Be in the know for ‘the roar’ and game bird season: New Zealand Fire Arms
If you’re a firearms licence holder, you’ll need to know about changes to the storage and transport rules for firearms and ammunition, and changes to the seven rules of firearms safety.
Regulations were updated in February 2022, and to help Kiwis make sense of those changes, Te Tari Pūreke, the new firearms regulator, published a Secure Storage and Transport Guide.
You can download a copy of the Secure Storage and Transport Guide from www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety.
Transportation
If you’re driving to a hunting location, your firearm needs to be inoperable during your travel and, ideally, concealed from view. This means removing the bolt or an essential part (or if that’s not possible, applying a trigger or cable lock), or transporting the firearm in a locked carry case.
The ammunition needs to be separately and securely stored in a locked glove box or similar storage area, if practical.
And please, whatever you do, once you’ve finished using your firearm, lock it away. Never leave any firearms in your ute, shed, home or vehicle unsecured at any time.
Under no circumstances can firearms, ammunition or other arms items be left in a vehicle overnight.
The only exceptions to the firearms and ammunition transport rules are if you’re using the firearm on a farm for farm-related activities, or you’re doing legally-authorised hunting or pest control (such as a regional council employed pest controller) and the licence holder is in the vehicle or the immediately vicinity of the vehicle with the firearms in it.
Make sure you read or download a free copy of the storage and transport guide to keep up to date with the details of the changes: www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/storage-transportation.
Taking a break when you’re travelling with firearms
For those who travel with firearms to hunt locations, your inoperable and secured firearm can be left in your vehicle unattended, for example during a break in a journey, for up to 60 minutes. But you need to lock your vehicle and stay within the immediate area or vicinity of the vehicle and meet other conditions.
Read the storage and transport guide for full details: www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety/storage-transportation.
The 7 rules of firearm safety
Rule 1 Treat every firearm as loaded
Rule 2 Always point firearms in a safe direction
Rule 3 Chamber a cartridge only when ready to fire
Rule 4 Identify your target beyond all doubt
Rule 5 Check your firing zone
Rule 6 Store and transport firearms and ammunition safely
Rule 7 Avoid alcohol or drugs when handling firearms
Ammunition
All ammunition must now be stored in a locked container. You can now only store ammunition with firearms in a gun safe that has a separate lockable compartment that has a different key than the key for the gun safe. You must keep these keys separate.
And remember to keep those keys in different places, not on the same key ring or hook. If your safe doesn’t have a separate lockable compartment, you need to store ammunition in its own secure storage container with a key, combination, or padlock, or in a stout locked cupboard.
Register your firearms
Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority is responsible for managing firearms in New Zealand. Its aim is to enable the legitimate use of firearms for feeding
whānau, conservation, farming and recreation, while keeping communities safe.
This involves making sure firearms licence holders are fit and proper to possess firearms and are meeting the obligations of their licence.
New Zealand will have a firearms registry from 24 June 2023. There will be no charge for registering firearms.
The seven rules of firearm safety have changed.
Get ahead of the changes to firearms safety rules with the Firearms Safety Code.
Buy the book from www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety and have it shipped to your door or download a PDF copy for free.
License firearms online
Apply for a firearms licence and update your contact details online
using MyFirearms: a secure, online portal at www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz
For more information on Te Tari Pūreke and any legislative or regulation changes that may affect you, at: www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz
