When a firearm changes hands from one firearms licence holder to another, both parties must call Te Tari Pūreke and transfer possession of the item.
This cannot be done through MyFirearms and is a different process to registering an arms item via MyFirearms.
Contact our team on 0800 844 431. We’re available between 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
If you’re an individual firearms licence holder, you must follow these steps when buying, selling, supplying or receiving an arms item. This includes transferring possession in the Firearms Registry.
Firearms dealers must follow the steps for supplying arms items by mail order or over the internet. They are not currently required to transfer possession in the Firearms Registry.
Whether you’re selling, trading or giving a firearm or other arms item to another person, to transfer possession you must have proof the person receiving the item holds a firearms licence.
If the item is an airgun (but not a specially dangerous airgun) or a pistol carbine conversion kit (PCCK) for an airgun, the person receiving the item does not need a firearms licence, but you must have proof they are aged 18 or over.
You can use our Firearms Licence Checker tool to make sure their licence is valid.
The licence holder must also have the right endorsement and apply for a permit to possess if the item is a:
The person receiving the item must show you their firearms licence card and endorsement. Examine it carefully to make sure the photo matches and the card has not been altered – even if you have already used the Firearms Licence Checker tool.
If the item is an airgun or a PCCK for an airgun, you must have proof the person is aged 18 or over – for example, a driver licence or bank-issued photo ID. If the person is aged 16 or 17, they must have a firearms licence.
If the person receiving the item requires a permit to possess, you must either:
Both of you must follow the permit to possess process.
If you sell or supply an arms item, you must update the Registry at the time or immediately after.
How to transfer possession in the Registry
Where the seller is not transferring the arms item face to face, they will need to use a courier or transport company to move the arms item to another location.
Courier and transport companies have their own rules around the movement of arms items, including only moving between licensed dealers, or only allowing depot to depot transfers, and some transport companies will not accept firearms.
The easiest way to move the arms item, is to take it to a licensed firearms dealer. Dealers will have a transport solution to move your arms item to another dealer. The firearms dealer will send the arms item to another dealer, who is located close to the buyer. The buyer can then take possession of the arms item from the receiving dealer.
To prove their firearms licence is current and they have the correct endorsement, the recipient must follow the process for buying or receiving a firearm or arms item by mail order or through the internet.
You can expect to receive the form by email or mail once Police have approved the transaction.
We recommend you also use the Firearms Licence Checker tool to confirm their licence is valid.
If the person receiving the item requires a permit to possess, you must have received an email direct from Police authorising the transaction. You must save this email for your records.
Both of you must follow the permit to possess process.
If you sell or supply an arms item, you must update the Registry at the time or immediately after.
Use this form if you are buying or receiving any of the following arms items and the sale cannot be completed in person:
Find your local Police station
If you meet the requirements, Te Tari Pūreke will notify you and email or mail the form directly to the seller.
If you buy or receive an arms item, you must call us to confirm you have received the arms item as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days, on 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
To possess a prohibited part, you must have the appropriate endorsement on your licence.
You must obtain a permit to possess to be able to buy or receive a prohibited part.
Find your local Police station
If you meet the requirements, Te Tari Pūreke will notify you and mail or email the form directly to the seller.
If you buy or receive an arms item, you must call us to confirm you have received the arms item as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days, on 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
In most situations, deliveries will happen as a dealer-to-dealer transfer.
The seller must instruct the courier that if the item cannot be signed for on delivery, it must be held at the premises of the transport/courier company until it can be collected. The item must be sent as “track and trace”.
For sales of prohibited parts, you must use the courier stated on the form.
When you sell or supply an arms item, you must call us to confirm it has been transferred into another licence holder’s possession at the time of the sale or supply, or immediately after on 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
We’ll need to know:
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.
If you have not already done so, you may be required to provide other information for the Registry.
Find out when to register or update your information
If you buy or receive an arms item, you must call us to confirm you have received the arms item as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days, on 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
We’ll need to know:
If you have not already done so, you may be required to provide other information for the Registry.
Find out when to register or update your information
Call us on 0800 844 431 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
If you are loaning or borrowing an arms item for less than 30 days and it does not require a permit to possess, you do not need to transfer possession in the Registry.
However, if the arms item does require a permit to possess, you must update the Registry every time it is transferred into another licence holder's possession.
You must always transfer possession of an arms item in the Registry if it will leave or come into your possession for more than 30 days.
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Phone 0800 844 431 (04 499 2870) 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday |