​​​​Welcome to the Weapons Licensing section of the QPS website.

Customer Telephone Enquiries Hours are from 9am until 4pm Monday to Friday.  Contact 07 3015 7777

This website section provides information and advice on:


2017 National Firearms Amnesty

A National Firearms Amnesty will operate for a period of three (3) months, commencing 1 July to 30 September, 2017.

This means any person, including licence holders, will have the ability to register or surrender unregistered firearms to a firearms dealer or police station without fear of prosecution.

Further, during the firearms amnesty the costs associated with registering a firearm will be waived, meaning, persons wishing to register unregistered firearms will not be charged any permit to acquire fee to register the unregistered firearm.

In Queensland, there are four (4) options available regarding the surrendering or registering unregistered firearms in their possession.  These options are:

  • Registering the firearm to an existing firearms licence (subject to the categories and conditions of the licence);
  • Surrendering the firearm at a firearms dealer for commercial sale;
  • Surrendering a firearm at a firearms dealer or police station for safekeeping, pending the issue of a firearms licence; or
  • Surrendering a firearm at a firearms dealer or police station for destruction.

Click here for further information relating to the firearms amnesty.

 

Weapons Applications Online​

Online Licence Renewal Applications and Enhancements to Weapons Applications Online

To provide an improved service to our clients, Weapons Licensing has extended Weapons Application Online (WAO) to support the online submission of individual and business licence renewal applications. This new functionality is now available and licensees can now complete their online application form, provide supporting documentation and pay their renewal application fee - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

As a courtesy, The Queensland Police Service posts/emails licence renewal packs to licensees 3 months prior to the expiry date of their licence. These packages will now begin to print with a unique Online Renewal Reference number which will need to be used when applying online to assist licence holders when confirming their licence and personal details online and will greatly improve their experience in WAO.

To assist with the efficient processing of online new applications, the uploading of supporting documentation and licence photographs will now be mandatory for the lodgement of new licence applications online. Applicants who prefer not to scan and upload documents through the online system will still be able to apply by submitting a paper based application at their local police station.

Additionally, WAO Permit to Acquire applications have been enhanced to streamline the assessment process for Permit to Acquire for Category A and B firearms, providing additional efficiency for licence holders.​

Weapons Regulations

Weapons Regulations 2016 has now commenced.

Changes to Forms

Online Forms

To provide an improved service to our clients Weapons Licensing has enhanced some forms allowing you to complete and submit your relevant details online.

Weapons licensing has enhanced the current online Change in Circumstance form for advising of changes to address/s, contact details, name and weapons secure storage.

Three new online forms are now available:

These online forms can only be used if you have a valid email address.

Before submitting your online form please ensure the information you provide is accurate and all applicable fields are completed, ensuring that any supporting documentation is attached.
Please note you can still submit hard copy applications using the forms provided on our website

Interactive Forms  

Our interactive forms contain fields which can be filled in using your computer. Java Script will need to be enabled on your computer for you to complete these forms.

The interactive forms enable you to save the form on your computer, type in your details and print it for lodgement at a Queensland Police Station.  

The option to save the form to your computer, print it and manually complete the details before lodging is still available. 

Before printing your form please ensure the information you provide is accurate and the fields are completed.

Next Suite of IT enhancements to include on-line renewals

Weapons Licensing has released the next suite of IT enhancements.
The enhancements are:

  • Weapons Licensing has extended Weapons Application Online (WAO) to support the online submission of individual and business licence renewal applications. Licensees can now complete their online application form, provide supporting documentation and pay their renewal application fee 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Licensees will need to use the unique Online Renewal Reference number provided in the courtesy renewal pack forwarded to licensees prior to the expiration of their licence to assist them when confirming their licence and personal details.
  • WAO Permits to Acquire applications have been enhanced to streamline the assessment process for Permits to Acquire for Category A and B firearms in order to reduce the turnaround times for these PTAs.
  • To assist the efficient processing of online new applications, the uploading of supporting documentation and licence photographs will now be mandatory for the lodgement of new licence applications online.

The mandatory uploading of supporting documentation is a requirement due to  Weapons Licensing receiving 25% of new licence applications which are incomplete. This figure represents a significant concern for weapons licensing as we are receive approximately 350 applications a week, this is a 50% increase in applications in the last 3 years. Weapons Licensing cannot continue to effectively process applications with this percentage (or a similar high percentage) of incomplete applications.

