The first time you apply or reapply for a firearms licence or endorsement on your firearms licence, you must provide information for the Registry within 30 days of submitting your application.

This does not apply if you submitted your application before 24 June 2023.

Note: Acting as a referee for a licence applicant is not an activating circumstance.

You must also provide details for all the locations where you store your own firearms, and those that are in your possession but which you do not own - for example, firearms held by you on behalf of a club. 

The first time any of the following details change, you must provide information for the Registry within 30 days of the change happening:

• name
• date of birth
• contact phone number
• email address
• residential address
• postal address (if different to your residential address)
• number and date of expiry of their firearms licence
• date of expiry of every endorsement on the licence
• every condition on the licence and endorsements additional to conditions imposed by the Act or these regulations
• whether you are an ammunition seller
• details of the locations approved by Police for the secure storage of arms items and ammunition, including those you are responsible for on behalf of a shooting club or shooting range.

The first time you sell or supply an arms item, you must record it in the Registry and provide the following details at the time of the sale or supply, or immediately after:

• the date you handed over or dispatched the arms item, and
• the name and licence number of the person to whom the item was delivered.

In the case of a pistol, prohibited firearm, prohibited magazine, pistol carbine conversion kit, or restricted weapon delivered to a person who requires a permit to possess it, you must also provide the number of the permit.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

The first time you buy or receive an arms item (from a dealer or an individual), you must provide the following details for the Registry as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days:

• the details of the arms item
• the date when the arms item came into your possession, and
• the name and firearms licence number of the person from whom the item was received.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

If you receive firearms from an organisation (such as a business, club, or range), you must also provide the usual location(s) where the firearms will be stored. 

The first time you import an arms item, you must record it in the Registry within 30 days of it being released by New Zealand Customs.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

The first time you import ammunition, you must provide the following details for the Registry within 30 days of it being released by New Zealand Customs:

• the type of ammunition
• the quantity
• relevant details specified in regulation 13(2).

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

The first time you export an arms item, you must provide the following details for the Registry within 5 days of the date of exportation:

• the details of the arms item
• if an export control permit is required by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• the export control permit number, and
• the date on which the arms item is sent or taken out of New Zealand.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

The first time you manufacture an arms item, you must provide the following details for the Registry within 5 days of the date of manufacture:

• the details of the arms item
• the date manufacture was completed.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

The first time you notify Police of the destruction of an arms item, you must provide the following details for the Registry within 5 days of its destruction:

• the details of the arms item
• the date destruction occurred.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

Report a firearm lost, stolen or destroyed

The first time you notify Police of the loss or theft of an arms item, you must provide the following details for the Registry immediately after the loss or theft is known to have happened:

• the details of the arms item
• the date it was lost or stolen
• its last known location.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

Report a firearm lost, stolen or destroyed

The first time you modify a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm, you must provide the following details for the Registry within 5 days of its modification: 

• details of the firearm before and after modification
• certification from a person authorised by Police that the modification has been properly carried out and the firearm is permanently modified.

You must record all other arms items in your possession and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date within 30 days.

Note: You must receive written approval from Police before you modify a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm.

If you are subject to any compliance or enforcement action under the Arms Act 1983 by Police you must provide information for the Registry within 30 days.

The first time you purchase ammunition after 24 June 2025, you must provide information for the Registry within 30 days.

You will not need to register the ammunition itself.

If any of the following details change, you must update the Registry as soon as is practicable:

• name
• date of birth
• contact phone number
• email address
• residential address
• postal address (if different to your residential address)
• number and date of expiry of their firearms licence
• date of expiry of every endorsement on the licence
• every condition on the licence and endorsements additional to conditions imposed by the Act or these regulations
• whether you are an ammunition seller
• details of the locations approved by Police for the secure storage of arms items and ammunition, including those you are responsible for on behalf of a shooting club or shooting range.

If you sell or supply an arms item, you must update the Registry at the time or immediately after.

This does not apply if the arms item is a non-prohibited firearm that is being temporarily transferred into another licence holder’s possession for less than 30 days.

If you buy or receive an arms item, you must update the Registry as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days.

This does not apply if the arms item is a non-prohibited firearm that will be in your possession for less than 30 days.

If you import an arms item, you must record it in the Registry within 30 days of New Zealand Customs releasing it.

The first time you import ammunition, you must record all arms items in your possession in the Registry and check your licence holder details are complete and up to date, and also complete a Notification of Import within 30 days of items being released by New Zealand Customs.  

After you import items into New Zealand 

If you export an arms item, you must update the Registry with the following details within 5 days of the date of exportation:

• the details of the arms item
• if an export control permit is required by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• the export control permit number, and
• the date on which the arms item is sent or taken out of New Zealand.

If you manufacture an arms item, you must update the Registry with the following details within 5 days of the date of manufacture:

• the details of the arms item
• the date manufacture was completed.

If you notify Police of the destruction of an arms item, you must update the Registry with the following details within 5 days of its destruction:

• the details of the arms item
• the date destruction occurred.

Report a firearm lost, stolen or destroyed

If you notify Police of the loss or theft of an arms item, you must update the Registry with the following details immediately after the loss or theft is known to have happened:

• the details of the arms item
• the date it was lost or stolen
• its last known location.

Report a firearm lost, stolen or destroyed

If you modify a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm, you must update the Registry with the following details within 5 days of its modification:

• details of the firearm before and after modification
• certification from a person authorised by Police that the modification has been properly carried out and the firearm is permanently modified.

Note: You must receive written approval from Police before you modify a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm.

We will send you an Improvement Notice if you do not provide information for the Registry when required. It will outline what you must do, and what will happen if you do not comply.

If you have received an Improvement Notice and have a question or need help registering, call 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.