Firearms Regulations 2018 (Victoria)

These Regulations (Firearms Regulations 2018, as amended to 13 November 2024) prescribe detailed operational rules, administrative fees, record-keeping requirements and forms that give effect to the Firearms Act 1996 (the Act). Mechanically, the Regulations do the following:

Define classes of devices excluded from the Act’s definition of firearm (reg 6), and prescribe certain accessories as “prescribed items” for the purposes of a number of offences or permit provisions in the Act (reg 7).
Specify the conditions under which sport or target shooting may be conducted on private land (reg 8) and set distance and road‑proximity limits for pest‑suppression activities using category C longarms (reg 9).
Prescribe the particulars that licensed firearms dealers must enter in their register of transactions (reg 10, Schedule 1) and cap the fee a dealer may charge when acting as agent (reg 11).
Prescribe the particulars that firearms collectors must record (reg 12, Schedule 2).
Fix the fees for issue and renewal of licences, permits and approvals, set duplicate‑licence and miscellaneous fees, and provide specific waivers (Part 6, Schedules 3-5). Fees are expressed mostly in fee units; the value of a fee unit is set under the Monetary Units Act 2004 and noted in the endnotes.
Insert a new, detailed regime of record and process requirements connected to firearm prohibition orders (Part 6A; regs 19A-19I, Sch 5A) including a prescribed service search warrant form (Form 1, Sch 5A), and detailed mandatory particulars for records of detention, search and service‑direction determinations (regs 19E-19G).
Prescribe the permitted manner of conducting searches of persons, vehicles and things (regs 20-21) and the particulars that must be recorded about searches (reg 22).

Version No. 003

Firearms Regulations 2018

S.R. No. 114/2018

Version incorporating amendments as at
13 November 2024

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Regulation Page

Part 1—Preliminary 1

1 Objectives 1

2 Authorising provision 2

3 Commencement 2

4 Definitions 2

5 Revocations 2

Part 2—Exempt devices and prescribed items 3

6 Exempt devices 3

7 Prescribed items 4

Part 3—Use of firearms on private property 5

8 Conduct of sport or target shooting activity on private property other than an approved shooting range 5

9 Requirements for activities for the suppression of pest animals if category C longarms are used 6

Part 4—Requirements for dealers 8

10 Particulars to be entered on firearms dealers register 8

11 Maximum fee for licensed firearms dealer acting as agent 8

Part 5—Firearms collectors register 9

12 Particulars to be entered on firearms collectors register 9

Part 6—Fees 10

Division 1—Prescribed fees 10

13 Fees for the issue or renewal of licences 10

14 Waivers of licence fees 11

15 Fees for provisional licences 11

16 Fees for issue of permits 12

17 Fees for issue of approvals 12

18 Miscellaneous fees 12

19 Longarm licence for the reason of primary production 12

Part 6A—Firearm prohibition orders 13

19A Powers and duties regarding detained individual—other information to be given to an individual detained under section 112ZD of the Act 13

19B Magistrate may issue service search warrant—prescribed form 13

19C Matters to be stated in service search warrant—other prescribed information 14

19D Requirements if individual detained under warrant—other information to be given to an individual 14

19E Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—reasons for decision 14

19F Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—record of detention or holding in custody 15

19G Duty to make records concerning service search warrants 18

19H Records to be given to the IBAC 21

19I Certain persons may request records—execution of service search warrants 22

Part 7—Searches of persons or vehicles 25

20 Manner of conducting searches 25

21 Searching students at schools 26

22 Search records 27

Part 8—Infringement offences 28

23 Infringement offences and penalties 28

Part 9—Miscellaneous 29

24 Prescribed States for inter-State permit to acquire 29

25 Prescribed purposes for applying for longarm and general category handgun licences 29

26 Specified classes of general category handguns 30

28 Prescribed bodies representing shooting organisations on the Firearms Appeals Committee 31

28A Information to be included in annual report of the IBAC 31

28B Chief Commissioner report on Part 4A matters 32

29 Prescribed class of social worker 32

30 Exemption for international visitors 32

Schedule 1—Particulars to be entered on firearms dealers register of transactions 34

Schedule 2—Particulars to be entered on firearms collectors register 36

Schedule 3—Fee for issue or renewal of licences 38

Schedule 4—Fee for issue of permits 41

Schedule 5—Fee for issue or renewal of approvals 42

Schedule 5A—Forms relating to firearm prohibition orders 43

Schedule 6—Infringement offences 46

Schedule 7—Prescribed classes of general category handgun 48

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Endnotes 49

1 General information 49

2 Table of Amendments 51

3 Explanatory details 52

Version No. 003

Firearms Regulations 2018

S.R. No. 114/2018

Version incorporating amendments as at
13 November 2024

Part 1—Preliminary

1 Objectives

The objectives of these Regulations are to prescribe—

(a) devices that do not fall within the definition of firearms; and

(b) requirements applying to the suppression of pest animals using category C longarms; and

(d) the particulars to be entered on the register of transactions kept by licensed firearms dealers; and

(e) the maximum fee that may be charged by licensed firearms dealers acting as agents in firearms transactions; and

(f) the particulars to be entered on the register kept by licensed firearms collectors; and

(g) fees for the issue and renewal of licences and for permits and for the issue of duplicate licences under the Act; and

(h) fees for applications to the Committee for the review of decisions made by the Chief Commissioner; and

(i) waivers, reductions and refunds of fees; and

(j) the manner in which searches without warrant under the Act are to be conducted and the particulars to be included in records of those searches; and

(k) offences in respect of which infringement notices may be issued; and

(l) matters necessary or expedient to be prescribed for giving effect to the Act.

2 Authorising provision

These Regulations are made under section 191 of the Firearms Act 1996.

3 Commencement

These Regulations come into operation on 20 August 2018.

Reg. 4 substituted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 5.

4 Definitions

In these Regulations—

FPO reference number, in relation to a firearm prohibition order, means a unique number or code that identifies that particular order;

President has the same meaning as in the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005;

the Act means the Firearms Act 1996.

5 Revocations

The following Regulations are revoked—

(a) Firearms Regulations 2008[1];

(b) Firearms Amendment Regulations 2012[2].

Part 2—Exempt devices and prescribed items

6 Exempt devices

For the purposes of paragraph (j) of the definition of firearm in section 3(1) of the Act, the following classes of device are prescribed—

(a) any device which is designed to throw a net to catch animals (commonly known as a cannon net);

(b) any device that is designed to launch a projectile attached to a line, for the purposes of establishing a line to a branch or other part of a tree (commonly known as a line thrower or line launcher);

(c) a device that is designed to fire retrievable projectiles, such as bait or balls, for the purpose of training gun dogs;

(d) any cannon or field gun, by whatever name known, which has been constructed as a piece of military ordinance and which has a calibre in excess of 25 millimetres and—

(i) which is rendered permanently inoperable; or

(ii) for which fixed ammunition is not commercially available;

(e) any compressed-air or gas-powered device with a calibre no greater than 7 millimetres and a maximum muzzle velocity no greater than 50 metres per second that is designed to be mounted on a radio-controlled model warship and when used in model warship activities.

7 Prescribed items

For the purposes of sections 5, 57, 112A, 119, 134, 149, 151, 153, 153A and 153C of the Act, a prescribed item is a device commonly known as a handgun chassis kit or carbine conversion kit, being an accessory which can be attached to a general category handgun to alter its appearance to resemble a machine gun or longarm, whether or not the functionality of the handgun is also altered.

Part 3—Use of firearms on private property

8 Conduct of sport or target shooting activity on private property other than an approved shooting range

(1) For the purposes of items 1(5A)(b) and (c), 2(2)(c)(ii) and (iii) and 4(2A)(b) and (c) of Schedule 2 to the Act, the following provisions apply to the carrying out or conducting of an activity—

(a) a police officer, at the police station which is reasonably believed to be nearest to the activity, must be notified 48 hours in advance that the activity is to take place if—

(i) more than 5 persons take part in the activity; and

(ii) the activity is carried on continuously for more than 3 hours;

Reg. 8(1)(b) substituted by S.R. No. 58/2022 reg. 5.

(b) a person taking part in the activity must not discharge a firearm in the course of the activity unless—

(i) the firearm is a shotgun discharged at a moving clay target; or

(ii) the firearm is discharged at a target which has in place, within 20 metres behind it, a backstop which is capable of stopping any projectile which passes through or beyond the target;

(i) 250 metres of a dwelling, being a dwelling which is not on the land on which the activity takes place, unless permission has been granted by the occupier of the land on which the dwelling is situated; or

(ii) 100 metres of a road, within the meaning of the Road Safety Act 1986;

(d) a person taking part in the activity, when discharging a firearm in the course of the activity, must be stationary;

(e) the activity must not take place between the hours of sunset and sunrise;

(f) the activity must not be advertised or formally organised or formally scheduled;

(g) a person taking part in the activity must not give or receive direct or indirect financial benefit to or from any other person as payment for taking part in the activity;

(h) a person taking part in the activity must not consume or be under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a drug during the course of the activity.

(2) A notification under subregulation (1)(a) must include—

(a) the name, address and contact telephone number of the person making the notification; and

(b) the land on which the activity is to take place; and

(d) the nature of the activity.

9 Requirements for activities for the suppression of pest animals if category C longarms are used

For the purposes of item 2(1)(b)(i) of Schedule 2 to the Act, an activity is conducted in accordance with the regulations if the licence holder does not discharge a firearm in the course of an activity within—

(a) 250 metres of a dwelling, being a dwelling which is not on the land on which the activity takes place, unless permission has been granted by the occupier of the land on which the dwelling is situated; or

(b) 100 metres of a road, within the meaning of the Road Safety Act 1986.

Part 4—Requirements for dealers

10 Particulars to be entered on firearms dealers register

The prescribed particulars to be entered in the register of transactions kept by a licensed firearms dealer under section 87 of the Act are—

(a) in the case of a firearm coming into the possession of the dealer, the particulars set out in item 1 of Schedule 1; and

(b) in the case of a firearm going out of the possession of the dealer, the particulars set out in item 2 of Schedule 1; and

(c) in the case of a firearm in respect of which the dealer is acting as an agent for the person acquiring the firearm, the particulars set out in item 3 of Schedule 1; and

(d) in the case of a firearm in respect of which the dealer is acting as an agent for the person disposing of the firearm, the particulars set out in item 4 of Schedule 1.

11 Maximum fee for licensed firearms dealer acting as agent

For the purposes of section 97 of the Act, the prescribed amount is 1·74 fee units.

Part 5—Firearms collectors register

12 Particulars to be entered on firearms collectors register

The prescribed particulars to be entered in the register kept by a holder of a firearms collectors licence under section 24 of the Act are—

(a) in the case of a firearm held at the time of obtaining the licence, the particulars set out in item 1 of Schedule 2; and

(b) in the case of a firearm coming into the possession of the collector, the particulars set out in item 2 of Schedule 2; and

(c) in the case of a firearm going out of the possession of the collector, the particulars set out in item 3 of Schedule 2.

Part 6—Fees

Division 1—Prescribed fees

13 Fees for the issue or renewal of licences

(1) Subject to subregulations (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) and regulation 14, the fee payable for the issue or renewal of a licence listed in Column 1 of the Table in Schedule 3 is, in the case of a natural person, the fee set out opposite the licence in Column 2 of the Table multiplied by the number of full years for which the licence is issued.

(2) Subject to subregulations (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) and regulation 14, the fee payable for the issue or renewal of a licence listed in Column 1 of the Table in Schedule 3 is, in the case of a body corporate, the fee set out opposite the licence in Column 3 of the Table multiplied by the number of full years for which the licence is issued.

(3) If a person who holds a longarm licence for category A longarms applies for a longarm licence for category B longarms, the fee payable for the longarm licence for category B longarms is the difference between the fee payable for a longarm licence for category B longarms and the fee payable for a longarm licence for category A longarms at the time of the application.

(4) If a person who holds a longarm licence for category A longarms applies for a longarm licence for category C longarms, the fee payable for the longarm licence for category C longarms is the difference between the fee payable for a longarm licence for category C longarms and the fee payable for a longarm licence for category A longarms at the time of the application.

(5) If a person applies for both a longarm licence for category A longarms and a longarm licence for category C longarms, the fee payable for the 2 longarm licences is the fee payable for a longarm licence for category C longarms.

(6) If a person applies for both a longarm licence for category B longarms and a longarm licence for category C longarms, the fee payable for the 2 longarm licences is the fee payable for a longarm licence for category C longarms.

(7) If a person who holds a firearms dealers licence for a particular class of dealing in firearms (the first dealers licence) applies for a firearms dealers licence for another class of dealing in firearms (the second dealers licence), the fee payable for the second dealers licence is the difference between the fee payable for the first dealers licence and the fee payable for the second dealers licence at the time of the application.

14 Waivers of licence fees

(1) If a person who holds a longarm licence for category C longarms applies for a longarms licence for category A longarms, the fee payable for the longarm licence for category A longarms is waived.

(2) If a person who holds a longarm licence for category C longarms applies for a longarms licence for category B longarms, the fee payable for the longarm licence for category B longarms is waived.

15 Fees for provisional licences

The fee payable for the issue of a provisional licence granted under section 58A of the Act that is specified by the Chief Commissioner to be in force for a period of less than 12 months (but not less than 6 months) is the fee set out opposite the licence in Column 2 of the Table in Schedule 3, divided by 12 and multiplied by the number of months for which the licence is specified to be in force.

16 Fees for issue of permits

The fee payable for the issue of a permit listed in Column 1 of the Table in Schedule 4 is the fee set out opposite the permit in Column 2 of the Table.

17 Fees for issue of approvals

The fee payable for the issue of an approval listed in Column 1 of the Table in Schedule 5 is the fee set out opposite the approval in Column 2 of the Table.

18 Miscellaneous fees

(1) The fee payable for the issue of a duplicate of a licence listed in Column 1 of the Table in Schedule 3 is 1·8 fee units.

(2) For the purposes of section 167 of the Act, the fee prescribed is 3 fee units.

19 Longarm licence for the reason of primary production

If a person applies for a longarm licence for category A, B or C longarms for the sole reason of primary production, the fee payable for issue or renewal of the longarm licence for category A, B or C longarms is waived.

Pt 6A (Heading and regs 19A–19I) inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

Part 6A—Firearm prohibition orders

Reg. 19A inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19A Powers and duties regarding detained individual—other information to be given to an individual detained under section 112ZD of the Act

For the purposes of section 112ZE(3)(a) of the Act, the other prescribed information is the following—

(a) the effect of section 112ZY(b) of the Act;

(b) the date and time and the place at which the police officer—

(i) stopped the individual under section 112ZA(1)(a) of the Act; and

(ii) gave a direction to the individual under section 112ZC(1) of the Act; and

(iii) detained the individual under section 112ZD of the Act;

(c) if the individual is under the age of 18 years, the telephone number for the appropriate legal service specified in section 112ZF(2) of the Act;

(d) the contact details to request a record under section 112ZZD(1) of the Act.

Reg. 19B inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19B Magistrate may issue service search warrant—prescribed form

The prescribed form for a service search warrant issued under section 112ZG of the Act is Form 1 of Schedule 5A.

Reg. 19C inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19C Matters to be stated in service search warrant—other prescribed information

For the purposes of section 112ZI(g) of the Act, the other prescribed information is the information that is required to be included in the service search warrant as set out in the form of the warrant in Form 1 of Schedule 5A.

Reg. 19D inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19D Requirements if individual detained under warrant—other information to be given to an individual

For the purposes of section 112ZS(3)(a) of the Act, the other prescribed information is the following—

(a) the date and time and the place at which the police officer detained the individual under the service search warrant;

(b) if the individual is under the age of 18 years, the telephone number for the appropriate legal service specified in section 112ZT(2) of the Act;

Reg. 19E inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19E Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—reasons for decision

For the purposes of section 112ZZA(1) of the Act, the prescribed particulars are the following—

(a) the FPO reference number;

(b) the date the service direction determination is made;

(d) if, in the affidavit supporting the application, it is claimed that—

(i) the individual is avoiding service, that fact; or

(ii) it was not possible to ascertain the residential address of the individual, that fact;

(e) the information referred to in section 174E(3)(i) of the Act that is known to the Chief Commissioner;

(f) if the individual is under the age of 18 years when the service direction determination is made, a brief description of the exceptional circumstances;

(g) a copy of the affidavit supporting the application;

(h) if the determination is made under delegation, the class of the delegate referred to in section 112F of the Act who made the determination;

(i) any other information that the Chief Commissioner considers appropriate.

Reg. 19F inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19F Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—record of detention or holding in custody

(1) For the purposes of section 112ZZA(3) of the Act, the prescribed particulars are those set out in subregulations (2), (3) and (4).

(2) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to each individual detained under Division 6 of Part 4A of the Act—

(a) the date and time and the place at which the police officer stopped the individual under section 112ZA(1)(a) of the Act;

(b) the name and address that the individual gave in response to the direction given under section 112ZA(1)(b) of the Act;

(d) any reason given by the individual for refusing or failing to comply with the direction given under section 112ZC(1) of the Act;

(e) if the individual was under the age of 18 years, details of the action taken by the police officer to comply with section 112ZF of the Act.

(3) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to each individual held in custody under Division 6 or 7 of Part 4A of the Act—

(a) the date and time and the place at which the individual was taken into custody;

(b) if the police officer used force to apprehend or detain the individual, details of the force used;

(i) the date and time that the individual was transferred from the place at which the individual was detained; and

(ii) the place to which the individual was transferred.

(4) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to each individual detained under Division 6 of Part 4A of the Act and each individual held in custody under Division 6 or 7 of Part 4A of the Act—

(a) the FPO reference number;

(b) the name and date of birth of the individual;

(c) if the individual is known to be a person with a special vulnerability, the general nature of that special vulnerability;

(d) the date and time that the individual was informed that they are free to go;

(e) in the event that the individual was at a police station or other safe place when informed that they are free to go—

(i) if the individual was taken to a place agreed with the police officer, that fact;

(ii) if the police officer made a determination under section 112ZX(3) of the Act, that determination;

(iii) if the individual was taken to a place determined by the police officer, that fact;

(iv) if the individual refused to be taken to a place determined under section 112ZX(3) of the Act—

(A) that fact; and

(B) any reason given by the individual for refusing to be taken to that place;

(f) if the individual was taken into custody in the circumstances referred to in section 112ZZ of the Act—

(i) that fact; and

(ii) the date and time that the individual was taken into custody.

Reg. 19G inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19G Duty to make records concerning service search warrants

(1) For the purposes of section 112ZZB(4) of the Act, the prescribed particulars are those set out in subregulations (2), (3), (4) and (5).

(2) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to each search carried out under a service search warrant—

(a) the FPO reference number;

(b) the court reference number of the service search warrant;

(d) the name and address of any person who assisted with the execution of the warrant;

(e) the reason why the police officer believed, before executing the warrant, that the individual named in the warrant was at the premises to be entered and searched;

(f) the date and time that the warrant was executed;

(g) if the police officer or person assisting did not comply with section 112ZO(1) of the Act, that fact;

(h) the name and address of any person given a copy of the execution copy of the warrant, if the person gave their name and address;

(i) if the individual named in the warrant was found on the premises, that fact;

(j) if the individual named in the warrant was not found on the premises, that fact;

(k) the date and time that the search was completed;

(l) the date and time that the police officer and any person assisting the police officer left the premises.

(3) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to any property that was broken open, unlocked, damaged or destroyed during the execution of a service search warrant—

(a) a description of the property;

(b) a description of any damage done to the property;

(4) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to an individual detained under a service search warrant or held in custody under section 112ZS of the Act—

(a) the date and time that the individual was detained;

(b) if the police officer used force to apprehend or detain the individual, details of the force used;

(d) if the individual was transferred to another place under section 112ZS(1) of the Act—

(i) the date and time that the individual was transferred from the premises; and

(ii) the place to which the individual was transferred;

(e) if the individual was under the age of 18 years, details of the action taken by the police officer to comply with section 112ZT of the Act;

(f) the date and time that the individual was informed that they are free to go;

(g) if the individual was taken to a place agreed with the police officer, that fact;

(h) if the police officer made a determination under section 112ZX(3) of the Act, that determination;

(i) if the individual was taken to a place determined by the police officer, that fact;

(j) if the individual refused to be taken to a place determined under section 112ZX(3) of the Act—

(i) that fact; and

(ii) any reason given by the individual for refusing to be taken to that place;

(k) if the individual was taken into custody in the circumstances referred to in section 112ZZ of the Act—

(i) that fact; and

(ii) the date and time that the individual was taken into custody;

(l) if the individual escaped from custody, that fact.

