Parliament has passed the Arms Bill, marking the most significant overhaul of New Zealand’s firearms laws in decades.
The legislation replaces the Arms Act 1983 with a new regulatory framework that the Government says will improve public safety while reducing unnecessary compliance for licensed firearms owners.
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee said the new law was designed to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals while making the licensing system more practical for law-abiding owners. She said licensed firearms users relied on guns for farming, pest control, hunting, sport shooting, and other legitimate activities, and the new legislation provided a clearer and more logical legal framework.
A key feature of the reforms is the creation of Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand, an independent firearms regulator that will take over licensing, safety education, and regulatory functions from Police. The Government says this separation will allow Police to focus on criminal investigations while the new regulator delivers licensing services and firearms safety oversight.
The legislation also establishes an independent firearms licensing review committee, disqualifies gang members from holding firearms licences, strengthens penalties for unlawful firearms activity, creates eight new firearms offences, and introduces a statutory “red flag” information-sharing system to help identify licence holders who may no longer be considered fit and proper to possess firearms.
Other changes include extending pest control endorsements to five years, allowing multi-entry visitor firearms licences for up to 18 months, lengthening business firearms licences to five years for compliant operators, simplifying some permit requirements for short-term business activities, and limiting large-capacity pistol magazines to licensed pistol owners. The Bill also introduces infringement notices for lower-level breaches while tightening enforcement against serious offending and illegal firearms trafficking.
Most of the new law, together with supporting regulations, will come into force on 23 September, with the remaining provisions to be phased in by 23 February 2028.
McKee said the legislation followed extensive consultation, including a six-month select committee process, and described its passage as the fulfilment of a goal she had pursued since entering Parliament six years ago.
