How many questions are on the NZ firearms licence theory test?

The theory test in the standard firearms safety course has 30 multiple-choice questions, and you have 30 minutes.

What is the pass mark for the firearms theory test?

The official course page does not publish a pass mark. This practice uses 80% as a study target. If you fail the first attempt, you get a second try after the practical session.

What should I study for the firearms licence test?

Study the 7 rules of firearm safety, the Firearms Safety Code and the free firearms safety e-learning. The Code is the main source for the test.

Do I need to do the course if I am renewing my licence?

Not usually. The course is needed for a first licence or if your licence expired more than 1 year ago. If your licence is still valid, you are tested at the vetting interview instead.

Is the Firearms Safety Code up to date with the new law?

The official site says the Code is being updated to match the Arms Act 2026. The safety messages remain largely accurate, but check the Act for current legal details.

NZ Firearms Licence Theory Practice Test 2026

Q: Can I take the test in another language?

Yes. The theory test is offered in English, Simplified Chinese and te reo Māori, and you may bring a reader/writer or an interpreter.

Pergunta 1 de 30

What is the first of the 7 rules of firearm safety?

Keep the safety catch on and you can relax
Only check a firearm if it looks loaded
Trust the owner when they say it is unloaded
Treat every firearm as loaded

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Resposta: D. Treat every firearm as loaded

Rule 1 is to treat every firearm as loaded. Do your own safety checks every time you pick one up.

Pergunta 2 de 30

A friend hands you a rifle and says, "It's empty." What should you do?

Pull the trigger to prove it is empty
Accept their word and put it in the case
Point it in a safe direction and check it yourself
Look down the barrel from the muzzle end

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Resposta: C. Point it in a safe direction and check it yourself

Treat every firearm as loaded and do the safety check yourself. Never rely on someone else's word.

Pergunta 3 de 30

Why should you keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction even when you know the firearm is unloaded?

Because it keeps the barrel clean
So the scope stays zeroed
Because the law only applies to loaded firearms
So that nobody is hurt if it fires by accident

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Resposta: D. So that nobody is hurt if it fires by accident

Rule 2 applies to loaded and unloaded firearms alike. A safe direction means no one is hurt if it discharges.

Pergunta 4 de 30

Which direction is usually the safest to point a firearm toward?

A rock face or other hard surface
An area that will safely absorb a projectile, such as soft earth
Water, because it stops bullets
The sky above the skyline

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Resposta: B. An area that will safely absorb a projectile, such as soft earth

Choose a direction where a projectile will be absorbed. Hard surfaces and water can make it ricochet.

Pergunta 5 de 30

Under rule 3, when should you chamber a cartridge?

Before you cross a fence, to save time
When you start walking into the bush
As soon as you leave the vehicle
Only when you are ready to fire, such as when game is sighted

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Resposta: D. Only when you are ready to fire, such as when game is sighted

Chamber a cartridge only when you have sighted game, expect it at once, or are about to shoot on a range.

Pergunta 6 de 30

You finish hunting for the day and walk back toward camp. What should you do with your rifle?

Fully unload it before you leave the hunting area
Keep a cartridge in the chamber in case you see game
Leave the magazine loaded and the safety off
Unload it only when you reach the vehicle

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Resposta: A. Fully unload it before you leave the hunting area

When the situation changes, such as leaving the hunting area, return the firearm to the load state or fully unload it. Unload before entering a hut or camp.

Pergunta 7 de 30

What does "identify your target beyond all doubt" mean?

Shoot at any movement in the area where deer were seen
Fire at a shape that is the right colour for a deer
Be sure of the species, sex and age of the whole animal before you shoot
Shoot when you hear an animal close by

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Resposta: C. Be sure of the species, sex and age of the whole animal before you shoot

Rule 4: see the whole animal and confirm what it is. Never shoot at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.

Pergunta 8 de 30

You see a brown shape moving in thick scrub. You think it is a deer but cannot see it clearly. What should you do?

Shoot if it moves again
Shoot low to be safe
Fire a warning shot first
Do not shoot

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Resposta: D. Do not shoot

If you have any doubt about your target, do not shoot. Many hunting deaths happen because a person was mistaken for an animal.

Pergunta 9 de 30

What is a firing zone?

The area marked on a shooting range only
The area a projectile could travel through and land in
The 10 metres in front of the muzzle
The paddock where you are allowed to hunt

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Resposta: B. The area a projectile could travel through and land in

Rule 5: the firing zone is the area a projectile may travel through and land in. It depends on the firearm, ammunition and surroundings.

Pergunta 10 de 30

Before you fire, what question does rule 5 ask you to think about?

What could happen if I miss?
How much will the meat be worth?
Is the scope set to full zoom?
Has my friend already fired?

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Resposta: A. What could happen if I miss?

Check the area between you and the target and beyond it. Ask what could happen if you miss.

Pergunta 11 de 30

Why must you never shoot at a target on the skyline?

It is only allowed with a shotgun
You cannot see where the projectile will go beyond it
The light makes the target look smaller
It damages the barrel

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Resposta: B. You cannot see where the projectile will go beyond it

With nothing behind the target to stop the projectile, it can travel a very long way into an area you cannot see.

Pergunta 12 de 30

Your firing zone looks safe now, but the animal starts to run. What is true?

The firing zone changes as the target moves, so you must check it again
You can fire faster because it is moving
The firing zone stays the same once checked
Moving targets cannot ricochet

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Resposta: A. The firing zone changes as the target moves, so you must check it again

The firing zone changes all the time, especially when you follow a moving target.

Pergunta 13 de 30

When you travel with a firearm, what state should it be in?

