  • 33B Further consideration of application and convening of hearing  
  • 33C Refusal of licence  
  • 34 Review of decision not to issue a licence  
  • 35 Particulars of licences  
  • 36 Offence not to comply with licence conditions  
  • 37 Variation of licence conditions  
  • 38 Review of a decision to vary licence conditions  
  • 39 Duration of licences  
  • 39A Extension of junior licence after 18 years  
  • 40 Requirement to notify Chief Commissioner of change of nominated person  
  • 41 Renewal of licences  
  • 41A Continuation of licence during consideration of application for renewal  
  • 42 General discretion of Chief Commissioner to refuse to renew a licence or to alter or vary the conditions of a licence  
  • 43 Circumstances in which the Chief Commissioner may alter or vary conditions on a licence  
  • 43A Variation of licence for failure to comply with participation condition  
  • 43B Review of decision as to period of variation  
  • 44 Review of a decision not to renew a licence  
  • 45 Disposal of firearms where licence not renewed  

Division 9--Suspension and cancellation of licences under this Part

  • 46 Immediate cancellation of a licence  
  • 46A Cancellation of licence held by non‑resident  
  • 46B Immediate cancellation under National Domestic Violence Order Scheme Act 2016  
  • 47 Suspension of a licence and notice of proposal to cancel  
  • 47A Suspension of licence—certain prohibited persons  
  • 48 Making of submissions  
  • 49 Power of Chief Commissioner to cancel licence under this Part  
  • 49A Restrictions on application for licence following cancellation  
  • 49B Review of decision as to period of disqualification  
  • 50 Review of decision to cancel a licence  
  • 51 Notice of Chief Commissioner's decision  
  • 52 Coming into effect of cancellation  
  • 52AA Chief Commissioner to notify approved handgun target shooting club or employer of certain events  

Division 9A--Surrender and seizure of firearms etc.

  • 52A Power of Chief Commissioner to require the holder of a general category handgun licence to surrender certain handguns for failure to comply with participation condition  
  • 52B Power of Chief Commissioner to require the holder of a category 1 or category 2 firearms collectors licence to surrender certain handguns for failure to comply with certain conditions  
  • 53 Surrender of firearms and licence document  
  • 53A Surrender of handguns for failure to comply with participation condition  
  • 53B Surrender of handguns where certain conditions of category 1 or category 2 firearms collectors licence not complied with  

Division 10--Exemptions, permits and provisional licences

PART 3--CARRYING ON THE BUSINESS OF DEALING IN FIREARMS AND RELATED ITEMS

Division 1AA--Definition

  • 59AA Definition  

Division 1--Licensing of firearms dealers

Division 2--General provisions applying to dealers licences

Division 3--Suspension, cancellation and transfer of dealers licences

Division 4--Records to be kept by licensed firearms dealers

  • 87 Requirement to keep register of transactions  
  • 88 Firearms to be labelled with transaction details  
  • 89 Power to inspect register and stock  
  • 90 Power to require production of licence  

Division 5--Display by dealers

  • 91 Display of firearms by dealers  
  • 92 Display Offences  

Division 6--Permits

  • 92A Permits for theatrical armourers  

PART 4--ACQUISITION AND DISPOSAL OF FIREARMS AND RELATED ITEMS

Division 1--Offences relating to the acquisition and disposal of firearms

Division 2--Permit to acquire a firearm

PART 4A--FIREARM PROHIBITION ORDERS

Division 1--Definitions

  • 112A Definitions  

Division 2--Firearm prohibition order offences

Division 3--Firearm prohibition orders

  • 112D Making a firearm prohibition order  
  • 112E Considerations for making a firearm prohibition order  
  • 112F Delegation of power to make order  
  • 112G Form and content of order  
  • 112H Cancellation of licences and permits  
  • 112I Service of order  
  • 112J Duration of order  
  • 112K Revocation of order  

Division 4--Reviews as to firearm prohibition orders

  • 112L Review of decision to make a firearm prohibition order  
  • 112M Further right to apply for review of decision to make firearm prohibition order  
  • 112N Protected information  

Division 5--Further offences and enforcement

  • 112O Offence for individual to whom a firearm prohibition order applies to enter or remain on certain premises  
  • 112P Offence to fail to surrender firearms or firearm related items on service of order  
  • 112Q Search of premises, vehicles, vessels or aircraft without warrant or consent  
  • 112R Search of individual to whom firearm prohibition order applies without warrant or consent  
  • 112S Search of an accompanying person without warrant or consent  
  • 112T Dealing with firearms or firearm related items surrendered or seized under this Part  
  • 112U Certain references to prohibited person to include references to an individual to whom a firearm prohibition order applies  

