{"id":"BILL-ACT-db-73940","name":"Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026","slug":"firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"act","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":"2026-02-04","administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":457652,"registerId":"BILL-ACT-db-73940:current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-02-04","status":"in_force","reasons":null,"registeredAt":"2026-05-18T02:36:56.213Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0001","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 1","content":"# Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\n\nJ2025-1575\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n2026\nTHE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY\nFOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY\n(As presented)\n(Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services)\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment\nBill 2026\nContents\nPage\n1 Name of Act 2\n2 Commencement 2\n3 Legislation amended 2\n4 New section 52A 2\n5 Adult firearms licenses—conditions\nNew section 73 (1) (aa) 4\n6 Minors firearms licenses—conditions\nNew section 94 (1) (aa) 4\n7 Temporary international firearms licenses—conditions\nNew section 130 (1) (aa) 4\n\nContents\nPage\ncontents 2 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n8 Permits to acquire—refusal to issue generally\nNew section 145 (1) (c) 5\n9 Permits to acquire—refusal to issue to temporary international firearms\nlicensees\nNew section 146 (2) (c) 5\n10 User registration—refusal\nNew section 171 (1) (c) 5\n11 New section 171 (3) 6\n12 New section 228A 6\n13 New part 27 9\n14 Prohibited firearms\nSchedule 1, new item 25 11\n15 Licence categories and authority conferred\nSchedule 3, item 1, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d) 11\n16 Schedule 3, item 2, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d) 11\n17 Schedule 3, item 3, column 3 12\n18 Schedule 3, item 4, column 3 12\n19 Schedule 3, items 11 and 12, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d) 13\n20 Schedule 3, items 13 and 14, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d) 13\n21 Dictionary, new definitions 13\n\nJ2025-1575\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n2026\nTHE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY\nFOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY\n(As presented)\n(Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services)\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment\nBill 2026\nA Bill for\nAn Act to amend the Firearms Act 1996\nThe Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory enacts as follows:\n\nSection 1\npage 2 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n1 Name of Act1\nThis Act is the Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Act 2026.2\n2 Commencement3\n(1) Section 3 and section 13 commence on the day after this Act’s4\nnotification day.5\nNote The naming and commencement provisions automatically commence on6\nthe notification day (see Legislation Act, s 75 (1)).7\n(2) The remaining provisions commence on a day fixed by the Minister8\nby written notice.9\nNote A single day or time may be fixed, or different days or times may be10\nfixed, for the commencement of different provisions (see Legislation Act,11\ns 77 (1)).12\n(3) If the remaining provisions have not commenced before13\n1 January 2028, they automatically commence on that day.14\n(4) The Legislation Act, section 79 (Automatic commencement of15\npostponed law) does not apply to this Act.16\n3 Legislation amended17\nThis Act amends the Firearms Act 1996.18\n4 New section 52A19\ninsert20\n52A Authority conferred by licence—limitation on number of21\nfirearms possessed or used by licensees22\n(1) A licence that authorises the licensee to possess or use a firearm is23\nsubject to the following limitations (if any) on the number of firearms24\nthat may be possessed or used by the licensee under the licence:25\n(a) for a licensee who possesses or uses a firearm for a relevant26\ngenuine reason—not more than the greater of—27\n\nSection 4\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 3\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(i) 10 firearms; or1\n(ii) the number of firearms approved by the registrar subject2\nto any requirement prescribed by regulation;3\n(b) for a collector licence—no limitation;4\n(c) for a composite entity licence—no limitation;5\n(d) for a firearms dealer licence—no limitation;6\n(e) for a licensee prescribed by regulation—the number of firearms7\napproved by the registrar subject to any requirement prescribed8\nby regulation;9\n(f) in any other case—not more than 5 firearms.10\n(2) The total number of firearms a licensee may possess or use under11\nmore than 1 relevant licence held by the licensee, despite any12\ncombined numerical total under the licences, is limited to the number13\nunder whichever relevant licence provides the highest number of14\nfirearms.15\n(3) If a person is authorised to possess or use a firearm temporarily under16\nsection 14 or under a law of a State, the firearm is not counted in the17\nnumber of firearms that may be possessed or used by the person under18\nthis section.19\nNote State includes the Northern Territory (see Legislation Act, dict, pt 1).20\n(4) In this section:21\nrelevant genuine reason means—22\n(a) animal welfare; or23\n(b) business or employment; or24\n(c) occupational requirements relating to rural purposes; or25\n(d) primary production; or26\n(e) sport or target shooting; or27\n\nSection 5\npage 4 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(f) vertebrate pest animal control.1\nNote Complying with any limitation on the number of firearms that may be2\npossessed or used by a licensee under this section is a condition of an3\nadult firearms licence (see s 73) and a minor firearms licence (see s 94).4\nA person commits an offence if they contravene a condition of their5\nlicence (see s 45).6\nrelevant licence means a licence of a kind mentioned in7\nsubsection (1) (a), (e) or (f).8\n5 Adult firearms licenses—conditions9\nNew section 73 (1) (aa)10\nbefore paragraph (a), insert11\n(aa) the licensee must comply with any limitation on the number of12\nfirearms that may be possessed or used by the licensee under13\nsection 52A;14\n6 Minors firearms licenses—conditions15\nNew section 94 (1) (aa)16\nbefore paragraph (a), insert17\n(aa) the licensee must comply with any limitation on the number of18\nfirearms that may be possessed or used by the licensee under19\nsection 52A;20\n7 Temporary international firearms licenses—conditions21\nNew section 130 (1) (aa)22\nbefore paragraph (a), insert23\n(aa) the licensee must comply with any limitation on the number of24\nfirearms that may be possessed or used by the licensee under25\nsection 52A;26\n\nSection 8\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 5\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n8 Permits to acquire—refusal to issue generally1\nNew section 145 (1) (c)2\ninsert3\n(c) the registrar is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the4\nacquisition would not result in the acquirer possessing or using5\nmore firearms than the number of firearms that may be6\npossessed or used under the acquirer’s licence.7\nNote Section 52A limits the number of firearms that a licensee may8\npossess or use under the licensee’s licence.9\n9 Permits to acquire—refusal to issue to temporary10\ninternational firearms licensees11\nNew section 146 (2) (c)12\ninsert13\n(c) the registrar is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the14\nacquisition would not result in the acquirer possessing or using15\nmore firearms than the number of firearms that may be16\npossessed or used under the acquirer’s licence.17\nNote Section 52A limits the number of firearms that a licensee may18\npossess or use under the licensee’s licence.19\n10 User registration—refusal20\nNew section 171 (1) (c)21\ninsert22\n(c) if the registered owner of the firearm is anyone other than a23\nrelevant registered owner—registering the applicant as a user of24\nthe firearm would not result in the applicant possessing or using25\nmore firearms than the number of firearms that may be26\npossessed or used under the applicant’s licence.27\nNote Section 52A limits the number of firearms that a licensee may28\npossess or use under the licensee’s licence.29\n\nSection 11\npage 6 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n11 New section 171 (3)1\ninsert2\n(3) In this section:3\nrelevant registered owner, of a firearm, means—4\n(a) a licensed firearms dealer; or5\n(b) a composite entity; or6\n(c) an approved club; or7\n(d) any other registered owner prescribed by regulation.8\n12 New section 228A9\ninsert10\n228A Offence—possession of digital blueprint for manufacture11\nof firearms or firearm parts12\n(1) A person commits an offence if—13\n(a) the person has possession of a digital blueprint for an item; and14\n(b) the item is a firearm or a firearm part; and15\n(c) the item may be manufactured by using the digital blueprint in16\ncombination with a computer-aided manufacturing device.17\nExamples—computer-aided manufacturing device18\na 3D printer, an electronic milling machine19\nMaximum penalty: 500 penalty units, imprisonment for 5 years or20\nboth.21\n(2) Strict liability applies to subsection (1) (b) and (c).22\n\nSection 12\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 7\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person if—1\n(a) the person is authorised by a firearms dealer licence, or is2\notherwise authorised under this Act, to manufacture the firearm3\nor firearm part; or4\n(b) the person possesses the digital blueprint in the course of5\ncarrying out public or