(5) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out in relation to the exercise of power under Division 5 of Part 4A of the Act at any premises entered under a service search warrant—

(a) if the police officer exercised a power under section 112Q of the Act at the premises—

(i) that fact; and

(ii) the make, model, colour and registration number (if any) of any vehicle, vessel or aircraft searched;

(b) if the police officer exercised a power under section 112R of the Act at the premises, that fact;

(i) that fact; and

(ii) the number of persons searched.

Reg. 19H inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19H Records to be given to the IBAC

For the purposes of section 112ZZC(1) of the Act, the following particulars are the prescribed particulars as to the records kept under Division 9 of Part 4A of the Act—

(a) for a record concerning a service direction determination, the particulars referred to in regulation 19E, other than a copy of the affidavit supporting the application for the determination;

(b) for a record concerning the detention or holding in custody of an individual, the particulars referred to in regulation 19F;

Note

The written report containing the prescribed particulars as to the records kept under Division 9 of Part 4A of the Act may be provided to the IBAC by electronic communication in accordance with the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.

Reg. 19I inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 6.

19I Certain persons may request records—execution of service search warrants

(1) For the purposes of section 112ZZD(2) of the Act, the prescribed particulars are those set out in subregulations (2), (3) and (4).

(2) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out for a request by the individual to whom the firearm prohibition order applied or a person with parental responsibility for the individual to whom the firearm prohibition order applied—

(a) if the individual named in the warrant was found on the premises, that fact;

(b) if the individual named in the warrant was not found on the premises, that fact;

(d) if the individual named in the warrant was detained under the warrant or held in custody under section 112ZS of the Act—

(i) the date and time that the individual was detained; and

(ii) if the police officer used force to apprehend or detain the individual, details of the force used; and

(iii) if the individual was held in custody at the premises, that fact; and

(iv) if the individual was transferred to another place under section 112ZS(1) of the Act—

(A) the date and time that the individual was transferred from the premises; and

(B) the place to which the individual was transferred; and

(v) if the individual was under the age of 18 years, details of the action taken by the police officer to comply with section 112ZT of the Act; and

(vi) the date and time that the individual was informed that they are free to go; and

(vii) if the police officer made a determination under section 112ZX(3) of the Act, that determination; and

(viii) if the individual was taken into custody in the circumstances referred to in section 112ZZ of the Act—

(A) that fact; and

(B) the date and time that the individual was taken into custody; and

(ix) if the individual escaped from custody, that fact;

(e) if the police officer exercised a power under section 112R of the Act at the premises, that fact.

(3) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out for a request by a person with a legal or equitable interest in property that was broken open, unlocked, damaged or destroyed during the execution of the warrant—

(a) a description of the property;

(b) a description of any damage done to the property.

(4) For the purposes of subregulation (1), the following particulars are set out for a request by any person referred to in section 112ZZD(2) of the Act, in addition to any particulars set out in subregulation (2) or (3) for a request by that person—

(a) the court reference number of the service search warrant;

(b) the date and time that the warrant was executed;

(d) the date and time that the search was completed;

(e) if the police officer exercised a power under section 112Q of the Act at the premises, that fact;

(f) if the police officer exercised a power under section 112S of the Act at the premises, that fact;

(g) the date and time that the police officer and any person assisting the police officer left the premises.

Part 7—Searches of persons or vehicles

20 Manner of conducting searches

(1) A police officer who conducts a search of a person under section 149 of the Act, or an authorised officer who conducts a search of a person under section 153A of the Act, must do so in one or more of the following ways—

(a) passing a metal detector or any other system or device designed to assist in the detection of metal objects over or in close proximity to the person's outer clothing;

(b) running the officer's hands over the person's outer clothing;

(i) pass a metal detector or any other system or device designed to assist in the detection of metal objects over or in close proximity to the person's clothing that was immediately under the outer clothing; or

(ii) run the officer's hands over the person's clothing that was immediately under the outer clothing; or

(iii) search the person's outer clothing, gloves, shoes or headgear in accordance with subregulation (3).

(2) If a police officer or authorised officer requests a person to remove outer clothing, gloves, shoes or headgear which the officer believes is being worn for religious or cultural reasons, the officer must, if reasonably practicable, permit the thing to be removed out of public view.

(3) A police officer who conducts a search of a vehicle, package or thing under section 149 of the Act, or an authorised officer who conducts a search of a vehicle, package or thing under section 153A of the Act, must do so in one or more of the following ways—

(a) examining the exterior and interior of the vehicle, package or thing;

(b) passing a metal detector or any other system or device designed to assist in the detection of metal objects over or in close proximity to the vehicle, package or thing.

(4) A police officer or authorised officer must conduct a search of a person—

(a) in a manner that affords reasonable privacy to the person being searched; and

(b) as quickly as is reasonably practicable.

(5) A search under subregulation (1)(b) or (c)(ii) must, if reasonably practicable, be conducted by a police officer or by an authorised officer who is of the same gender as the gender identified by the person to be searched.

21 Searching students at schools

A police officer who conducts a search at a school of a student under the age of 18 years must—

(a) if reasonably practicable, advise the student that the student may nominate an adult who is on the school premises to be present during the conduct of the search; and

(b) if the student nominates an adult, take reasonable steps to ensure the adult is present during the conduct of the search.

22 Search records

(1) For the purposes of sections 149A(1) and 153B(1) of the Act, the following particulars are prescribed—

(a) the date of the search;

(b) the time of the search;

(d) the name, rank and registered number of the police officer or the name, number and agency of the authorised officer, as the case may be, who conducted the search;

(e) the name of the person searched and, if applicable, a description of any vehicle, package or thing searched;

(f) if applicable, the name of the nominated adult present during the search at a school of a student under the age of 18 years;

(g) the grounds relied on for conducting the search;

(h) a description of any firearm or cartridge ammunition or other article whose possession, carriage or use is contrary to law that is found during the search.

(2) If a police officer or an authorised officer who conducts a search is unable to obtain the name of the person searched, the police officer or authorised officer must include in the particulars a description of that person.

Part 8—Infringement offences

23 Infringement offences and penalties

(1) For the purposes of section 168(1) of the Act, the prescribed offences are the offences set out in Column 2 of the Table in Schedule 6.

(2) For the purposes of section 170 of the Act, the penalty prescribed amount is the amount set out opposite the infringement offence in Column 3 of the Table in Schedule 6.

Part 9—Miscellaneous

24 Prescribed States for inter-State permit to acquire

For the purposes of the definition of prescribed State in section 3(1) of the Act, the following States are prescribed—

(a) New South Wales;

(b) South Australia.

25 Prescribed purposes for applying for longarm and general category handgun licences

(1) For the purposes of section 10(1)(e) of the Act, a longarm licence for category A longarms may be issued for the purposes of—

(a) the training and trialling, with a shotgun, of gun dogs; or

(b) historical re-enactments (if the exemption in item 10 of Schedule 3 to the Act does not apply); or

(d) commemorative events; or

(e) starting or finishing sporting events with a shotgun.

(2) For the purposes of section 10(1)(e) of the Act, a longarm licence for category B longarms may be issued for the purposes of—

(a) historical re-enactments (if the exemption in item 10 of Schedule 3 to the Act does not apply); or

(b) public ceremonial events; or

(d) starting or finishing sporting events with a muzzle loading firearm or a black powder ball firing cannon.

(3) For the purposes of section 13(1)(a) of the Act, a longarm licence for category E longarms may be issued for firearms which have been modified to be incapable of firing cartridge ammunition for the purposes of—

(a) historical re-enactments (if the exemption in item 10 of Schedule 3 to the Act does not apply); or

(b) public ceremonial events; or

(4) For the purposes of section 15(1)(c) of the Act, a general category handgun licence may be issued for the purposes of—

(a) historical re-enactments (if the exemption in item 10 of Schedule 3 to the Act does not apply); or

(b) public ceremonial events; or

(d) starting or finishing sporting events; or

(e) the training and trialling of dogs, with a general category handgun, being a general category handgun which is and has always been constructed for the purpose of starting sporting events.

26 Specified classes of general category handguns

For the purposes of paragraph (a) of the definition of specified class of handgun in section 16(9) of the Act, the classes of general category handgun that are prescribed are set out in Schedule 7.

Reg. 27 revoked by S.R. No. 58/2022 reg. 6.

28 Prescribed bodies representing shooting organisations on the Firearms Appeals Committee

The following bodies are prescribed for the purposes of section 155 of the Act—

(a) Shooting Sports Council of Victoria Inc. (ACN 055 020 422);

(b) Victorian Amateur Pistol Association Inc. (ACN 583 611 677);

Reg. 28A inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 7.

28A Information to be included in annual report of the IBAC

For the purposes of section 172(2)(c) of the Act, the prescribed particulars are each of the following matters that were reviewed by the IBAC during the period to which the report relates—

(a) a decision to make a service direction determination;

(b) a direction given to an individual under section 112ZC(1) of the Act;

(d) the transfer of an individual to a police station or other safe place under section 112ZE(1) of the Act;

(e) an application for a service search warrant;

(f) the execution of a service search warrant;

(g) the service of a firearm prohibition order on a person in detention;

(h) the exercise of any other power or the performance of any other duty or function under Part 4A or 10A of the Act by the Chief Commissioner, a police officer or a person assisting a police officer.

Reg. 28B inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 7.

28B Chief Commissioner report on Part 4A matters

For the purposes of section 174E(3)(j) of the Act, the other prescribed information is the following—

(a) the FPO reference number for each firearm prohibition order to which information set out in section 174E(1) of the Act relates;

(b) the number of applications for a firearm prohibition order that were made in the period;

(i) the date the order was served; and

(ii) the expiry date of the order;

(d) any other information that the Chief Commissioner considers appropriate.

Note

The written report on matters in Part 4A of the Act may be provided to the IBAC by electronic communication in accordance with the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.

29 Prescribed class of social worker

For the purposes of section 183(4) of the Act, the prescribed class of person is persons who are members of, or who are eligible for membership of, the Australian Association of Social Workers Ltd. (ACN 008 576 010).

