NZ Firearms Licence Study Guide 2026

Getting a firearms licence

In New Zealand you need a firearms licence to have and use standard firearms without supervision. The licensing body is Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. You must be 16 or older, and you must be found to be a fit and proper person to have firearms.

Apply for your licence and pay the application fee.
Study the 7 rules of firearm safety, the Firearms Safety Code and the free e-learning.
Book and attend the firearms safety course using your unique ID.
Pass the theory test and complete the practical session.
Your referees are interviewed and your secure storage is inspected.
If everything is approved, your licence is issued.

Point	Rule
Minimum age	16
First licence	Valid for 5 years
Re-apply before expiry	New licence valid for 10 years
Licence expired before you re-applied	Valid for 5 years
Next-of-kin referee	Aged 16 or over, such as a partner or near relative
Unrelated referee	Aged 20 or over, lives in NZ, knows you well
Who cannot hold a licence	Disqualified people, including gang members, and people whose licence was revoked in the last 5 years

On the official page checked in October 2026, the application fee was $126.50 for a first licence and $241.50 if you re-apply after your licence has expired. The safety course is free once you have paid for your application.

The safety course and theory test

The standard firearms safety course has two parts. First you sit the theory test. Then you do a practical session with an instructor.

Part	What happens
Theory test	30 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes, on the Firearms Safety Code, safe practices and the law
Languages	English, Simplified Chinese or te reo Māori; you may bring a reader/writer or interpreter
If you fail	You get a second attempt after the practical session
Practical session	You handle deactivated firearms supplied by the instructor

In the practical session you state and apply the 7 rules, name the main parts of a firearm, show the states of readiness on different firearm types, cross a fence safely and use a case or bag to transport a firearm. If you act unsafely, you are removed from the session and your fitness to hold a licence is looked at again.

Bring valid photo ID. The name must match your booking exactly.
Bring a packed lunch.
Do not bring any firearms or ammunition.

The 7 rules of firearm safety

These seven rules are the heart of the test and the course. Learn them word for word and understand what each one means in the field.

Treat every firearm as loaded. Check every firearm yourself, every time.
Always point firearms in a safe direction. Loaded or not, aim toward something that will absorb a projectile, not a hard surface or water.
Chamber a cartridge only when ready to fire. That means game is sighted or expected at once, or you are about to shoot on a range.
Identify your target beyond all doubt. See the whole animal. Never shoot at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.
Check your firing zone. Think about the area in front of, around and beyond the target. Never shoot at a target on the skyline.
Store and transport firearms and ammunition safely. Unload fully, make the firearm inoperable, hide it from view and keep ammunition separate.
Avoid alcohol or drugs when handling firearms. No amount of alcohol is safe.

States of readiness

The Firearms Safety Code describes four states of readiness. Each one tells you exactly how loaded the firearm is and when that state is allowed.

State	Firearm condition	When to use it
UNLOAD	Safety on, magazine empty, action open, chamber empty	Before leaving the shooting area, entering a hut or camp, transport, cleaning and storage
LOAD	Safety on, cartridges in the magazine, bolt closed on an empty chamber	Only at the place where you can safely and legally shoot
ACTION	Safety on, cartridge in the chamber, bolt closed	When game is sighted or expected right away, or you are about to fire
INSTANT	Safety off	Only after a conscious decision to fire

Check that a firearm is unloaded by sight and by feel. If an animal runs off after you moved the safety to fire, put it back on safe at once. In a group walking in single file, only the person in front should be in the LOAD state.

Safe hunting in groups

The Firearms Safety Code reports that in 80% of incidents the shooter and the victim were in the same group, and in 92% the range was under 75 metres. Most victims are friends, not strangers.

Agree the hunting area, the plan and the boundaries before you start.
If you lose sight of a companion, assume they are in your firing zone and stop hunting until you have contact again.
Wear high-visibility colours such as blaze orange or blue, visible from all sides. Replace faded blaze orange, which can look like deer hide.
Scan with binoculars, never with a rifle scope.
Stress such as buck fever and tunnel vision can narrow your attention. Slow down and scan before you decide.
Shooting in darkness in state forests, forest parks and national parks is an offence under the Conservation Act.

Never lean a firearm against a vehicle or anywhere it could fall. Never handle a firearm from the muzzle end. Lock away firearms and ammunition before anyone drinks alcohol, and do not shoot with people who have been drinking or using drugs.

Storage and transport

Your storage is inspected before your licence is issued. The Firearms Safety Code says a firearm that is not under your immediate supervision must be locked in a stout cabinet or container secured to the building, a steel and concrete strongroom, or a locked rack or display cabinet where the firearms are immobilised. Keep firearms away from young children and store ammunition separately.

In a vehicle

Transport firearms unloaded.
Remove the bolt or another vital part and keep it with you, or use a trigger lock or a locked case.
Keep firearms and ammunition out of sight. Keep ammunition separate, ideally in a locked glove box.
The Code allows a firearm to be left in a locked vehicle for up to 60 minutes during a journey break, if you stay nearby and keep the keys.
Never pull a firearm out of a vehicle muzzle-first.

Flights and emergencies

On domestic flights, firearms must be unloaded, made inoperable, in a locked hard case and declared at check-in. Ammunition goes in checked baggage, separate from the firearm, with a limit of 5 kg per licence holder. If you leave home in a natural disaster with firearms, carry them unloaded in a locked case with your licence. Report a lost or stolen firearm to Police straight away on 105 or online.