To possess prohibited ammunition, you must have a firearms licence and be:

• a director or curator of a bona fide museum
• a bona fide collector of ammunition
• a researcher researching the chemical makeup of certain types of prohibited ammunition who is employed or contracted by:
  • the New Zealand Defence Force or
  • the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited.

A director or curator of a bona fide museum may only possess prohibited ammunition that is manufactured for small arms.

Small arms means:

• a rifle of a calibre up to 20 millimetres
• a pistol of a calibre up to 20 millimetres.

You must complete and submit the following form as soon as is reasonably practicable each time you take possession of or dispose of the ammunition.

Email your completed form to ProhibitedFirearmEndorsement@police.govt.nz 

If approved, you’ll receive a letter of recognition that identifies you as a person who has been approved to possess prohibited ammunition. The letter is not an ‘endorsement’.

The letter is valid until:

• your firearms licence expires, is surrendered or is revoked, or
• you stop collecting, exhibiting or displaying prohibited ammunition. 

A bona fide collector of ammunition may only possess prohibited ammunition that is manufactured for small arms.

Small arms means:

• a rifle of a calibre up to 20 millimetres
• a pistol of a calibre up to 20 millimetres.

You must complete and submit the following form as soon as is reasonably practicable each time you take possession of or dispose of the ammunition.

Email your completed form to ProhibitedFirearmEndorsement@police.govt.nz

If approved, you’ll receive a letter of recognition that identifies you as a person who has been approved to possess prohibited ammunition. The letter is not an ‘endorsement’.

The letter is valid until:

• your firearms licence expires, is surrendered or is revoked, or
• you stop collecting prohibited ammunition. 

A researcher may possess prohibited ammunition if the researcher is:

• employed or contracted by:
  • the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF); or
  • the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR); and
• researching the chemical makeup of certain types of prohibited ammunition.

If you are employed or contracted by NZDF or ESR as a researcher of prohibited ammunition, speak to your employer about licensing provisions.

You must complete and submit the following form as soon as is reasonably practicable each time you take possession of or dispose of the ammunition.

Email your completed form to ProhibitedFirearmEndorsement@police.govt.nz

If approved, you’ll receive a letter of recognition that identifies you as a person who has been approved to possess prohibited ammunition. The letter is not an ‘endorsement’.  

The letter is valid until:

• your research ceases, or
• your employment ceases. 

You must notify Te Tari Pūreke when you dispose of prohibited ammunition.

Email ProhibitedFirearmEndorsement@police.govt.nz

• Arms Regulations 2022, section 9J – Certain persons may possess prohibited ammunition | New Zealand Legislation website