official duties in relation to—6\n(i) enforcing or administering a territory law, or a law of the7\nCommonwealth or a State; or8\n(ii) monitoring compliance with, or investigating a9\ncontravention of, a territory law, or a law of the10\nCommonwealth or a State; or11\n(iii) the administration of the justice system; or12\nNote State includes the Northern Territory (see Legislation Act, dict,13\npt 1).14\n(c) the person—15\n(i) possesses the digital blueprint to undertake scientific,16\nmedical, educational, military or law enforcement research17\nthat has been approved by the registrar in writing; and18\n(ii) has not contravened a condition of the approval.19\n(4) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1)20\nif the defendant proves that—21\n(a) the defendant did not know, and could not reasonably be22\nexpected to have known, that the defendant possessed the digital23\nblueprint; or24\n(b) the digital blueprint came into the defendant’s possession25\nunsolicited and, as soon as they became aware of its nature, the26\ndefendant took reasonable steps to remove the blueprint from27\ntheir possession.28\nNote The defendant has a legal burden in relation to the matters mentioned in29\ns (4) (see Criminal Code, s 59).30\n\nSection 12\npage 8 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(5) For subsection (3) (c), the registrar—1\n(a) must keep a record of each approval and any condition of the2\napproval; and3\n(b) may keep the record in any form, including electronically, that4\nthe registrar decides.5\n(6) In this section:6\ncomputer includes a tablet, mobile phone and any other electronic7\ndevice for storing or processing information.8\ndigital blueprint means—9\n(a) any type of digital or electronic reproduction of a technical10\ndrawing; or11\n(b) any electronic coding; or12\n(c) any computer-aided design.13\npossession, of a digital blueprint, includes the following:14\n(a) possession of a computer or data storage device holding or15\ncontaining the blueprint;16\n(b) possession of a document in which the blueprint is recorded;17\n(c) control of the blueprint—18\n(i) held in a computer or data storage device that is in the19\npossession of another person (whether the computer or20\ndata storage device is in the ACT or elsewhere); or21\n(ii) held on a remote computer or remote data storage device22\nthat is accessible from a computer or data storage device23\n(whether the remote computer or remote data storage24\ndevice is in the ACT or elsewhere).25\nExample—remote data storage device26\na cloud storage system27\n\nSection 13\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 9\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n13 New part 271\ninsert2\nPart 27 Transitional—Firearms (Public3\nSafety) Amendment Act 20264\n419 Meaning of amendment Act—pt 275\nIn this part:6\namendment Act means the Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment7\nAct 2026.8\n420 Applications for other categories of licences after9\nrelevant amendments commence10\n(1) This section applies if—11\n(a) before the commencement of a relevant amendment, a licensee12\nwas authorised to possess or use a firearm under a category of13\nlicence (the existing licence); and14\n(b) on the commencement of the relevant amendment, another15\ncategory of licence will be required to possess or use the firearm16\n(the other licence).17\n(2) The licensee may apply for the other licence before the18\ncommencement of the relevant amendment.19\n(3) Despite the commencement of the relevant amendment, the licensee’s20\nexisting licence continues to authorise the licensee to possess or use21\nthe firearm until the application for the other licence is determined by22\nthe registrar.23\n(4) A regulation may prescribe other circumstances in which a licensee’s24\nexisting licence continues to authorise the licensee to possess or use25\nthe firearm on or after the commencement of the relevant amendment.26\n\nSection 13\npage 10 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(5) In this section:1\nrelevant amendment means an amendment made by the amendment2\nAct, section 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20.3\n421 Limitation on number of firearms licensees may possess4\nor use during relevant period5\n(1) This section applies to—6\n(a) a licensee who may apply for a permit to acquire a firearm under7\nsection 143; and8\n(b) the holder of a licence to which section 168 applies who may9\napply for registration as a user of a firearm under that section.10\n(2) The licensee or holder must not, during the relevant period, apply for11\nthe permit or registration if issuing the permit or registering the holder12\nwould mean the number of firearms possessed or used by the licensee13\nor holder would exceed the number of firearms they will be permitted14\nto possess or use under section 52A, as inserted by the amendment15\nAct, section 