30 Exemption for international visitors

For the purpose of section 186A of the Act, any authority that is of one of the following kinds is a specified kind of permit—

(a) an authority (however described) that authorises the possession, carriage or use of category A or B longarms or handguns for the purposes of sport or target shooting;

(b) an authority (however described) that authorises the possession, carriage or use of category C longarms being shotguns for the purposes of clay target shooting.

Schedule 1—Particulars to be entered on
firearms dealers register of transactions

Regulation 10

1. In addition to the requirements set out in section 87(2)(a) of the Act, a licensed firearms dealer must include in the register of transactions the following particulars in respect of a firearm coming into the dealer's possession:

Inventory/Stock number
Date acquired
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the dealer must record the capacity of the detachable magazine in the firearm at the time it comes into the dealer's possession)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun, or paintball marker)
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act
Purpose for which acquired (disposal, repair, test, proof, alteration or storage)
Name and address of person who has given possession of the firearm
Particulars of work done (when received for repair, test, proof or alteration)

2. In addition to the requirements set out in section 87(2)(b) of the Act, a licensed firearms dealer must include in the register of transactions the following particulars in respect of a firearm going out of the dealer's possession:

Inventory/Stock number
Date of disposal
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the dealer must record the capacity of the detachable magazine in the firearm at the time it goes out of the dealer's possession)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun, or paintball marker)
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act
Name and address of person acquiring the firearm
Particulars of permit to acquire

3. In addition to the requirements set out in section 87(2)(c) of the Act, a licensed firearms dealer must include in the register of transactions the following particulars in respect of a firearm acquired by another person in a transaction if the dealer acts as agent:

Inventory/Stock number
Date acquired
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the dealer must record the capacity of the detachable magazine in the firearm at the time it is acquired by another person in the transaction)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun, or paintball marker)
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act
Name and address of person acquiring the firearm
Particulars of permit to acquire

4. In addition to the requirements set out in section 87(2)(d) of the Act, a licensed firearms dealer must include in the register of transactions the following particulars in respect of a firearm disposed of by another person in a transaction if the dealer acts as agent:

Inventory/Stock number
Date of disposal
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the dealer must record the capacity of the detachable magazine in the firearm at the time it is disposed of by another person in the transaction)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun, or paintball marker)
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act
Name and address of person disposing of the firearm

Schedule 2—Particulars to be entered on firearms collectors register

Regulation 12

1. The holder of a firearms collectors licence must record the following particulars in the register about each firearm held at the time of obtaining the licence:

Make
Type
Calibre
Action
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the licence holder must record the capacity of the magazine in the firearm)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun)
Serial number
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act

2. The holder of a firearms collectors licence must record the following particulars in the register about each firearm coming into the licence holder's possession:

Date acquired
Make
Type
Calibre
Action
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the licence holder must record the capacity of the detachable magazine in the firearm at the time it comes into the licence holder's possession)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun)
Serial number
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act

3. The holder of a firearms collectors licence must record the following particulars in the register about each firearm going out of the licence holder's possession:

Date of disposal
Make
Type
Calibre
Action
Magazine capacity (if the firearm holds a detachable magazine, the licence holder must record the capacity of the magazine in the firearm at the time it goes out of the licence holder's possession)
Licence category (A, B, C, D, E longarm, general category or category E handgun)
Serial number
Reference number, being the number issued by police when a firearm is registered under Part 5 of the Act

Schedule 3—Fee for issue or renewal of licences

Regulations 13 and 15

Column 1 <br>Type of licence	Column 2<br>Fee for natural person	Column 3<br>Fee for body corporate
Longarm licence for category A longarms under section 9(1) of the Act	3·28 fee units	5·94 fee units
Longarm licence for category B longarms under section 9(2) of the Act	3·79 fee units	5·94 fee units
Longarm licence for category C longarms under section 9(3) of the Act	3·79 fee units	5·94 fee units
Longarm licence for category D longarms under section 9(4) of the Act	5·94 fee units	9·53 fee units
Longarm licence for category E longarms under section 9(5) of the Act	5·94 fee units	9·53 fee units
Paintball marker licence under section 9(6) of the Act	3·28 fee units	5·94 fee units
General category handgun licence—sport or target shooting or prescribed purpose under section 15 of the Act	4·61 fee units	11·99 fee units (for a licence to possess, carry or use 20 or fewer general category handguns)<br>23·88 fee units (for a licence to possess, carry or use more than 20 general category handguns)
General category handgun licence—security guard, prison guard, official or commercial purpose under section 15 of the Act	7·17 fee units	11·99 fee units (for a licence to possess, carry or use 20 or fewer general category handguns)<br>23·88 fee units (for a licence to possess, carry or use more than 20 general category handguns)
A general category handgun licence for reasons set out in section 15(1)(d) of the Act	4·61 fee units	11·58 fee units
Category E handgun licence under section 16A of the Act	6·97 fee units	10·55 fee units
Junior licence under section 18 of the Act	1·23 fee units
Category 1 firearms collectors licence under section 21 of the Act	4·81 fee units	9·53 fee units
Category 2 firearms collectors licence under section 21A of the Act	5·74 fee units	7·27 fee units
Antique handgun collectors licence under section 21B of the Act	4·81 fee units	9·53 fee units
Firearms heirlooms licence under section 25 of the Act	2·35 fee units
Firearms ammunition collectors licence under section 28 of the Act	2·35 fee units	4·81 fee units
Provisional licence under section 58A of the Act	7·68 fee units
Firearms dealers licence—dealing in paintball markers under section 60 of the Act	17·94 fee units	23·88 fee units
Firearms dealers licence—dealing in category A, B, C longarms, paintball markers and general category handguns under section 60 of the Act	29·93 fee units	41·81 fee units
Firearms dealers licence—dealing in category A, B, C, D, E longarms, paintball markers and general category and category E handguns under section 60 of the Act	41·81 fee units	47·86 fee units
Firearms dealers licence—<br>(a) only repairing category A, B, C, D, E longarms, paintball markers, general category and category E handguns and related parts;	17·94 fee units	23·88 fee units
(b) only selling ammunition;
(c) the activities referred to in both paragraphs (a) and (b) under section 60(2)(b) of the Act

Schedule 4—Fee for issue of permits

Regulation 16

Column 1<br>Type of permit	Column 2<br>Fee
Permit for individual holder of firearms collectors licence or firearms ammunition collectors licence issued under section 56 of the Act	2·35 fee units
Permit to display for approved firearms collectors club issued under section 56A of the Act	2·35 fee units
Permit for silencer or prescribed items issued under section 57(2) of the Act	5·94 fee units
Permit for holder of handgun security guard licence to possess, carry or use restricted ammunition issued under section 57A of the Act	5·94 fee units
Permit to carry or use firearms held under a collectors licence for individual holder of collectors licence issued under section 58 of the Act	2·98 fee units
Permit to carry or use firearms held under a collectors licence for approved firearms collectors club issued under section 58AAA of the Act	2·35 fee units
Permit for display or theatrical armourers for licensed firearms dealer issued under section 92A of the Act	3·59 fee units
Permit to acquire a category A longarm issued under section 103 of the Act	$9.20
Permit to acquire a category B or C longarm issued under section 103 of the Act	$9.20
Permit to acquire a handgun issued under section 103 of the Act	3·59 fee units
Permit to acquire a paintball marker issued under section 103 of the Act	$9.20

Schedule 5—Fee for issue or renewal of approvals

Regulation 17

Column 1<br>Type of approval	Column 2<br>Fee
Approval for handgun target shooting club under section 123A(1) of the Act	13·02 fee units
Approval for firearms collectors club under section 123H(1) of the Act	13·02 fee units

Sch. 5A inserted by S.R. No. 125/2024 reg. 8.

Schedule 5A—Forms relating to firearm prohibition orders

FORM 1

Regulations 19B and 19C

SERVICE SEARCH WARRANT

Firearms Act 1996—section 112ZG

Court ref:

FPO reference number:

Name of individual:

[name of individual to whom firearm prohibition order applies]

Date of birth:

Premises that may be searched:

[set out full address or description of premises where search will be conducted for the individual]

This warrant is issued to:

[name, rank and no.]

[agency and address].

This warrant authorises a police officer together with any assistants the police officer considers necessary:

🞏 to break and enter the premises named or described in this warrant;

🞏 to search the premises named or described in this warrant for the individual named in this warrant.

This warrant also authorises a police officer only:

🞏 to detain the individual named in this warrant, using the force reasonably necessary to do so (including the force reasonably necessary to apprehend the individual to be detained), for the purposes of serving the firearm prohibition order that applies to the individual.

This warrant may be executed, on or before the date that it ceases to have effect:

🞏 at any time and on any day of the week;

🞏 during the hours of [time] and [time] on any day of the week;

🞏 at any time on [specify the day or days of the week on which the warrant may be executed];

🞏 during the hours of [time] and [time] on [specify the day or days of the week on which the warrant may be executed].

This warrant ceases to have effect at the end of the day on [insert the date of a day that is no later than 28 days after the issue of the warrant].

THIS WARRANT IS PART OF A
CIVIL PROHIBITION ORDER SCHEME

This warrant is a warrant to break and enter the premises named or described in the warrant for the purpose of searching for an individual to whom a firearm prohibition order applies and serving that order on the individual.

If the individual cannot be found on the premises, the police officer executing this warrant together with any assistants must leave the premises immediately after completing the search for the individual.

If the individual is found on the premises, the police officer executing this warrant must serve the firearm prohibition order as soon as practicable after finding the individual named in this warrant.

*Detention under warrant:

[For a warrant that confers authority on a police officer under section 112ZG(1)(c) of the Act, include the following 3 paragraphs—]

*The police officer executing this warrant may detain the individual named in this warrant for the purposes of serving the firearm prohibition order that applies to the individual.

*The police officer executing this warrant is authorised by section 112ZS of the Firearms Act 1996:

(a) to hold the individual in custody at the premises named or described in this warrant; or

(b) to transfer the individual to a police station or other safe place to be held in custody for the purpose of serving the firearm prohibition order, if the order cannot be safely served on the individual at the premises.

*AN INDIVIDUAL DETAINED UNDER THIS WARRANT MAY BE HELD IN CUSTODY UNTIL THE FIRST OF THE FOLLOWING—

(I) THE FIREARM PROHIBITION ORDER IS SERVED ON THE INDIVIDUAL;

(II) THE PERIOD OF 2 HOURS AFTER THE INDIVIDUAL IS DETAINED EXPIRES.