Loaded only if you are on a farm road
Chamber empty but magazine loaded
Loaded but with the safety on
Fully unloaded: chamber, breech and magazines empty

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Resposta: D. Fully unloaded: chamber, breech and magazines empty

Rule 6: when travelling, fully unload the chamber, breech and all magazines.

Pergunta 14 de 30

Which is one way to make a firearm inoperable when you transport it?

Remove the bolt or another vital part
Put tape over the muzzle
Turn the safety catch on
Remove the scope

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Resposta: A. Remove the bolt or another vital part

Make it inoperable by removing the bolt or another vital part, fitting a trigger or cable lock, or keeping it in a locked case.

Pergunta 15 de 30

Where should ammunition be kept when you store firearms?

Taped to the firearm
In the same unlocked bag as the firearm
In the magazine, ready to use
Stored and secured separately from the firearms

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Resposta: D. Stored and secured separately from the firearms

Store and secure ammunition separately, so someone who gets to a firearm cannot easily get its ammunition.

Pergunta 16 de 30

Rule 7 is about alcohol and drugs. How much alcohol is safe before handling a firearm?

None
Up to the drink-drive limit
One standard drink
Two standard drinks

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Resposta: A. None

No amount of alcohol is considered safe before handling a firearm. Lock firearms away before you drink.

Pergunta 17 de 30

Your doctor gives you a medicine labelled "Do not drive or operate machinery". What should you do about shooting?

Shoot only with a shotgun
It does not matter for firearms
Do not handle firearms while taking it
Shoot only in the morning

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Resposta: C. Do not handle firearms while taking it

If a medicine says not to drive or operate machinery, the Firearms Safety Code says not to handle firearms.

Pergunta 18 de 30

Members of your hunting party start drinking beer at lunch and want to keep shooting. What should you do?

Keep shooting but stand further apart
Stop shooting with them and lock the firearms away
Drink less than them so you stay in charge
Let them shoot only at targets

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Resposta: B. Stop shooting with them and lock the firearms away

Do not shoot with people who have been drinking or taking drugs.

Pergunta 19 de 30

How many of the safety rules are in the 7 rules of firearm safety?

4
7
5
10

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Resposta: B. 7

There are 7 basic rules. You must state and apply them during the firearms safety course.

Pergunta 20 de 30

What is the minimum age to apply for a New Zealand firearms licence?

18
14
20
16

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Resposta: D. 16

You must be 16 or older to apply for a firearms licence.

Pergunta 21 de 30

How long is a person's first firearms licence valid?

For life
5 years
2 years
10 years

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Resposta: B. 5 years

A first licence, or one applied for after the old licence expired, is valid for 5 years.

Pergunta 22 de 30

You apply to renew your licence before it expires. How long will the new licence usually be valid?

3 years
15 years
10 years
5 years

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Resposta: C. 10 years

If you apply before your current licence expires, the new licence is valid for 10 years.

Pergunta 23 de 30

Who must attend the firearms safety course before the vetting interview?

Everyone who renews, every 10 years
Only people under 18
Only people who want a pistol endorsement
First-time applicants and people whose licence expired more than 1 year ago

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Resposta: D. First-time applicants and people whose licence expired more than 1 year ago

The course is needed for a first licence or if your licence expired more than a year ago. Others are tested at the vetting interview.

Pergunta 24 de 30

How is the theory test in the standard firearms safety course set out?

30 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes
20 short written answers
50 true or false questions in 1 hour
An oral test with an instructor only

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Resposta: A. 30 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes

The theory test has 30 multiple-choice questions and you have 30 minutes.

Pergunta 25 de 30

What is the main source to study for the firearms licence theory test?

The Firearms Safety Code
A gun shop catalogue
The Road Code
The Wildlife Act only

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Resposta: A. The Firearms Safety Code

The theory test covers the Firearms Safety Code, safe practices and the law. The Code is the main study source.

Pergunta 26 de 30

Which languages can the firearms licence theory test be taken in?

English, French and Spanish
English and Samoan
English only
English, Simplified Chinese and te reo Māori

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Resposta: D. English, Simplified Chinese and te reo Māori

The test is offered in English, Simplified Chinese and te reo Māori, and you may bring a reader/writer or interpreter.

Pergunta 27 de 30

You fail the theory test on your first try at the course. What happens?

You are banned from applying again
You pass if you do well in the practical
You get a second attempt after the practical session
You must wait 12 months

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Resposta: C. You get a second attempt after the practical session

If you fail the first attempt, you get a second attempt after the practical session.

Pergunta 28 de 30

What firearms are used in the practical part of the safety course?

Air rifles only
Any firearm you bring from home
Deactivated firearms supplied by the instructor
Your own loaded rifle

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Resposta: C. Deactivated firearms supplied by the instructor

You handle deactivated firearms supplied by the instructor. Do not bring firearms or ammunition to the course.

Pergunta 29 de 30

During the practical session, a person keeps pointing the firearm at others. What can happen?

Nothing, because the firearm is deactivated
They are removed and their fitness to hold a licence is looked at again
They get a small fine
They must buy the instructor lunch

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Resposta: B. They are removed and their fitness to hold a licence is looked at again

Unsafe handling gets you removed from the session, and your status as a fit and proper person is reconsidered.

Pergunta 30 de 30

Before a licence is issued, what must be checked at your home?

Your vehicle's warrant of fitness
Your secure storage for firearms and ammunition
Your fridge and freezer for meat
Your hunting clothing

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Resposta: B. Your secure storage for firearms and ammunition

A licence is issued only after your secure storage has been inspected and meets the requirements.

NZ Firearms Licence Theory Practice Test 2026

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