The Act defines several key concepts. A firearm includes any device designed to fire projectiles by burning propellant or compressed gas, as well as a receiver and any device that would if assembled and in working order be a firearm, but excludes antique firearms and devices declared not to be firearms (s 4). Possession is broadly defined: a person has possession if they have physical possession or control, have access to the item, control access to it, or occupy or have care/control/management of premises where the item is found (s 6(2)). However, the last ground does not apply if the person proves they did not know and could not reasonably be expected to have known of the item, or that the item was in the lawful possession of another (s 6(3)). The concept of fit and proper person is central. A person is not fit and proper if prohibited from possessing firearms by court order or subject to a firearms prohibition order (s 7(1)). A person with a physical or mental illness, condition or disorder that would make it unsafe to possess a firearm is also not fit and proper (s 7(2)). Additionally, a person may be taken not to be fit and proper based on failure to comply with safe handling requirements, convictions under the Act or for violence, fraud in obtaining a licence, being subject to an intervention order, failing to comply with a medical examination requirement, and other factors (s 7(3)). In deciding fitness, regard must be had to risk of unlawful use, self-harm, harm to others, or failure to exercise continuous control, and regard may be had to reputation, honesty, integrity, close associates, past behaviour, instability, intemperate habits, way of living or domestic circumstances (s 7(4)). Genuine reason is required for both licence and permit applications. A person does not have a genuine reason for personal protection or protection of another, or for protection of property in circumstances not authorised by the licence (ss 15(3), 23(6)). The Registrar of Firearms is the Commissioner of Police (s 49). The Act also provides for criminal intelligence: where a decision is based on information classified as criminal intelligence, the Registrar need only state the decision was made on public interest grounds (e.g., ss 15(7), 20(12), 24(3), 33(4), 44(7), 47(3)).

The Act affects a wide range of persons and entities. Any person who wishes to possess, use, acquire or supply a firearm in South Australia must generally hold a firearms licence authorising that activity (s 9). This includes natural persons, companies, and business operators. Licensed dealers face additional obligations, including prohibitions on employing disqualified persons and requirements that employees with access to firearms or ammunition hold appropriate licences (s 11). Disqualified persons include those whose licence was cancelled in the preceding 5 years, those refused a licence on fit and proper or public interest grounds in the preceding 5 years, those found guilty of certain offences in the preceding 5 years, those subject to firearms prohibition orders, intervention orders, foreign restraining orders, or control orders under the Serious and Organised Crime (Control) Act 2008, and members or participants in criminal organisations (s 11(7)). Companies holding a firearms licence must have a principal nominee approved by the Registrar, who must hold a relevant licence, be an Australian citizen or permanent resident usually resident in South Australia, and exercise control over the company's firearms (s 16). The Act also affects recognised firearms clubs, commercial range operators, paintball operators, and their employees and members. Persons under 18 years are affected by age restrictions: applications for a licence cannot generally be made by a person under 18 (s 14(3)), but supervised use is permitted in certain circumstances (s 8(2)(g), (q), (r)). Persons subject to firearms prohibition orders face severe restrictions, including surrender of firearms, prohibitions on presence at firearms-related premises, and obligations to inform co-residents (s 45). The Act also imposes obligations on medical practitioners, as the Registrar may require a medical examination or report to determine fitness (s 53). Government agencies and instrumentalities of the Crown are subject to information provision requirements (s 51). The Act does not apply to the Crown in right of the State except for that section (s 8(1)).

The primary duty is that a person must not possess a firearm without a licence authorising possession (s 9). A licensee must not use a firearm for a purpose not authorised by the licence (s 9(2)). Licensees must comply with conditions of their licence, including conditions prescribed by the Act, regulations, or imposed by the Registrar (ss 18, 19). Conditions include providing information to the Registrar on request, conducting audits of storage practices, and allowing police inspection of firearms and storage facilities at any reasonable time (s 18(2)). A licensee who is the owner of a firearm must ensure the firearm is registered in their name (s 27(3)). A person who acquires a firearm must have a permit to acquire (s 22). A person must not transfer possession of a firearm except in specified circumstances, including sale, gift, loan or hire (subject to the acquisition requirements), to a dealer for repair or safekeeping, or in circumstances where the Act does not apply (s 25). A person must not supply ammunition to a person not authorised to possess it (s 31(4)). A person must not handle a firearm while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drug to the extent of being incapable of effective control (s 42). Persons subject to a firearms prohibition order must surrender firearms immediately (s 45(3)) and must not be present at firearms-related premises or in company of a person with a firearm (s 45(4), (6)). Rights include the right to apply for a licence, permit, registration, and to seek review of adverse decisions. A person aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar to refuse a licence, impose conditions, suspend or cancel a licence or registration, issue a firearms prohibition order, or other declared decisions may apply to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for review (s 47). A person may also apply to the Registrar for review of an interim firearms prohibition order (s 46). The Act provides a general amnesty: a person with unauthorised possession of a firearm or ammunition may surrender it to a police station without facing prosecution (s 64). The amnesty also allows the person to apply for the necessary authority to keep the item (s 64(2)).

Penalties in the Act are severe and escalate by firearm category and whether the offence is aggravated. Unlicensed possession of a firearm attracts maximum penalties ranging from $20,000 or 4 years imprisonment for category A or B firearms to $50,000 or 10 years for prescribed firearms (s 9(4)). Aggravated offences attract higher penalties (s 9(5)). An offence is aggravated if the firearm was loaded or ammunition was in the immediate vicinity, if the firearm was concealed on the person, or if committed in connection with a prescribed drug offence (s 9(7)). Trafficking in firearms is heavily penalised: a first offence involving only one firearm can attract up to $100,000 or 20 years if aggravated and involving a prescribed or category C, D or H firearm (s 22(10)). A first offence involving more than one firearm or a subsequent offence carries imprisonment for 20 years (s 22(11)). Manufacturing a firearm or firearm part carries up to $75,000 or 15 years for prescribed firearms (s 37(5)). Possession of a digital blueprint for a firearm carries the same penalties (s 37A(5)). Breach of a condition of a licence carries up to $20,000 or 4 years for higher category firearms (s 19). Failure to surrender firearms when required can carry $50,000 or 10 years (ss 21, 45). Offences against a code of practice are classified as category A to F, with maximum penalties from $75,000 or 15 years down to $2,500 (s 35(3)). The Act provides for cumulative sentences: if a person is convicted of both an offence under s 9 (unlicensed possession) and s 31(1) (unauthorised ammunition possession), the court must make sentences cumulative unless special reasons exist (s 66A). Similarly for s 22(2)(a) (supply) and s 31(4) (supply of ammunition to unauthorised person). Courts have broad powers upon conviction or even without conviction if the court finds a person is not fit and proper: they may order forfeiture, impose conditions, suspend or cancel a licence, disqualify the person from holding a licence, or impose a firearms prohibition order (s 66). The Registrar may also seize firearms under various grounds (s 57) and institute forfeiture proceedings (s 63). Evidentiary provisions allow certificates signed by the Registrar to be proof of matters such as licence status, registration, and prohibition orders in the absence of proof to the contrary (s 74).

The Act expressly states it does not apply to the Crown in right of the State or any other capacity, except for section 51 which requires government agencies to provide information to the Registrar (s 8(1)). The Act interacts with other South Australian legislation in several ways. A person subject to an intervention order under the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009 may be considered not a fit and proper person (s 7(3)(f)). Firearms prohibition orders can be based on membership in a criminal organisation as defined in the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (s 44(1)(b)). The Act references bail conditions, parole conditions, and licence conditions under various Acts as grounds for seizure of firearms (s 57(5)). The Act provides for exchange of information with agencies in South Australia, other jurisdictions, and the Commonwealth (s 52). Foreign restraining orders as defined in the Intervention Orders (Prevention of Abuse) Act 2009 and Summary Procedure Act 1921 are relevant to fit and proper person assessments (s 7(3)(f)(ii)). The Act also interacts with the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, as wardens under that Act may require production of licences when a person is on a reserve (s 56(3)). The Act does not apply to certain persons who hold permits such as international visitor firearms permits, foreign theatrical armourer permits, and foreign firearms dealer permits, provided conditions are met (s 8(2)(a)-(c)). The Act also does not apply to persons using firearms on the range of a recognised commercial range operator or shooting gallery under supervision, or to junior and adult shooters on the grounds of a shooting club under supervision, and other specified exceptions (s 8(2)(e)-(s)). The Act preserves the operation of the Acts Interpretation Act 1915 to the repeal of the Firearms Act 1977 (Sch 1 cl 44). Transitional provisions in Schedule 1 continue licences, permits, registrations, and other authorisations under the repealed Act, and deal with pending applications and reviews.