Applicants who do not have access to a scanner can take a digital photograph of the document(s) and upload these images. This will ensure Weapons Licensing receives complete applications and will be able to maintain acceptable processing times.

Applicants who prefer not to scan and upload documents through the online system will not be disadvantaged and can still apply by submitting a paper based application at a Queensland police station.

A weapons list is included in your renewal package. Please check the details and make any corrections if necessary. SIGN the declaration at the bottom of each page and return with your renewal application. If you possess weapons not included on this list, please provide full details and include the date, name, address and licence number of the person you acquired the weapon from. Alternatively, if you no longer possess any of the wepons listed please provide the date, name, address and licence number of the person who now possesses the weapon(s)

Expired Firearm Licence Project

Weapons Licensing has commenced a project focussing on identifying and locating firearms registered against expired licences.

This project is being undertaken to reduce the number of firearms registered to expired licences in the community that could fall into the grey and black market and be used in organised crime and major drug crime. By ensuring these firearms are properly licenced and tracked, this protects the community and the rights of legitimate firearms licence holders.

Weapons Licensing will be contacting expired licence holders by email if our records indicate your weapons licence has expired; therefore, you will no longer be licensed to possess any weapons. Unfortunately your expired licence cannot be renewed.

You will be required to take immediate action to ensure that any weapon/s registered to your expired licence is/are lawfully disposed of. The below options are available to you.

If you intend to apply for a new licence, the weapon/s must be placed in temporary safekeeping with:

  • A licensed firearm Dealer or a licensed Armourer;
  • A person who holds a current licence with the same category of weapon - safekeeping of a weapon by another licenced person can occur for a period not exceeding three months; or
  • A Police Station.

You must then inform Weapons Licensing of the safe-keeping by letter or email.  Individuals may then either apply for a new Queensland Weapons Licence or arrange for the permanent disposal of your firearms.

If you do not intend to apply for a new licence, the weapon/s can be disposed by the following means:

  • Sale or Consignment Sale - to a licensed Dealer;
  • Relinquished for destruction - to a Police Station; or
  • If the weapon/s is/are to be acquired by another licensed person, a Permit to Acquire (PTA) must be obtained for the weapon/s. The weapon/s must be put into safekeeping with another licence holder (not the acquirer) or by one of the above methods until the PTA has been approved.


A link to the Weapons Licensing Expired Licence Brochure.pdf is provided for information.

For further information, Weapons Licensing can be contacted on
07 3015 7850 or via email at weapons.expired@police.qld.gov.au-

Preferred Method of Contact - Are your personal details up to date?

Please be advised that Weapons Licensing's preferred method of contact is now via email. Please ensure to check both the Inbox and Junk Mail Folders.

Renewal packages and correspondence relating to your licence are now emailed to existing licence holders where an email address is recorded. Licence holders are reminded of the importance of providing personal email addresses to ensure important information relating their licence/s is received. We ask that applicants continue to provide Weapons Licensing with their email address or update their existing email address. You can update your email address by either sending an email to weaponslicensing@police.qld.gov.au and simply state "Here is my email address and Licence number" or you could complete the Online Change in Circumstance Form

Please note if applicants do not have an email address, they will continue to receive their courtesy renewal package in hard copy form via Australia Post.

Getting Assistance from Clubs or Dealers

Applicants, you are strongly encouraged to contact your local club or dealer about assisting you to complete your licence application, and ensure the required documentation is submitted. Before you attend your local club or dealer, please refer to the Weapons Licensing website and be aware of the required documentation for your genuine reason. Weapons Applications Flyer​

Storage - Firearms and Weapons

A person who possesses a firearm must take all reasonable precautions to ensure safe storage of their firearm <<more>>

Late Lodgement of Renewal Applications

If a renewal application is lodged at a Queensland Police Station on or after the expiry date on the licence, the licence cannot be renewed <<more>> 

Online Applications available now!
Save Time - Apply Online

Individuals and businesses can now apply online for Weapons Licences and Permits to Acquire (a weapon). Check out the apply online page for hints and tips and the video overview.

Please note: You cannot renew your Weapons Licence online. See the renewals section for information on how to renew your Weapons Licence.