4, after the commencement of that section.16\n(3) An application made contrary to subsection (2) is taken never to have17\nbeen made and is of no effect.18\n(4) This section does not apply to an application for registration as a user19\nof a registered firearm if the registered owner of the firearm is a20\nrelevant registered owner.21\n(5) In this section:22\nrelevant period means the period—23\n(a) starting on the day after this Act’s notification day; and24\n(b) ending on the day the amendment Act, section 4 commences.25\nrelevant registered owner—see section 171 (3), as inserted by the26\namendment Act, section 11.27\n\nSection 14\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 11\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n422 Expiry—pt 271\nThis part expires 1 year after the day the amendment Act, section 42\ncommences.3\nNote A transitional provision is repealed on its expiry but continues to have4\neffect after its repeal (see Legislation Act, s 88).5\n14 Prohibited firearms6\nSchedule 1, new item 257\ninsert8\n25 a belt-fed firearm\n15 Licence categories and authority conferred9\nSchedule 3, item 1, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d)10\nsubstitute11\n(a) airguns (other than semiautomatic airguns);12\n(b) rim-fire rifles (other than self-loading, straight pull repeating action, self-13\nopening action or self-closing action) with magazine capacity of not more14\nthan 10 rounds;15\n(c) shotguns (other than self-loading, pump action, straight pull repeating action,16\nlever-action, self-opening action or self-closing action) with magazine17\ncapacity of not more than 5 rounds;18\n(d) shotgun and rim-fire rifle combinations19\n16 Schedule 3, item 2, column 3, paragraphs (a) to (d)20\nsubstitute21\n(a) muzzle-loading firearms (other than pistols);22\n(b) centre-fire rifles (other than self-loading, straight pull repeating action, self-23\nopening action or self-closing action) with magazine capacity of not more24\nthan 10 rounds;25\n(c) shotgun and centre-fire rifle combinations;26\n(d) lever action shotguns with magazine capacity of not more than 5 rounds;27\n(e) semiautomatic airguns28","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"retrieval-0002","sectionType":"document_chunk","heading":"Document excerpt 2","content":"Section 17\npage 12 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n17 Schedule 3, item 3, column 31\nsubstitute2\nthe following firearms (other than firearms mentioned in sch 1, item 1, 11, 12 or 25):3\n(a) self-loading rim-fire rifles with magazine capacity of not more than4\n10 rounds;5\n(b) self-opening action and self-closing action rim-fire rifles with magazine6\ncapacity of not more than 10 rounds;7\n(c) self-loading shotguns with magazine capacity of not more than 5 rounds;8\n(d) self-opening action and self-closing action shotguns with magazine capacity9\nof not more than 5 rounds;10\n(e) pump action shotguns with magazine capacity of not more than 5 rounds;11\n(f) straight pull repeating action firearms (rim-fire rifles, centre-fire rifles and12\nshotguns)13\n18 Schedule 3, item 4, column 314\nsubstitute15\nthe following firearms (other than firearms mentioned in sch 1, item 5, 6, 10, 11,16\n12 or 25):17\n(a) self-loading centre-fire rifles;18\n(b) self-opening action and self-closing action centre-fire rifles;19\n(c) self-loading rim-fire rifles with magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds;20\n(d) self-opening action and self-closing action rim-fire rifles with magazine21\ncapacity of more than 10 rounds;22\n(e) self-loading shotguns with magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;23\n(f) self-opening action and self-closing action shotguns with magazine capacity24\nof more than 5 rounds;25\n(g) pump action shotguns with magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;26\n(h) lever action shotguns with magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds;27\n(i) any other firearms to which category C licence applies as prescribed by28\nregulation29\n\nSection 19\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 13\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n19 Schedule 3, items 11 and 12, column 3, paragraphs (a)1\nto (d)2\nsubstitute3\n(a) airguns (other than semiautomatic airguns);4\n(b) rim-fire rifles (other than self-loading, straight pull repeating action, self-5\nopening action or self-closing action) with magazine capacity of not more6\nthan 10 rounds;7\n(c) shotguns (other than self-loading, pump action, lever action, straight pull8\nrepeating action, self-opening action or self-closing action) with magazine9\ncapacity of not more than 5 rounds;10\n(d) shotgun and rim-fire rifle combinations11\n20 Schedule 3, items 13 and 14, column 3, paragraphs (a)12\nto (d)13\nsubstitute14\n(a) muzzle-loading firearms (other than pistols);15\n(b) centre-fire rifles (other than self-loading, straight pull