The Firearms Act 2015 (No 46 of 2015) received assent on 17 December 2015 and commenced on 1 July 2017. It repealed the Firearms Act 1977. The Act has been amended by several subsequent Acts. The Statutes Amendment (Possession of Firearms and Prohibited Weapons) Act 2017 (No 27 of 2017) commenced on 18 July 2017 and amended section 12 (licence categories) and Part 6 heading (code of practice). The Statutes Amendment (Sentencing) Act 2017 (No 53 of 2017) amended section 57(5) (seizure powers) on 30 April 2018 to update references to sentencing legislation. The Firearms (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2021 (No 44 of 2021) commenced on 24 December 2021 and amended section 5 (added lever action shotguns with magazine capacity of 5 rounds or less as category B, and lever action shotguns with magazine capacity more than 5 rounds as category D), substituted section 22(10) (trafficking penalties), inserted section 22(14) (aggravated offence for supply to a minor), and inserted section 66A (cumulative sentences). The Biodiversity Act 2025 (No 29 of 2025) is noted as amending section 56 (power of police officer or warden) by Schedule 5 clause 25, but that amendment is uncommenced. The Firearms (Digital Blueprints for 3D Printing) Amendment Act 2025 (No 60 of 2025) received assent on 27 November 2025 and inserted section 37A (possession of digital blueprint for firearms etc) which will commence on 19 February 2026. The transitional provisions in Schedule 1 of the Act include special arrangements for lever action shotguns re-categorised by the 2021 amendments. The legislative history also notes that earlier versions of the Act exist from 18 July 2017, 30 April 2018, and 24 December 2021.

The Act itself does not name any specific cases. However, it provides for review of Registrar decisions by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) under section 47, and appeals from SACAT to the Supreme Court under section 71 of the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013. The Act replaced the former Firearms Review Committee with SACAT (Sch 1 cl 43). Decisions reviewable include refusal of a licence, permit or registration, imposition of conditions, variation, suspension or cancellation of a licence or permit, issue of a firearms prohibition order, and refusal or revocation of company nominee approval (s 47(1)). Proceedings before the Tribunal may involve criminal intelligence, and the Tribunal must take steps to maintain confidentiality of such information, including receiving evidence in private in the absence of parties and their representatives (s 48(1)). The Tribunal may also take evidence by affidavit of a police officer of or above the rank of superintendent when criminal intelligence is involved (s 48(1)(b)). Reasons for decisions may be limited to public interest grounds when criminal intelligence is the basis (s 48(3)). The Act also provides for review of interim firearms prohibition orders by the Registrar (s 46). Public safety notices issued by a senior police officer may be reviewed by the Tribunal if issued with Ministerial approval (s 60(10)). No decisions of SACAT or courts are cited in the text of the Act itself. Practitioners should consult SACAT and Supreme Court decisions for interpretive guidance, but the Act does not provide any.

