Learn more about certification requirements, and how to apply for certification for a pistol shooting range.

Certification requirement

A pistol shooting range will not be able operate unless it is a certified pistol shooting range. A person commits an offence punishable by an up to $10,000 fine if they, without reasonable excuse, operate a pistol shooting range that is not a certified pistol shooting range. Section 38R.

Apply for pistol shooting range certification

 An application for certification may be made by:

  • an individual, if the person who is proposing to operate the range is an individual; or
  • a body corporate, by a person who is authorised to make the application
  • a representative who is authorised by a person to make the application, if the person who is proposing to operate the range is not an individual or a body corporate.

An application for certification must be made to the Commissioner in the manner prescribed by regulations and must be in the form approved by the Commissioner, supported by any information and documents that are prescribed and be accompanied by the respective fee. Section 38S.

Access the form

(pdf 163.88 KB)

Contact our team to apply to have a pistol shooting range certified: clubsandranges@police.govt.nz

The Commissioner may, on receipt of an application for certification make what inquiries the Commissioner consider necessary to determine whether the application should be granted. The Commissioner can also request the applicant provide any further information or documents that the Commissioner considers necessary to determine whether the application should be granted. Section 38T refers. 

Regulations prescribe that an application for certification must be either made in hard copy form or electronically (through the online portal)

An application must include a declaration by the applicant that: 

  • all necessary territorial authority and regional council consents have been obtained, and
  • all landowners affected or likely to be affected have consented to the ranges’ operation, and
  • all of the information provided is true and correct. 

The applicant must sign the application form or use an electronic identity credential. 

An application must also be supported by additional documents and information. These include:

  • a copy of the range standing orders, and
  • a copy of the range inspection report undertaken by a shooting range inspector recognised by the Commissioner, and
  • evidence the application is a person authorised to make the application. 

Regulations 28GZC and 28GZD. 

Applying if multiple pistol shooting ranges are operated by the same range operator

An application for certification of a pistol shooting range may be made for multiple ranges if the ranges are all located on the same site and are all operated by the same range operator. 

The standard information for an application is required for each range. Regulation 28GZE.

Contact our team to apply to have multiple pistol shooting ranges certified: clubsandranges@police.govt.nz

Grant of certification

If the Commissioner grants certification, then a certificate must be issued to the applicant. Section 38V.
 
The operator of a pistol shooting range must request the Commissioner review the range certification if it is intended that the range will depart from any of the conditions of certification. Section 38W. 

Duration of certification

A certificate remains in force for 5 years after the date on which it was issued, unless the certificate is sooner surrendered or cancelled. Section 38XA.

Cancellation of certification

The Commissioner may cancel certification in respect of a pistol shooting range if the Commissioner is satisfied that—

  • the shooting range is no longer being operated as a pistol shooting range; or
  • the shooting range is not being operated with proper regard to individual or public safety; or
  • the range operator is not complying with any conditions imposed under section 38W; or
  • having regard to the matters specified in section 38U, it is no longer appropriate that the shooting range be certified; or
  • the range operator has failed to comply with an improvement notice issued under section 38XL.

Section 38X refers.

Renewal of certification

A certificate may be renewed on 1 or more occasions. A range certification does not continue in force after the expiry date even if an application for renewal of certification is received before the certificate is due to expire. Shooting range operators should apply for renewal of certification well in advance of the expiry date of the range certificate(s).

A renewed certificate is to be treated as a new certificate for the purposes of the Act. 

The degree to which circumstances have changed determines the level of information required to be provided by the range when it comes to renewal of the certificate. 

If there have been significant changes to the circumstances of the range in the 5 years since they were last certified, then an application for renewal must be treated as a new application and to the same standard as a new application would be. 

If the circumstances of the range have not changed significantly for 5 years since their last range certification was granted, then the range can apply using a different approach. 

When renewal occurs and there have been no significant changes to the range’s circumstances in the previous 5 years, the renewal application should be on a form approved by the Commissioner. 

An application in this situation must be supported by a copy of the inspection report undertaken by a shooting range inspector, and evidence that the applicant is a person authorised to make an application. The applicant must also sign the application form or use an electronic identity credential. 

Section 38XB refers. Regulations 28GZM and 28GZN refer.

Access the form

For renewal of certification with signfigant changes:

(pdf 163.88 KB)

For renewal of certification without signifigant changes:

(pdf 133.25 KB)

Contact our team to apply for a renewal of certification: clubsandranges@police.govt.nz

Renewal of multiple pistol shooting ranges operated by the same range operator

Renewal applications for multiple pistol shooting ranges can be made where the pistol shooting ranges are on the same site and are operated by the same range operator. 

Renewal applications in this circumstance can broadly follow the same approach as for renewal applications where there has been no significant change in the five years before a renewal.  

Regulation 28GZO refers.

 

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