PART 5--REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS

PART 6--STORAGE

PART 6A--APPROVED CLUBS

Division 1--Approved handgun target shooting clubs

Division 2--Approved firearms collectors clubs

Division 3--General provisions applying to approvals under this Part

  • 123M Application for an approval under this Part  
  • 123N Requirement to nominate officers  
  • 123O Review of decision to refuse an approval under this Part  
  • 123P Conditions for an approval under this Part  
  • 123Q Review of decision to vary the conditions of an approval under this Part  
  • 123R Duration of an approval under this Part  
  • 123S Renewal of an approval under this Part  
  • 123T Power of the Chief Commissioner to renew an approval under this Part  
  • 123U Review of a decision not to renew an approval under this Part  
  • 123V Power of Chief Commissioner to cancel an approval under this Part  
  • 123W Review of decision to cancel an approval under this Part  

PART 7--FURTHER OFFENCES AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

PART 8--FURTHER ENFORCEMENT POWERS

PART 9--FIREARMS APPEALS COMMITTEE

Division 1--Establishment of Committee

Division 2--Review of decisions of the Chief Commissioner

  • 163 Power of committee to sit in divisions  
  • 164 Decision of a Division  
  • 165 Change in composition of a Division  
  • 166 Procedure of Division  
  • 167 How to commence a proceeding  

PART 10--INFRINGEMENT NOTICES

  • 168 Power to serve a notice  
  • 170 Penalties to be paid for offences under infringement notices  

PART 10A--FIREARM PROHIBITION ORDERS, REPORTING AND THE IBAC

Division 1--Definitions

  • 171 Definitions  

Division 2--Annual reporting obligations

  • 172 Information to be included in annual reports  

Division 3--Monitoring the administration of Part 4A and this Part

  • 173 IBAC to monitor exercise of powers etc. under Part 4A and this Part  
  • 174 Reports to the Minister on monitoring  
  • 174A Request for action after monitoring  

Division 4--IBAC Ministerial report

Division 5--Reporting on the issue of firearm prohibition orders

Division 6--General

PART 11--GENERAL

PART 12--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

  • 192 Definitions  
  • 193 Repeal of Firearms Act 1958  
  • 194 References  
  • 195 Licences authorities permits and schemes  
  • 196 Right to apply to court under section 189 before commencement of part of Act  
  • 197 Appeals and rights to appeal  
  • 198 Sunset on licences and permits issued under repealed provisions  
  • 199 Declarations  
  • 200 Prison officers  
  • 200A Transitional provision—Firearms (Trafficking and Handgun Control) Act 2003—dealers licences  
  • 200B Transitional provision—Firearms (Trafficking and Handgun Control) Act 2003—handgun licences  
  • 200C Transitional provision—Firearms (Trafficking and Handgun Control) Act 2003—applications for handgun licences  
  • 200D Transitional provision—Firearms (Trafficking and Handgun Control) Act 2003—firearms collectors licences  
  • 209 Transitional provisions—Control of Weapons and Firearms Acts (Search Powers) Act 2003  
  • 210 Transitional provision—handgun security guard licence  
  • 211 Transitional provisions—Firearms Amendment Act 2007  
  • 212 Transitional provision—Justice Legislation Amendment Act 2008  
  • 213 Transitional provisions—Family Violence Protection Act 2008  
  • 214 Transitional Provisions—Stalking Intervention Orders Act 2008  
  • 215 Transitional provision—Firearms and Other Acts Amendment Act 2010—interstate licence holders  
  • 216 Transitional provision—Firearms and Other Acts Amendment Act 2010—imitation firearms  
  • 217 Transitional provision—Firearms Amendment Act 2018—trafficking  
  • 218 Transitional provision—Firearms Amendment Act 2018—possession, carriage and use of firearms in certain places  
  • 219 Transitional provision—Firearms Amendment Act 2018—applications for licences  
  • 220 Transitional provision—Firearms Amendment Act 2018—suspended licences  
  • 221 Transitional provision—Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2019—lever action shotguns  
  • 222 Transitional provision—Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Act 2019—trafficking  

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