repeating action, self-16\nopening action or self-closing action) with magazine capacity of not more17\nthan 10 rounds;18\n(c) shotgun and centre-fire rifle combinations;19\n(d) lever action shotguns with magazine capacity of not more than 5 rounds;20\n(e) semiautomatic airguns21\n21 Dictionary, new definitions22\ninsert23\nbelt-fed firearm means a firearm with a feeding mechanism, whether24\nintegral or detachable—25\n(a) designed to supply cartridges to a firearm by means of belt, or26\nlike mechanism, or linked carrier, or like mechanism, whether27\nthe belt, links or like mechanisms are reusable or disposable; and28\n(b) in which cartridges are held in sequence and mechanically29\nadvanced into the chamber through cycling of the firearm’s30\naction.31\n\nSection 21\npage 14 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\npump action, in relation to a firearm, means a repeating action1\nfirearm in which—2\n(a) a moveable fore-end is manually actuated in a motion generally3\nparallel to the barrel; and4\n(b) the motion is transmitted to a breech bolt assembly which5\nperforms all the functions for loading and extracting cartridges.6\nrepeating action, in relation to a firearm, means a firearm—7\n(a) with an internal or externally attached ammunition storage8\ncapacity; and9\nExamples10\nmagazine or cylinder11\n(b) in which all functions of the cycle of fire are manual and12\nperformed by the user.13\nExample14\na bolt action repeating action rifle or shotgun15\nself-closing action, in relation to a firearm, means a firearm—16\n(a) with an internal or externally attached ammunition storage17\ncapacity; and18\n(b) that functions as follows:19\n(i) the action is manually opened after each firing, which20\ncaptures energy in a storage system;21\nExample—storage system22\nan action spring23\n(ii) manually opening the action causes the fired cartridge case24\nto be extracted from the chamber and ejected from the25\nfirearm;26\n(iii) after opening, the stored energy is utilised to close the27\naction and feed another cartridge into the chamber.28\n\nSection 21\nFirearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026 page 15\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nself-opening action, in relation to a firearm, means a firearm—1\n(a) with an internal or externally attached ammunition storage2\ncapacity; and3\n(b) that functions as follows:4\n(i) after a cartridge is fired, the energy of the fired cartridge5\nis used to open the action;6\n(ii) the opening causes the fired cartridge case to be extracted7\nfrom the chamber and ejected from the firearm;8\n(iii) opening the action captures energy in a storage system and9\nthe action locks in the open position;10\nExample—storage system11\nan action spring12\n(iv) manually activating a mechanism releases the stored13\nenergy to close the action and feed another cartridge into14\nthe chamber.15\nsemiautomatic airgun means an airgun that—16\n(a) contains a magazine or revolving cylinder; and17\n(b) can discharge subsequent projectiles without manual cycling of18\nthe action and with a single trigger pull for each shot.19\nstraight pull repeating action, in relation to a firearm, means a20\nrepeating action firearm in which the bolt need not be rotated to open21\nor close the action but is reciprocated by a straight backward and22\nforward motion of the user’s hand.23\n\npage 16 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nEndnotes\n1 Presentation speech\nPresentation speech made in the Legislative Assembly on 4 February 2026.\n2 Notification\nNotified under the Legislation Act on 2026.\n3 Republications of amended laws\nFor the latest republication of amended laws, see www.legislation.act.gov.au.\n© Australian Capital Territory 2026","sortOrder":1}],"analysis":{"summary":{"status_summary":"The Bill was introduced into the ACT Legislative Assembly on 4 February 2026 and has not yet been passed.","complexity_score":8,"likely_questions":["What is a belt-fed firearm under the new prohibition?","If I hold multiple firearms licences, do the possession caps apply separately or in total?","Can I keep my existing firearms if I already have more than the new limit allows?","What is the penalty for possessing a digital blueprint for a 3D-printed firearm?","When do the new firearm possession limits take effect, and do I need to do anything now?","How do the new licence category definitions affect what firearms I can own or use under my current licence?","Is there any exemption for historical or antique firearms from the new limits?"],"complexity_factors":["Interconnected amendments across multiple sections, schedules, and definitions require cross-referencing to understand full effect.","New offence for digital blueprints includes broad definitions of possession, including cloud storage, and strict liability elements.","The firearm number limitation interacts with existing licence