Several provisions contain traps for the unwary. The definition of possession is extremely broad and includes constructive possession based on occupation of premises where a firearm is found, subject to limited defences (s 6(2)(d), (3)). If two or more persons have different firearm parts that would constitute a firearm when assembled, each is taken to possess the firearm (s 6(4)). The reverse onus of proof applies in several contexts: for proving licence or permit in ammunition possession (s 31(3)), for establishing that a purpose is authorised by a licence (s 9(3)), for establishing the quantity of ammunition is within reasonable needs (s 34(6)), and for establishing that ammunition assembly was authorised (s 41(4)). The general defence under section 75 (that the offence was not intentional and resulted from no failure to take reasonable care) does NOT apply to offences under sections 9 (unlicensed possession), 19 (breach of conditions), 22 (trafficking), 37 (manufacture), and 45 (firearms prohibition order offences). A person who purchases or sells more than 20 firearms or 20 firearm parts in any 12 month period is rebuttably presumed to be carrying on the business of a dealer, unless the transactions were on the same day at auction (s 10(2), (3)). Similarly, purchasing or selling more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition in any 12 month period triggers a dealer presumption (s 10(4)). An application for a licence must not be granted if the applicant has been found guilty of a prescribed offence within the preceding 5 years (s 15(5)). If a licence is cancelled under section 20(6) or (7), the person cannot apply for a new licence for 3 years from the cancellation (s 14(4)). The Registrar may refuse an application based on criminal intelligence without giving reasons other than public interest grounds (ss 15(7), 20(12)). A permit to acquire a firearm may be refused if the applicant has a firearm already that meets the need, except for category A firearms or firearms rendered unusable (s 23(3)(d)(ii), (8)). The 28-day waiting period for a permit can be waived only if the applicant already owns a registered firearm of the same category or there are special reasons (s 23(9), (10)). Sound moderators are heavily restricted: approval is only available for culling on Crown land with a genuine need and no alternative, or for pest control in built-up urban environments, or for dealers selling to approved persons (s 39(5)). The possession of a digital blueprint for a firearm is an offence, even if the person owns the firearm legally, unless the person is authorised to manufacture the item or falls within specific defences (s 37A). The defence that the digital blueprint relates to a firearm legally owned or possessed is available but narrowly drafted (s 37A(4)(c)). Company directors and the company's principal nominee are personally liable for offences by the company, with a due diligence defence (s 72). Firearms prohibition orders have extremely broad effects, including a prohibition on being present at a wide range of premises (s 45(4)) and a requirement to inform co-residents (s 45(8)). The reverse onus applies to possession by a prohibited person (s 45(16)). A person subject to a firearms prohibition order is presumed to acquire or supply a firearm if they knowingly take a step in the process (s 45(16)(b), (c)). Cumulative sentencing is mandatory for certain paired offences unless special reasons exist (s 66A).

To comply with the Firearms Act 2015, a person must first ensure they hold the appropriate firearms licence before possessing any firearm. The application process requires the applicant to be a fit and proper person, have a genuine reason (never personal protection), complete approved safety training, establish identity and residency, and meet any other requirements of the Registrar (ss 14, 15). A genuine reason may include sport or target shooting, hunting, primary production, vermin control, collecting, or business purposes as prescribed by regulations. The applicant must apply for the correct licence category corresponding to the firearms they intend to possess. Once licensed, the person must only possess firearms authorised by the licence and use them only for the authorised purpose (s 9). All firearms must be registered in the owner's name (s 27). To acquire a firearm, the person must obtain a permit to acquire (s 22), which requires a genuine reason and a genuine need not met by existing firearms (s 23). The person must then complete the acquisition within the permit period. Storage and transport of firearms must comply with the code of practice under Part 6, which will specify security requirements, safe storage, and transport conditions. Licensees must allow police inspection of firearms and storage facilities at any reasonable time (s 18(2)(c)). Ammunition acquisition and possession are restricted to persons who hold a licence authorising possession of a firearm that can fire that ammunition, except for dealers and clubs (s 31). A person must not possess more ammunition than reasonably needed for 12 months (s 34). If a person's licence is cancelled or suspended, they must immediately surrender all firearms and related items to the Registrar (s 21). If a person becomes subject to a firearms prohibition order, they must immediately surrender all firearms and related items and comply with all restrictions in section 45. Persons involved in firearms businesses must comply with dealer licensing requirements, keep proper records, and ensure employees hold appropriate licences (ss 10, 11). The Act provides a general amnesty for surrendering unlawfully held items without prosecution (s 64). All persons should be aware of the broad possession definition and ensure they do not inadvertently have control or access to firearms or parts. It is prudent to maintain records, comply with all conditions, and promptly notify the Registrar of any changes in circumstances that may affect fitness (e.g., being charged with a violent offence, becoming subject to an intervention order). Legal advice should be sought in any uncertain situation, especially regarding the fit and proper person assessment and the criminal intelligence provisions.