You may surrender (give up and hand in) your firearms licence to Police or Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority at any time.
On surrender of your licence, you are no longer licensed to possess arms items or ammunition.

If you have firearms in your possession, you must transfer them to another firearms licence holder or surrender them to Police. Please be aware, if you have a dealer’s licence, surrender of your firearms licence automatically revokes your dealer’s licence. 

This relates to Sections 27 and 28 of the Arms Act 1983.

Using a firearm under supervision without a licence

To surrender your licence

Either:

- Send the form and a photo of your cut up licence card to firearms.NST@police.govt.nz
  Or
- Take the form and your cut up licence card to your local Police station. 

Surrender an endorsement

You may also choose to surrender an endorsement held on your licence. If you surrender an endorsement, you must dispose of any arms items you held due to that endorsement.

You should also email firearms.NST@police.govt.nz to notify them of your intention to surrender an endorsement. 

Upon notification, we will process a new licence card for you to reflect the changes. There is cost to you. 

We would also ask that you cut up your old licence card upon receipt of your new card. 

Last updated
20 March 2026

 

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