What the 2026 Arms Act Changes Mean for Licensed Firearm Owners

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After years of sustained advocacy by COLFO and the wider licensed community, Parliament has passed the Arms Act 2026. Most of the new law takes effect on 23 September 2026, with some provisions phased in through 2027 and 2028.

The biggest structural change is the creation of a new independent regulator — Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE) — taking day-to-day responsibility for licensing, the Firearms Registry, education and compliance away from NZ Police. Police retain criminal enforcement. The Ministry of Justice provides oversight and appoints the independent Licensing Review Committee.

Key points for individual licence holders

• All current firearms licences remain valid on 23 September 2026.

• Applications already in the system continue under the new Act without needing to be re-lodged.

• Gang membership is now an explicit statutory disqualification.

• A new independent Firearms Licensing Review Committee will review refusals, revocations and conditions. This is intended to provide a clearer, less costly alternative to District Court appeals.

Endorsements, permits and practical improvements

Existing endorsements and permits continue. Several practical changes arrive later:

• From 23 February 2028, biosecurity (formerly pest control) endorsements move to five-year terms, with multi-user agreements allowing short-term sharing of restricted firearms within approved organisations.

• Collectors gain more flexibility to store vital parts with other licence holders and at commercial facilities (from February 2028).

• Firearms returned from a gunsmith within 21 days no longer require a new permit to possess.

• Existing import and possess permits remain valid.
  

Businesses, museums, clubs and ranges

• Dealer licences become Business licences. After a compliance record is established (third licence), duration extends to five years.

• Business employees who handle arms items still need a firearms licence but no longer need endorsements for items handled in the course of their work.

• Museums move to a dedicated Museum Licence, with a new Museum Worker Licence that does not require a personal firearms licence.

• Registry finalisation deadlines for businesses and museums have been extended to 24 June 2029.

• Commercial ammunition sellers will need prior regulatory approval from July 2027.

Other notable changes

• Health-related suspensions will last 12 months from February 2028.

• Infringement notices for low-level non-compliance are enabled in the Act but are not expected for 12–18 months after commencement.

• From February 2028, visitor licences will support multi-trip use within an 18-month period.

• Updated terminology includes “restricted” in place of “prohibited” for many items, “standard” instead of “non-prohibited”, and “Business licence” instead of “Dealer licence”.

What COLFO is watching

COLFO will continue to monitor the establishment of FSE, the design and operation of the Licensing Review Committee, the digital Arms System, the infringement regime, and the practical implementation of storage and multi-user rules. We will publish further guidance and raise issues as they arise.

Most existing licences, endorsements and permits transition smoothly on 23 September. The independent regulator and review pathway are significant structural improvements that licensed owners have sought for years.

We will update this page as more operational detail is released by the regulator.