categories, permits to acquire, user registration, and transitional provisions with a defined relevant period.","Reclassification of licence categories introduces new terminology for firearm actions (e.g., self-opening, self-closing, straight pull) that are defined in detail.","Transitional provisions allow licence category changes and impose temporary restrictions on new applications during the period before the main caps commence."],"plain_english_summary":"The Bill amends the ACT Firearms Act to impose statutory caps on how many firearms licence-holders may possess (generally 10 or registrar‑approved for genuine reasons; 5 otherwise), makes those caps enforceable across licences, and prevents permits that would breach them. It also criminalises possession of digital blueprints for firearm manufacture, adds belt‑fed guns to prohibited weapons, and reclassifies licence categories and action‑type definitions—affecting what firearms each licence permits. Provisions start on minister‑set dates or by 1 Jan 2028."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Bill extends the Firearms Act beyond traditional regulation of physical weapons and licensing into regulation of digital design files and remote possession (new s 228A). It also restructures licence categories and imposes numeric possession caps for most licence‑holders (new s 52A), which represents a material expansion and reorientation of the Act’s scope: from managing physical transfer and possession to actively controlling the number of firearms per person and criminalising possession of electronic manufacturing data. These additions create new administrative and enforcement domains (registrar approvals, records for research approvals, policing of digital files) that go beyond the Act’s earlier focus on physical firearms and transactions."},"complexity_factors":["New numeric cap regime (s 52A) with multi‑tier exceptions (relevant genuine reasons, collectors, composite entities, dealers, regulation‑prescribed classes)","Cross‑licence counting rule for multiple licences (s 52A(2))","Registrar discretion to approve higher firearm counts and to impose/regulate exceptions (s 52A(1)(a)(ii), (e); multiple notes referring to regulations)","New criminal offence with broad definitions and strict liability for key elements (s 228A(1)–(2))","Wide definition of possession for digital blueprints, including remote/cloud storage (s 228A(6)(c)(ii))","Exemptions and approval pathways for research and official duties creating conditional logic and record‑keeping obligations (s 228A(3)–(5))","Substantive schedule changes reclassifying many firearms by action and magazine capacity across multiple licence categories (Schedules 1 and 3)","Transitional provisions that freeze certain permit/registration applications and allow interim authorisations (Part 27, ss 420–422)","Multiple new and revised technical definitions in the dictionary (pump action, repeating action, self-opening/closing action, belt-fed firearm, semiautomatic airgun, etc.)","Interplay between licence conditions, permit refusals and user registration refusals creating several refusal pathways (ss 73, 94, 130, 145, 146, 171)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this Bill changes (mechanically)\n\n- Introduces a hard cap on how many firearms a licence can authorise the holder to possess or use. For most licences the cap is either 10 firearms (for those with a \"relevant genuine reason\") or 5 firearms (for other licence-holders), but several licence types (collectors, composite entities, firearms dealers and any licence-types prescribed by regulation) are carved out and have no numeric limit. (See new s 52A.)\n\n- Makes compliance with that numerical limit a formal condition of adult, minor and temporary international firearms licences. (Inserts into ss 73, 94 and 130.)\n\n- Gives the registrar explicit power to refuse a permit to acquire a firearm or to refuse registration of a user where the acquisition or registration would exceed the numeric limit for that person. (Inserts into ss 145, 146, and 171.) The Bill defines some categories of registered owners (e.g. dealers, approved clubs) for the purposes of those tests. (New s 171(3).)\n\n- Creates a new criminal offence for possessing a \"digital blueprint\" that could be used with a computer-aided manufacturing device (for example a 3D printer) to make a firearm or firearm part; that offence attracts a maximum penalty of 500 penalty units, 5 years' imprisonment, or both. The offence includes broad definitions of \"possession\" (including cloud storage and remote access). Strict liability applies for the elements that the file is a firearm or could be used to manufacture one. There are express exemptions for licensed manufacturers, for people carrying out official duties (police, justice administration, etc.), and for registrar-approved scientific, medical, educational, military or law‑enforcement research (subject to conditions). The registrar must record approvals. The Bill also provides a defence if a person did not know they had the file or received it unsolicited and promptly removed it. (New s 228A.)