Subject to Division 5 of Part 4A of the Firearms Act 1996, the police officer executing this warrant together with any assistants must leave the premises named or described in this warrant immediately after—

if the individual named in this warrant cannot be found on the premises, the search for the individual is completed; or
if the individual named in this warrant is found on the premises—

[if this warrant does not authorise detention of the individual—]

*the firearm prohibition order is served.

[if this warrant authorises detention of the individual—]

*the firearm prohibition order is served or the individual is detained.

Division 5 of Part 4A of the Firearms Act 1996 authorises a police officer to conduct searches without warrant or consent in specified circumstances.

This warrant is subject to the following conditions:

[insert any conditions here]

Issued at: [time] *am/*pm on [date] at [place]

*Magistrate/*President: [name]

Signature:

*Delete if not applicable.

Schedule 6—Infringement offences

Regulation 23

Column 1<br>Infringement offence code	Column 2 <br>Infringement offence	Column 3 <br>Infringement penalty
1801	An offence against section 40(2) of the Act	2 penalty units
1810	An offence against section 56A(10) of the Act	2 penalty units
1811	An offence against section 56A(11) of the Act	2 penalty units
1812	An offence against section 56A(12) of the Act	2 penalty units
1813	An offence against section 58AAA(7) of the Act	2 penalty units
1814	An offence against section 58AAA(8) of the Act	2 penalty units
1815	An offence against section 58AAA(9) of the Act	2 penalty units
1802	An offence against section 75(3) of the Act	2 penalty units
1817	An offence against section 87(2) of the Act	2 penalty units
1803	An offence against section 87(5) of the Act	2 penalty units
1816	An offence against section 87(6) of the Act	2 penalty units
1804	An offence against section 88 of the Act	1 penalty unit
1805	An offence against section 97 of the Act	1 penalty unit
1818	An offence against section 121(1) of the Act	2 penalty units
1819	An offence against section 121(1A) of the Act	2 penalty units
1806	An offence against section 124(1) of the Act	2 penalty units
1807	An offence against section 124(2) of the Act	1 penalty unit
1808	An offence against section 124(3) of the Act	1 penalty unit
1809	An offence against section 139 of the Act	2 penalty units

Schedule 7—Prescribed classes of general category handgun

Regulation 26

Air handgun
Rimfire handgun
Centrefire handgun with a calibre of ·38 inch or less or a black powder handgun
Centrefire handgun with a calibre of more than ·38 inch but not more than ·45 inch

Sch. 8 revoked by S.R. No. 58/2022 reg. 7.

═════════════

Endnotes

1 General information

See www.legislation.vic.gov.au for Victorian Bills, Acts and current Versions of legislation and up-to-date legislative information.

The Firearms Regulations 2018, S.R. No. 114/2018 were made on 14 August 2018 by the Governor in Council under section 191 of the Firearms Act 1996, No. 66/1996 and came into operation on 20 August 2018: regulation 3.

The Firearms Regulations 2018 will sunset 10 years after the day of making on 14 August 2028 (see section 5 of the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994).

INTERPRETATION OF LEGISLATION ACT 1984 (ILA)

Style changes

Section 54A of the ILA authorises the making of the style changes set out in Schedule 1 to that Act.

References to ILA s. 39B

Sidenotes which cite ILA s. 39B refer to section 39B of the ILA which provides that where an undivided regulation, rule or clause of a Schedule is amended by the insertion of one or more subregulations, subrules or subclauses the original regulation, rule or clause becomes subregulation, subrule or subclause (1) and is amended by the insertion of the expression "(1)" at the beginning of the original regulation, rule or clause.

Interpretation

As from 1 January 2001, amendments to section 36 of the ILA have the following effects:

• Headings

All headings included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any heading inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
This includes headings to Parts, Divisions or Subdivisions in a Schedule; Orders; Parts into which an Order is divided; clauses; regulations; rules; items; tables; columns; examples; diagrams; notes or forms.
See section 36(1A)(2A)(2B).

• Examples, diagrams or notes

All examples, diagrams or notes included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after 1 January 2001 form part of that Statutory Rule. Any examples, diagrams or notes inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, form part of that Statutory Rule. See section 36(3A).

• Punctuation

All punctuation included in a Statutory Rule which is made on or after
1 January 2001 forms part of that Statutory Rule. Any punctuation inserted in a Statutory Rule which was made before 1 January 2001, by a Statutory Rule made on or after 1 January 2001, forms part of that Statutory Rule.
See section 36(3B).

• Provision numbers

All provision numbers included in a Statutory Rule form part of that Statutory Rule, whether inserted in the Statutory Rule before, on or after
1 January 2001. Provision numbers include regulation numbers, rule numbers, subregulation numbers, subrule numbers, paragraphs and subparagraphs. See section 36(3C).

• Location of "legislative items"

A "legislative item" is a penalty, an example or a note. As from 13 October 2004, a legislative item relating to a provision of a Statutory Rule is taken to be at the foot of that provision even if it is preceded or followed by another legislative item that relates to that provision. For example, if a penalty at the foot of a provision is followed by a note, both of these legislative items will be regarded as being at the foot of that provision. See section 36B.

• Other material

Any explanatory memorandum, table of provisions, endnotes, index and other material printed after the Endnotes does not form part of a Statutory Rule. See section 36(3)(3D)(3E).

2 Table of Amendments

This publication incorporates amendments made to the Firearms Regulations 2018 by statutory rules, subordinate instruments and Acts.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Firearms Amendment Regulations 2022, S.R. No. 58/2022

Date of Making:	26.7.22
Date of Commencement:	30.8.22: reg. 3

Firearms Amendment Regulations 2024, S.R. No. 125/2024

Date of Making:	6.11.24
Date of Commencement:	13.11.24: reg. 3

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

3 Explanatory details

Reg. 5(a): S.R. No. 22/2008 as amended by S.R. No. 101/2012. ↑
Reg. 5(b): S.R. No. 101/2012.

——

Fee Units

These Regulations provide for fees by reference to fee units within the meaning of the Monetary Units Act 2004. The amount of the fee is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of that Act, by multiplying the number of fee units applicable by the value of a fee unit.

The value of a fee unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2024 is $16.33. The amount of the calculated fee may be rounded to the nearest 10 cents.

The value of a fee unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the Monetary Units Act 2004. The value of a fee unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year.

Penalty Units

These Regulations provide for penalties by reference to penalty units within the meaning of section 110 of the Sentencing Act 1991. The amount of the penalty is to be calculated, in accordance with section 7 of the Monetary Units Act 2004, by multiplying the number of penalty units applicable by the value of a penalty unit.

The value of a penalty unit for the financial year commencing 1 July 2024 is $197.59. The amount of the calculated penalty may be rounded to the nearest dollar.

The value of a penalty unit for future financial years is to be fixed by the Treasurer under section 5 of the Monetary Units Act 2004. The value of a penalty unit for a financial year must be published in the Government Gazette and a Victorian newspaper before 1 June in the preceding financial year. ↑

1 Firearms Regulations 2018

Version No. 003

Firearms Regulations 2018

S.R. No. 114/2018

Version incorporating amendments as at
13 November 2024

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Regulation Page

Part 1—Preliminary 1

1 Objectives 1

2 Authorising provision 2

3 Commencement 2

4 Definitions 2

5 Revocations 2

Part 2—Exempt devices and prescribed items 3

6 Exempt devices 3

7 Prescribed items 4

Part 3—Use of firearms on private property 5

8 Conduct of sport or target shooting activity on private property other than an approved shooting range 5

9 Requirements for activities for the suppression of pest animals if category C longarms are used 6

Part 4—Requirements for dealers 8

10 Particulars to be entered on firearms dealers register 8

11 Maximum fee for licensed firearms dealer acting as agent 8

Part 5—Firearms collectors register 9

12 Particulars to be entered on firearms collectors register 9

Part 6—Fees 10

Division 1—Prescribed fees 10

13 Fees for the issue or renewal of licences 10

14 Waivers of licence fees 11

15 Fees for provisional licences 11

16 Fees for issue of permits 12

17 Fees for issue of approvals 12

18 Miscellaneous fees 12

19 Longarm licence for the reason of primary production 12

Part 6A—Firearm prohibition orders 13

19A Powers and duties regarding detained individual—other information to be given to an individual detained under section 112ZD of the Act 13

19B Magistrate may issue service search warrant—prescribed form 13

19C Matters to be stated in service search warrant—other prescribed information 14

19D Requirements if individual detained under warrant—other information to be given to an individual 14

19E Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—reasons for decision 14

19F Duty to make records concerning service direction determinations—record of detention or holding in custody 15

19G Duty to make records concerning service search warrants 18

The Regulations translate statutory abstractions into administrative detail. Key concepts and their operational meanings in the instrument are:

Exempt device (reg 6). For paragraph (j) of the Act’s definition of firearm, reg 6 prescribes specific device classes that will not be treated as firearms. Examples include cannon nets, line‑throwers, devices that fire retrievable projectiles for dog training, and certain decommissioned military cannon or models meeting specific calibre/velocity limits. Each class is defined by the device’s design and use; compliance therefore turns on how the device is described and used in practice (reg 6(a)-(e)).
Prescribed items (reg 7). A handgun chassis kit or carbine conversion kit is explicitly prescribed as an accessory that may alter a general category handgun’s appearance to resemble a longarm or machine gun. The prescription spans appearance alteration whether or not functionality is changed, and is relevant to offences and permit provisions cited in the Act (reg 7).
Private land shooting rules (reg 8). The Regulations specify notification thresholds (48 hours to nearest police station, when more than five people and continuous activity over three hours), safe shooting constraints (backstop requirement within 20 metres behind a target, stationary shooter, daylight only), proximity limits to dwellings and roads, and prohibitions on advertising and financial benefit. These are operational constraints distinct from licensed shooting ranges and condition both individual conduct and event organisation (reg 8(1)(a)-(h)).
Dealer and collector registers (reg 10, reg 12; Schedules 1-2). Detailed itemised recording obligations are imposed: inventory/stock numbers, dates acquired/disposed, magazine capacity at time of transaction, licence category, firearms reference number issued upon registration, names and addresses of transferors/assignees, purposes, and particulars of permits. Magazine capacity must be recorded for detachable‑magazine firearms at the time of the transaction (Sch 1, items 3 & 3 of Sch 2). These records operationalise s 87 and s 24 of the Act.
Fees and waivers (Part 6, Schedules 3-5). Fees for almost every licence class, permit and approval are fixed in fee units (Schedules 3-5), with conversion subject to the Monetary Units Act. The Regulations also prescribe waivers in specific circumstances (e.g. longarm licences for primary production, reg 19; waivers when upgrading between categories A, B and C, reg 14). Some permit fees are expressed as fixed dollar amounts in Schedule 4 (e.g. permit to acquire a category A longarm: $9.20).
Firearm prohibition order (FPO) operational regime (Part 6A, regs 19A-19I; Sch 5A). The Regulations define required information to be given to detained individuals, prescribe the form for service search warrants (Form 1), require specific particulars to be recorded about service direction determinations, detentions and searches, and identify which parts of those records must be provided to the Independent Broad‑based Anti‑corruption Commission (IBAC) (reg 19H). The service search warrant form includes an express civil prohibition order scheme and, where detention is authorised, a maximum custody period of up to two hours (Sch 5A Form 1).
Search procedure and records (regs 20-22). The Regulations prescribe physical methods for searching persons and vehicles (metal detectors, hands over outer clothing, strip‑off of outer clothing out of public view if religious/cultural reasons make that appropriate), privacy and speed requirements, same‑gender searching where practicable, and the particulars to be entered in search records (reg 22).
Infringement scheme (reg 23; Sch 6). The Regulations list specific Act provisions that attract an infringement notice and the penalty expressed in penalty units for each offence code. The endnotes give the current trafficable penalty unit value (for 2024-25, $197.59).

The Regulations therefore convert discretion and broad powers contained in the Act into prescriptive, audit‑able administrative duties, plus specific operational safeguards and procedural forms for police powers under Part 4A of the Act. Implementation and compliance hinge on accurate record‑keeping, adherence to prescribed distances/time windows, fee calculations by reference to fee units, and training and systems to support searches and FPO‑related processes.

The Regulations allocate duties, costs and information flows across identifiable groups. Principal affected parties and the direction of obligations are:

Licence holders (longarm, handgun, collectors, junior licences). They face fee obligations (Schedule 3), potential waivers (regs 14, 19), and conduct constraints where the activity occurs on private land (reg 8). Collectors specifically must maintain a collectors register with prescribed particulars (reg 12, Schedule 2). Licence holders who are primary producers may benefit from fee waivers for longarm licences applied solely for primary production (reg 19).
Licensed firearms dealers. Dealers must maintain the dealer register of transactions with specified fields (reg 10, Schedule 1), record magazine capacities at the time firearms are received or disposed, and must not charge more than the prescribed cap when acting as agent (reg 11). Dealers holding different dealer licence classes and applying for additional classes face fee differentials under reg 13(7).
Police and the Chief Commissioner. Police gain operationally prescriptive search powers and mandatory reporting duties. Part 6A imposes duties on the Chief Commissioner to keep and, in some cases, disclose records, and to provide specified information to detained persons (regs 19A-19I). Police executing service search warrants are given a prescribed warrant form and detailed record requirements (Sch 5A; regs 19B-19G).
IBAC and oversight bodies. The Regulations require provision of particular records to the IBAC about specified Part 4A matters (reg 19H) and require the IBAC’s annual report to include certain Part 4A matters (reg 28A). This creates a data feed from police operations under the Act to an oversight agency.
Magistrates and courts. Magistrates issue service search warrants under the Act; the Regulations prescribe the form and the particulars the warrant must include (reg 19B, reg 19C, Sch 5A Form 1). The warrant form embeds operational limits (expiry, execution times, detention authorisation).
Shooting organisations and appeals process participants. Three bodies are prescribed as representative shooting organisations for appointing members to the Firearms Appeals Committee (reg 28). The Regulations thus affect who can participate in appeal‑related nominations.
Schools, students and parents. Reg 21 prescribes how searches of students under 18 must be conducted and the requirement to, where practicable, offer the presence of a nominated adult from school premises.
International visitors. Reg 30 prescribes certain authorities that qualify as a specified kind of permit for visitor exemptions under s 186A of the Act, affecting visitors who possess overseas sporting or shooting authorities.
Owners of property and persons with an interest in property. The FPO service warrant and associated record regimes (Sch 5A; regs 19G, 19I) permit break‑in and search and require that records of property damage be kept and made available to persons with a legal or equitable interest in damaged property (reg 19I(3)).
Commercial event organisers, shooting clubs, clubs’ armourers and collectors clubs. The Regulations fix approval fees for handgun clubs and collectors clubs (Schedule 5), and set permit fees for display, theatrical armourers and club‑related activities (Schedule 4).

Costs fall primarily on licence holders, dealers and collectors in the form of fees, administrative time and procedural compliance. Police bear operational costs in record production and execution of service search warrants with prescribed forms and data capture obligations. IBAC receives prescribed records, generating administrative processing and oversight costs. The Regulations change incentives: for example, specified prohibitions (advertising, financial benefit) on private‑land shooting (reg 8(1)(f)-(g)) discourage formal commercialisation of such activities and shift such shooting into either approved ranges or regulated permit pathways. Who pays, who decides and who records are set out across the Regulations: licence applicants and holders pay fees; the Chief Commissioner and magistrates exercise decision and enforcement functions; police execute search and service powers and must create and share detailed records.

The Regulations impose specific duties and create specified rights under or related to the Act. They specify the mechanics of compliance and the content of administrative records.

Duties to maintain registers

Licensed firearms dealers must keep a register of transactions with prescribed particulars for firearms coming into and going out of the dealer’s possession and for transactions where the dealer acts as agent (reg 10, Schedule 1). Particulars include inventory/stock number; dates; magazine capacity at the time; licence category; police reference number on registration; names and addresses of transferor/acquirer; purpose; and particulars of permits to acquire (Sch 1).
Holders of firearms collectors licences must keep a collectors register with prescribed particulars for firearms held on obtaining the licence, firearms coming into possession, and firearms disposed of (reg 12, Schedule 2). Required fields include make, type, calibre, action, magazine capacity (if detachable), licence category, serial number and police reference number (Sch 2).

Notification and conduct duties for private land shooting

For sport/target shooting on private land (not an approved range) the organiser must notify the nearest police station 48 hours in advance if more than five people will take part and the activity will run continuously for more than three hours (reg 8(1)(a)-(2)). The notification must include named particulars (reg 8(2)). Individuals must comply with prohibitions: discharge only where specified safety measures exist (backstop within 20 metres or clay target shooting), no discharge within 250 metres of a dwelling off the land unless occupier’s permission, no discharge within 100 metres of a road, shooters must be stationary when firing, activities only in daylight, activities not advertised or formally organised, no financial payment for participation, and no intoxication (reg 8(1)(b)-(h)).

Recordkeeping and reporting duties for Part 4A/FPO matters

The Chief Commissioner and police must create records for service direction determinations and the detention/holding in custody of individuals under Division 6 and Division 7 of Part 4A of the Act, with specified particulars (regs 19E-19G). These include FPO reference numbers, dates and times of stops, direction given, reasons claimed in affidavits (e.g. avoiding service), copies of affidavits (reg 19E(g)), and detailed particulars of detention, transfer, force used, vulnerable person indicators, and outcomes (reg 19F, 19G).
Records must be provided to IBAC containing specified particulars (reg 19H). The Regulations also prescribe what information must be given to detained individuals (reg 19A, 19D).

Search conduct duties and rights

Police and authorised officers conducting searches must follow specified methods (metal detector, running hands, requesting removal of outer clothing, examining vehicles) and must afford reasonable privacy and act as quickly as reasonably practicable (reg 20). If outer clothing worn for religious or cultural reasons is to be removed, officers must, if reasonably practicable, permit removal out of public view (reg 20(2)). Searches should, if reasonably practicable, be conducted by an officer of the same gender as the person searched (reg 20(5)). Students under 18 can nominate an adult on school premises to be present during a search and the officer must, if reasonably practicable, ensure that adult is present (reg 21).

Fee, waiver and calculation duties

Applicants must pay the fees specified in Schedules 3-5, calculated by multiplying fee units by the value of a fee unit for the financial year (reg 13; Endnotes: Fee Units). The Regulations also specify waivers: applicants switching from C to A or B licences may be waived for the lower category (reg 14), and a longarm licence applied for solely for primary production attracts a full waiver (reg 19).

Rights to information and records

Individuals detained under the FPO processes must be given specified information (reg 19A, 19D) including the effect of certain Act provisions (e.g. s112ZY(b)), details of where and when directions were given and detention occurred, contact details to request records, and, for under‑18s, legal service contact details (reg 19A(c)).
Persons with legal or equitable interests in damaged property may request prescribed particulars about property damage arising from execution of a service search warrant (reg 19I(3)). Individuals named in a warrant or parents may also request particulars about searches and detention (reg 19I(2)).

Infringement and enforcement duties

The Regulations identify specific Act provisions that are infringement offences and assign penalty unit amounts in Schedule 6; this creates a summary enforcement pathway for certain contraventions (reg 23).

Procedural duties on magistrates and warrant forms

The prescribed service search warrant form (Sch 5A Form 1) sets explicit authorisations (breaking and entering, search for named individual, and, if included, detention and brief custody), execution windows, and a 28‑day maximum life of the warrant. The warrant form also embeds the operational duty that, if the individual cannot be found, police must leave after completing the search (Sch 5A).

Taken together, duties fall on licence holders (recording, notification, fee payment, conduct constraints), dealers (transaction registers, fee caps), police and Chief Commissioner (operational execution of search/warrant/FPO regime, detailed recordkeeping and reporting), IBAC (receipt and reporting of records), and magistrates (issuing prescribed warrants). Rights are primarily procedural (information when detained; access to prescribed particulars about searches and damage), and are embedded in the records and reporting obligations assigned to police and the Chief Commissioner.

The Regulations create an infringement offence regime and prescribe procedural enforcement mechanisms tied to the Act’s powers. Enforcement is distributed across infringement notices, police powers under Part 4A, and record/reporting obligations.

