ACTIn ForceAct
Firearms Act 1996
53Authority conferred by licence—additional matters
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 53
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Firearms Act 1996.
53 Authority conferred by licence—additional matters
(1) A licence that authorises the licensee to have possession of a firearm
also authorises the licensee to have possession of the firearm while—
(a) taking it to a licensed firearms dealer for the purpose of—
(i) selling it; or
(ii) having it altered (otherwise than to convert it into a
prohibited firearm), maintained, tested or repaired and
subsequently recovering it from the dealer; and
(b) taking it to a police officer for the purpose of having it inspected
and subsequently recovering it from a police officer; and
(c) taking it to a police officer for the purpose of surrendering it.
(2) A licence (other than a firearms dealer licence or paintball marker
licence) that authorises the licensee to use a firearm also authorises
the licensee, in accordance with this Act or another territory law, to
acquire, possess or use the calibre of ammunition made for use in the
Note 1 A licensee must not possess, at any one time, an amount of ammunition
that is more than the amount (if any) prescribed by regulation, unless
authorised in writing by the registrar (see s 73, s 94, s 116 or s 130).
Note 2 A licensee must not acquire ammunition unless the amount of
ammunition that is acquired at any one time is not more than the amount
(if any) prescribed by regulation (see s 248).
(3) A licence that authorises the licensee to have possession or use of a
registered firearm also authorises the licensee to use the registered
firearm at an approved shooting range for 1 or more of the following
purposes:
(a) to test the firearm;
(b) to adjust the sights on the firearm;
(c) to develop and refine self-loaded ammunition;
(d) to receive instruction and certification in the use of the firearm
for an employment-related purpose.
Example—employment-related purpose
a person with an employee licence under the Security Industry Act 2003
wanting to maintain that licence
(4) For subsection (3), a licensee need not be a member of the shooting
club that operates the approved shooting range.
(5) Unless a regulation prescribes otherwise, a category C licence does
not authorise the possession or use of a prohibited firearm for a
shooting competition.
(6) A licence does not authorise the possession of—
(a) a prohibited firearm; or
(b) a firearm manufactured after the prescribed date;
for the purposes of a firearms collection.