\n\n- Adds \"belt-fed firearms\" to the list of prohibited firearms and updates multiple licence-category descriptions and technical definitions (pump-action, self-opening, self-closing, semiautomatic airgun, straight-pull, repeating action, etc.). These schedule changes reclassify many firearms by action type and magazine capacity across licence categories. (Schedules and new dictionary definitions.)\n\n- Supplies transitional rules allowing existing licence-holders time to apply for new categories where a firearm will be reclassified, and temporarily prevents licence/registration applications that would create holdings above the new limits in the period between notification and commencement. (Part 27—especially ss 420–422.)\n\n\nWhat the Bill says is its purpose\n\n- The text does not include a long policy statement, but the mechanical changes indicate two central aims: (1) limit the number of firearms authorised per licence to reduce the number of privately held firearms per person (s 52A and related permit/refusal rules), and (2) criminalise possession of digital manufacturing files so that models that can be used with 3D printers and similar devices to manufacture firearms or parts are treated like weapons (s 228A).\n\n\nHow those aims are achieved, and who decides\n\n- Registrar discretion: the registrar can approve a greater number of firearms for particular licence‑holders (s 52A(1)(a)(ii), (e)) and must keep records of any approvals for research relating to digital blueprints (s 228A(5)). Regulations may add licence categories exempted from limits or prescribe requirements (see s 52A(1)(e) and multiple notes referring to regulation). This places significant administrative decision‑making power in the registrar's office.\n\n- Enforcement and refusal powers: the registrar may refuse permits to acquire, user registrations and similar where issuing them would exceed a person’s authorised number of firearms (ss 145, 146, 171). Police and prosecutors enforce the new digital‑blueprint offence (s 228A).\n\n\nPractical effects, costs and incentives (testing the stated purpose)\n\n- Who pays and who changes behaviour\n  - Licence-holders: owners and prospective buyers must reduce purchases or divest firearms to comply with the new numeric caps (s 52A). Those with \"relevant genuine reasons\" (sport, primary production, pest control, occupational rural needs, animal welfare, business) can hold up to 10 firearms unless the registrar approves more (s 52A(1)(a)). Others are limited to 5. Collectors, dealers and some entities are not numerically limited (s 52A(1)(b)–(d)).\n  - Registrar / territory administration: increased administrative workload to approve, record and monitor individual permitted firearm counts, to process refusal decisions (ss 145, 146, 171), and to record and manage approvals for digital‑blueprint research (s 228A(5)).\n  - Law enforcement and courts: resources required to detect, investigate and prosecute possession of digital blueprints, and to adjudicate disputes over possession counts and permit refusals (s 228A; ss 145–146, 171).\n  - Businesses (firearms dealers, clubs): dealers are carved out from numeric limits (s 52A(1)(d)), but demand patterns and compliance checks may change sales and stock practices. Approved clubs and composite entities can be registered owners for user registration exceptions (s 171(3)).\n\n- Compliance burden and administrative discretion\n  - The Bill ties legal entitlement to hold firearms to numeric caps enforced at the point of permit, registration and user registration (ss 145, 146, 171). This creates a compliance and record‑keeping burden for licence‑holders and for the registrar tracking totals across multiple licences (s 52A(2) addresses multiple licences, but creates a counting rule that must be monitored).\n  - The registrar’s power to \"approve\" higher numbers for particular persons and to have regulations prescribe exceptions introduces significant bureaucratic discretion (s 52A(1)(a)(ii), (e); sch references to \"prescribed by regulation\"). Where discretion is broad, implementation requires robust administrative processes and may create appeals or review work.\n\n- Effects on private choice, markets and substitution\n  - People restricted by the caps may store firearms with a \"relevant registered owner\" (dealers, clubs, composite entities) or arrange ownership structures that comply with the numeric limit; the Bill already anticipates some of these arrangements by defining relevant registered owners (s 171(3)). This creates substitution effects: physical possession may move to institutions while operational control or access remains with individuals.