Infringement notice framework

Regulation 23(1) prescribes which offences under the Act are infringement offences by reference to Schedule 6. Schedule 6 lists infringement offence codes, the relevant Act section, and the prescribed penalty in penalty units (Schedule 6, Column 2-3). Examples include offences against s 87(2) (dealer register obligations) attracting 2 penalty units (code 1817), and offences against s 88 (preservation/inspection of register) attracting 1 penalty unit (code 1804). The endnotes set the value of a penalty unit for 2024-25 at $197.59; the calculation and rounding rules in the endnotes apply.
Infringement notices therefore provide an administrative, money‑penalty enforcement path for particular non‑compliances with the Act and Regulations. The exact financial consequence will vary with the changing penalty‑unit value each financial year (Endnotes: Penalty Units).

Police powers and warrants under Part 4A

The Regulations give effect to the Act’s Part 4A enforcement tools. The prescribed service search warrant form (Sch 5A Form 1) expressly authorises breaking and entry to search for the named individual and, when included, detention and transfer to custody for the purposes of serving an FPO. The form sets the warrant’s expiry (no later than 28 days after issue), permitted times and days for execution and the duty to leave the premises immediately on completion where the individual is not found (Sch 5A).
Where detention under a warrant is authorised, the warrant form and reg 19F set the recording duties: date/time/place of stop, detention, details of force used, transfers to other places, time informed they are free to go, whether custody occurred and the precise circumstances and timings. These records are enforceable obligations on police and the Chief Commissioner via the Act’s reporting obligations and the IBAC reporting and review functions (regs 19E-19I; reg 28A).
The Regulations also prescribe how searches of persons or vehicles must be conducted (reg 20), including privacy, gender‑sensitivity and speed obligations. If police fail to comply with statutory steps (e.g. s 112ZO(1) execution requirements,which reg 19G(2)(g) requires to be recorded if not complied with), those failures must be recorded and can be examined by IBAC (reg 19H).

Reporting, oversight and review

The Chief Commissioner must include prescribed information in reports to IBAC about Part 4A matters (reg 28A; reg 28B prescribes additional reporting particulars). Regulation 19H prescribes what records produced under Division 9 of Part 4A the Chief Commissioner must provide to IBAC. This creates a regulated oversight pathway: enforcement action (service direction determinations, detentions, searches) produces records that IBAC reviews and that must be included in IBAC’s annual reports (reg 28A). The Regulations thereby couple enforcement powers with a prescribed documentation trail intended for oversight.

Practical enforcement implications

The existence of a prescribed warrant form and mandatory records raises operational compliance costs for police (data capture at time of stop and search, record retention, and reporting lines to IBAC). For regulated entities (dealers, collectors, licence holders), the infringement schedule attaches immediate administrative penalties to record breaches, permit‑acquisition errors and other enumerated offences (Sch 6). Dealers are exposed to both administrative fines under the infringement regime and to the obligation to supply accurate registers that can be inspected.

Limits and safeguards

The regulations preserve time, privacy and proportionality constraints: searches must be conducted to afford reasonable privacy and as quickly as reasonably practicable (reg 20(4)); removal of outer clothing worn for religious/cultural reasons must, if practicable, occur out of public view (reg 20(2)); warrant form includes limits on custody periods (Sch 5A). The right to receive specified information when detained is prescribed (regs 19A, 19D). These are procedural safeguards built into the enforcement machinery.

In sum, enforcement under the Regulations blends administrative monetary penalties for specified non‑compliances, enhanced recordkeeping and reporting duties for police and the Chief Commissioner tied to FPO processes, and operationally precise warrant and search execution forms and methods. The Regulations create a paper trail that links exercise of coercive powers to oversight mechanisms via IBAC, while also setting concrete administrative penalties for regulated entities.

The Regulations explicitly cross‑reference and interact with multiple statutes and administrative frameworks. Key interactions recorded in the text are:

Firearms Act 1996 (the Act). The Regulations are made under s 191 of the Act (reg 2) and repeatedly prescribe particulars, procedures and fees whose legal operation depends on the Act. For example, reg 6 interprets paragraph (j) of the Act’s definition of firearm; regs 19A-19I operationalise Part 4A of the Act; reg 10 prescribes particulars required by s 87 of the Act; and reg 13 implements fees referenced in the Act. Many of the Regulations give granular effect to otherwise high‑level duties and powers in the Act.
Road Safety Act 1986. Several distance restrictions for discharging firearms on private land and for pest‑suppression activities are defined by reference to the meaning of “road” in the Road Safety Act 1986 (regs 8(1)(c)(ii), 9(b)). This imports the Road Safety Act’s definitional scope into firearms compliance obligations, so that proximity obligations depend on how “road” is defined under the Road Safety Act.
Children, Youth and Families Act 2005. The Regulations borrow the term “President” from that Act for defined usage (reg 4). For searches of minors, reg 21 requires officers to inform students of their ability to nominate an adult and to take reasonable steps to ensure presence, with additional prescribed contacts for legal services for individuals under 18 in reg 19A and reg 19D referencing s 112ZF(2) and s 112ZT(2) of the Act,cross‑referencing both the Act and the social services/child welfare context.
Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000. The Regulations permit electronic provision of prescribed written reports to IBAC and other reporting obligations (regs 19H, 28B note). This interacts with electronic signature and record frameworks and means that record transfer and reporting can be done electronically when compliant with that Act.
Monetary Units Act 2004 and Sentencing Act 1991. Fees and penalties are expressed in fee units and penalty units, respectively. The endnotes expressly instruct calculation of fees and penalties by reference to the current value of a fee unit and a penalty unit, as fixed by the Treasurer under the Monetary Units Act and required to be published (Endnotes: Fee Units; Penalty Units). This ties the monetary impact of the Regulations to broader fiscal instruments and automatic indexing mechanisms.
Independent Broad‑based Anti‑corruption Commission Act / IBAC processes. The Regulations require specific records be provided to IBAC about Part 4A matters (reg 19H) and prescribe particulars to be included in IBAC’s annual report regarding matters it reviewed (reg 28A). This interaction creates an oversight pipeline from policing activity under the Act to IBAC’s statutory review functions.
Other administrative and criminal procedure law. The prescribed service search warrant (Sch 5A Form 1) and the recorded particulars concerning use of force, detention, transfer, and property damage interact with criminal procedure and civil liberties frameworks. When the form authorises breaking and entry and detention for serving a civil firearm prohibition order, it intersects with protections in broader arrest/detention and property damage law; the Regulations require particulars to be recorded for those interactions and for property owners to be provided details if their property was damaged (reg 19I(3)).
Statutory rule making and sunset provisions. The endnotes record that the Regulations will sunset under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1994 ten years after making (Endnotes: General information). That imposes an external statutory expiry on the Regulations, requiring renewal or remaking to continue the instrument beyond 14 August 2028.

Practically, these cross‑references mean that compliance and enforcement require attention to other statutes’ definitions (for distance and road references), to fee unit and penalty unit indexes fixed annually by the Treasurer, and to electronic reporting rules. Administrative actors (police, IBAC, magistrates) must coordinate across legislation to ensure executed warrants, detention, recordkeeping and reporting meet requirements under both the Act and these Regulations. Licence fees and infringement penalties will change in monetary terms as fee‑unit and penalty‑unit values change each financial year.

The Regulations as published incorporate a sequence of amendments; the document itself records the revocation of earlier Regulations and two later amending Statutory Rules. The amendment chronology and key insertions are:

Revocations (reg 5). The Firearms Regulations 2008 and Firearms Amendment Regulations 2012 are revoked by reg 5(a)-(b), meaning the 2018 Regulations replaced the 2008 regime and its 2012 amendments.
Firearms Amendment Regulations 2022 (S.R. No. 58/2022). The endnotes’ Table of Amendments records SR No. 58/2022, made 26 July 2022 and commencing 30 August 2022 (Endnotes Table of Amendments). The text shows that some changes referenced elsewhere were made by SR 58/2022, for example reg 8(1)(b) substitution by SR 58/2022 reg 5 and revocation of reg 27 (Sch 8) by SR 58/2022 reg 6-7. The 2022 instrument modified the private land shooting provision (reg 8) and revoked certain prior schedule provisions.
Firearms Amendment Regulations 2024 (S.R. No. 125/2024). SR No. 125/2024 (made 6 November 2024; commenced 13 November 2024) is the other amending instrument incorporated in this version. Multiple insertions are explicitly attributed to SR 125/2024: the substitution of reg 4 (definitions) is noted; Part 6A (regs 19A-19I) including the FPO service warrant form (Sch 5A) is inserted by SR 125/2024 (reg 6-8 and reg 7). Regulations 28A and 28B were inserted by SR 125/2024 reg 7, adding IBAC reporting and Chief Commissioner reporting requirements for Part 4A matters. The monetary and procedure endnotes were updated to reflect the changes.
Integrated version date. The version documented is “Version incorporating amendments as at 13 November 2024,” indicating SR 125/2024 is included.

Notable substantive additions in the amendments:

The 2024 amendments created a detailed Part 6A (regs 19A-19I) regulating the operation of firearm prohibition order enforcement: required information to be given to detained individuals, the prescribed format and content of service search warrants, detailed record requirements regarding detention and searches, and the mechanism for providing records to IBAC and individuals requesting records (regs 19A-19I; Sch 5A). They also inserted specific reporting obligations (regs 28A and 28B) directed at IBAC and the Chief Commissioner respectively.
The 2022 amendments altered the private land shooting rules (reg 8) and revoked certain schedule provisions (Sch 8), altering the scope of some prior prescriptions.

Operational significance of amendments

The 2024 insertions materially increased procedural and recording obligations for police and the Chief Commissioner in relation to service search warrants and firearm prohibition orders; they also created prescribed information flows to IBAC which will require process and IT changes to capture and transmit the specified particulars.
The 2022 amendments refined shooting‑on‑private‑land rules, including modifying reg 8(1)(b) and removing or revoking earlier schedule content.

Sunset and future review

The endnotes record that the Firearms Regulations 2018 will sunset ten years after making on 14 August 2028. Unless remade, the instrument will expire then, obliging a legislative or regulatory decision before expiry to continue the prescriptions.

This amendment history shows a pattern of incremental additions that expand procedural specificity (notably in Part 6A) and modify operational constraints; these insertions shift administrative workload to police and oversight agencies and alter compliance tasks for licensees and dealers.

The text provided contains no references to judicial or tribunal decisions, appeals or litigation directly interpreting these Regulations. The instrument itself does not list cases, nor does the endnotes section cite any decided matters that have tested the Regulations in court.