\n  - Dealers are not limited in the number of firearms they may possess (s 52A(1)(d)), so retail inventories remain possible; however, prospective customers may be refused permits or blocked from acquiring additional firearms if that would exceed their personal cap (ss 145, 146). That may reduce retail sales to particular buyer segments and shift the market toward transfers to clubs, dealers or collectors.\n\n- Costs to research, education and lawful information flows\n  - The digital blueprint offence (s 228A) covers a broad class of electronic files and reaches cloud storage and remote access. Strict liability applies to the question whether a particular file is a firearm or a producible firearm part (s 228A(2)). That combination could chill legitimate academic, educational or hobbyist activities unless the registrar’s research approvals are routinely granted and clearly administered (s 228A(3)(c)). The Bill does provide an approval route and a defence where the file is unsolicited and promptly removed (s 228A(4)), but the administrative cost and legal risk remain.\n\n- Enforcement and detection challenges\n  - Detecting possession of a digital blueprint stored remotely or encrypted is technically difficult and may require expanded cyber‑investigative capacity. The Bill’s territorial reach is broad because \"possession\" includes files on remote servers accessible from the ACT (s 228A(6)(c)(ii)).\n\n- Transitional and timing risks\n  - The Bill prevents certain permit and registration applications during the transitional period if they would produce holdings above the new caps (s 421). That freeze reduces last‑minute acquisition but may produce a burst of administrative work as existing licence‑holders apply for reclassification or registrar approval before commencement. Part 27 expires one year after commencement (s 422), but the interim period requires active administration.\n\n\nTrade‑offs and implementation risks\n\n- Concentrated vs diffuse effects: benefits of numerical limits (if achieved) accrue diffusely to public safety objectives; compliance costs and administrative burdens concentrate on licensed owners, the registrar and enforcement agencies (s 52A; s 228A). Dealers and collectors are explicitly excluded from numeric limits (s 52A(1)(b),(d)), concentrating restrictions on ordinary licence-holders.\n\n- Regulatory discretion vs legislative clarity: the registrar’s approval power and the ability of regulation to add exceptions create flexibility but increase legal uncertainty and potential for contested decisions (s 52A(1)(a)(ii); s 52A(1)(e); s 228A(5)).\n\n- Chilling lawful research and information flows: the strict liability element and broad definitions in the digital‑blueprint offence could deter academics, hobbyists and journalists unless the approval pathway is practical and well-publicised (s 228A(2)–(5)).\n\n- Enforcement costs vs deterrence: prosecuting digital‑file offences and enforcing numeric caps requires detection capability and record‑matching across licences; the Bill establishes offences and refusal powers but implementation will require resourcing and technical capacity (ss 145–146; s 228A).\n\n\nSelected sections to look at closely when applying the law\n\n- New numeric caps: s 52A (limits; who is exempt; how to count across licences; what counts as a \"relevant genuine reason\").\n- Permit/refusal mechanics: ss 145, 146 (permit to acquire refusals), s 171 (user registration refusal and definition of \"relevant registered owner\").\n- Digital plans offence and defences: s 228A (definitions of digital blueprint and possession; strict liability; exemptions; registrar approvals; defence for unsolicited files).\n- Transitional arrangements: Part 27 (ss 420–422).\n- Schedule changes and new dictionary definitions (reclassification of firearms by action and magazine capacity, addition of \"belt‑fed firearm\").\n\n\nBottom line (neutral):\n\n- The Bill tightens and formalises numerical limits on how many firearms most licence‑holders may possess, reclassifies many firearm types into different licence categories, and creates a new criminal offence for possession of digital files that could be used with computer‑aided manufacturing devices to make firearms or parts. Those mechanical changes increase administrative discretion for the registrar, raise compliance and enforcement costs, and broaden the Act’s subject matter to cover digital blueprints and remote storage. The practical effects will depend heavily on how the registrar, regulations and enforcement agencies implement the new approval, record‑keeping and refusal powers (see s 52A; s 228A; ss 145, 146, 171)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026","history":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026/history","analysis":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/firearms-public-safety-amendment-bill-2026/documents"}}