What the source does include that bears on potential litigation pathways:

The Regulations prescribe detailed recordkeeping and reporting duties, and a set of infringement offences with monetary penalties (reg 23, Schedule 6). These create administrative enforcement pathways that could, in future, produce litigation over contested infringement notices, but no such decisions are recorded in the instrument.
The Regulation of Part 4A (regs 19A-19I) introduces new procedural requirements for service direction determinations, service search warrants and detention records. These obligations create potential avenues for judicial review or civil claims where execution of a warrant, detention, use of force, or record deficiencies are alleged, but the Regulations do not itself reference any adjudicated disputes.
The prescribed warrant form (Sch 5A Form 1) and its express authorisation for break‑in and detention for serving firearm prohibition orders could be the subject of future litigation on statutory interpretation or procedural fairness, yet nothing in the given text reports any decided litigation.

Practical note for practitioners

Given the absence of litigation history in the source, practitioners should treat the Regulations as freshly operational rules that may be litigated in the future. For now, the Regulations’ provisions will be implemented by police and administrative decision‑makers, and disputes will likely arise in the context of FPO executions, search and seizure conduct, and infringement notices. Where a client needs precedent or judicial interpretation, secondary sources, case law databases and subsequent judicial decisions will need to be consulted; none are included or named in the Regulations document.

The Regulations include several specific prescriptions and drafting choices that can catch practitioners, licence holders and enforcement agencies unaware unless attention is paid to detail.

Magazine capacity recorded at time of transaction

Dealers and collectors must record the magazine capacity in the firearm at the time it comes into or goes out of their possession (Sch 1 items 3 and Sch 2 items 6). This is not a static attribute of the firearm for register purposes; it must reflect the magazine fitted at the exact transaction moment. Failure to record the fitted magazine capacity attracts infringement exposure (cf. s 87 obligations and infringement code 1817 for s 87(2) breaches in Sch 6).

Mixed units and dollar items in fee schedules

Fees are mostly expressed in fee units in Schedules 3-5 and converted by multiplying by the fee unit value fixed annually (Endnotes: Fee Units). However, Schedule 4 contains explicit dollar figures for some permits (e.g. permit to acquire a category A longarm $9.20). Practitioners must not assume all fees are fee‑unit based; verify whether the entry is a fee unit or a dollar amount in the relevant schedule. The endnotes require rounding rules to the nearest 10 cents for fee‑unit conversions; failure to apply these rules can cause miscalculation when advising clients.

Private land shooting constraints are operational not aspirational

Reg 8 imposes multiple interlocking constraints for sport or target shooting on private land: notification thresholds (more than five persons and continuous for more than three hours must notify nearest police station 48 hours prior, reg 8(1)(a)); requirement for a backstop within 20 metres behind the target unless shooting shotguns at moving clay targets (reg 8(1)(b)); prohibition on advertising, formal organisation/scheduling and receipt of financial benefit for participation (reg 8(1)(f)-(g)); shooters must be stationary (reg 8(1)(d)); daylight‑only (reg 8(1)(e)); distance limits to other dwellings and roads (reg 8(1)(c)(i)-(ii)). These are cumulative requirements. Operators who ignore the “not advertised, not organised, no payment” constraints risk criminal or infringement exposure even if they have police notification.

Detention time and service warrant conditions

The prescribed service search warrant form (Sch 5A Form 1) includes, where detention is authorised, a specified custody limit (an individual may be held in custody until the first of the order being served or two hours after detention). The form also requires police to leave the premises immediately after completing the search if the named individual is not found (Sch 5A). Police must record and report whether execution complied with statutory duties (reg 19G(2)(g) requires recording if an officer or person assisting did not comply with s 112ZO(1) of the Act). These procedural details matter for any later oversight review or challenge and for persons seeking records under reg 19I.

Broad record obligations with specific content

Part 6A imposes many specific record fields (regs 19E-19G). The Regulations require copies of affidavits supporting service direction determinations to be included (reg 19E(g)). The Chief Commissioner must retain and share certain records with IBAC (reg 19H). The specific fields include details of force used, movement between places of detention, information given to detained persons and indicators of special vulnerability (reg 19F(4)(b)-(e)). Operationally, police must capture near‑real‑time data to comply. Failure to capture all prescribed fields can itself be a compliance failure.

Waiver mechanics can be non‑obvious

Reg 14 waives fees when a person holding a category C longarm licence applies for an A or B licence. Reg 13 provides fee calculation rules for multiple licence classes and upgrades (for example, paying only the difference if moving from A to B or A to C). Reg 19 waives longarm licence fees where the sole reason is primary production. Practitioners advising licence applicants must apply these provisions in combination to ensure clients are not overcharged. The Regulations set specific sequencing: fee payable for upgrade often equals the difference between category fees at the time of application (reg 13(3)-(4), reg 14). Misapplication leads to overpayment or disputes with licensing agencies.

Infringement matrix is limited

Only the Act offences listed in Schedule 6 are eligible for infringement notices (reg 23). Many serious firearms offences sit outside the infringement regime and instead attract criminal prosecution under the Act. Practitioners must check Schedule 6 rather than assume any statutory breach can be dealt with by infringement.

Searches of students

Reg 21 mandates that, if practicable, the student be advised they may nominate an adult on site to be present and that reasonable steps should be taken to ensure that adult is present. There is no absolute right to legal representation on site; the statutory duty is limited to “if reasonably practicable, advise” and “take reasonable steps”. Practitioners representing students or parents should note the limited nature of the duty and consider custody or detention contexts where additional protections apply.

IBAC reporting can require electronic transmission

Reg 19H permits reporting to IBAC by electronic communication in accordance with the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000. Organisations should ensure systems are in place to transmit prescribed records electronically and securely. The form and content of electronic reports must match the particulars prescribed.

Service of foreign permits for international visitors

Reg 30 prescribes certain foreign authorities as specified kinds of permits for the purposes of s 186A of the Act, but only where the foreign authority is of specified kinds (sport/target authorities, or C longarm shotguns for clay target shooting). Visitors should check whether their overseas authority meets the prescribed kind before relying on exemption.

Sunset date

The Regulations will sunset on 14 August 2028 unless remade (Endnotes). This is a practical “gotcha”: regulatory requirements in force now may expire unless remade, so long‑term compliance planning and advising should anticipate potential replacement or amendment.

Taken together, the “gotchas” are mostly operational: small details in recording requirements (magazine capacity at time of transaction), mixed fee unit/dollar treatments, cumulative private‑land shooting prohibitions, the specificity of FPO warrant and custody mechanics, and the heavy documentation obligations that tie into IBAC oversight. Missing one of these specifics can convert a compliant activity into an infringement exposure.

Compliance requires operational translation of the Regulations into business processes, police forms and record systems. Below are concrete, actionable steps aligned to the Regulations’ prescriptions.

Registers and transaction systems (dealers and collectors)

Dealers must implement an electronic or paper register template that mirrors Schedule 1. Mandatory fields to capture at acquisition include: inventory/stock number; date acquired; magazine capacity as the magazine was fitted at receipt; licence category; police reference number; purpose for which acquired; name/address of person who gave possession; and particulars of work done (Sch 1(1)). At disposal the register must record analogous fields including particulars of permit to acquire (Sch 1(2)). When acting as agent, include purchaser/disposer name and permit particulars (Sch 1(3)-(4)). For collectors, adopt the Schedule 2 template and ensure serial numbers, reference numbers and magazine capacities are recorded at the moment of acquisition/disposal (reg 12, Sch 2).
Implement a change‑control procedure for magazine capacity fields: because capacity must be recorded “at the time” of transaction, incorporate a checklist step at receipt/dispense for staff to confirm magazine(s) fitted and capture photographic evidence if possible.

Fee calculation and payment

Create fee calculation templates that use fee units multiplied by the Treasurer’s published fee‑unit value for the relevant financial year (Endnotes: Fee Units). Ensure rounding to the nearest 10 cents is applied as required. For fees expressly set in dollars in Schedule 4 (e.g. some permits), treat those as fixed amounts. For upgrades between categories, follow reg 13(3)-(7) to calculate the difference payable. Implement waiver checks: primary production longarm licences (reg 19) and certain category transitions (reg 14) may be waived,build eligibility questionnaires into the application process.

Private land shooting events

If planning sport or target shooting on private land (not an approved range), build a compliance checklist reflecting reg 8. If the event has more than five participants and runs continuously more than three hours, notify the police station reasonably believed to be nearest at least 48 hours in advance and include the notification fields in reg 8(2). Ensure a documented safety plan requiring: backstop within 20 metres behind targets unless clay target shotgun shooting, shooters to be stationary when firing, daylight‑only scheduling, no advertising or formal scheduling materials, no payment to participants, and a prohibition on intoxication. Maintain written consent from occupiers of nearby dwellings where shooting will occur within 250 metres (reg 8(1)(c)(i)).

Searches and student interactions

Train officers and authorised officers on reg 20 methods: use metal detectors or similar, conduct pat‑downs over outer clothing where appropriate, offer removal of outer clothing out of public view if the item is worn for religious/cultural reasons, and seek a same‑gender officer if reasonably practicable. For searches at schools, implement protocols to offer and, if requested, secure the presence of the nominated on‑site adult and record that adult’s attendance (reg 21). Create search record forms consistent with reg 22 to capture date/time/place, officer identity, person searched, grounds, nominated adult details where applicable, and description of any prohibited items found.

FPOs, warrants and Part 4A processes

For police and the Chief Commissioner, adopt the prescribed service search warrant Form 1 (Sch 5A) where a magistrate issues a warrant under s 112ZG. Ensure the warrant’s fields are filled (court ref, FPO reference number, name/DOB, premises description, issuing officer details, execution windows, specified conditions). Implement custody time tracking aligned to Sch 5A: if detention is authorised the custody limit is the earlier of service or two hours; record exact timings for compliance and reporting.
Develop data collection templates for regs 19E-19G (service direction determinations, records of detention/holding in custody, and service search warrants). These must capture FPO reference numbers, dates/times/places of stops, copies of affidavits supporting applications (reg 19E(g)), records of force used, details of transfers, indications of special vulnerability, determinations by delegates, and copies of documents associated with service and search.

IBAC and reporting

Create an automated pipeline to transmit the prescribed particulars to IBAC (reg 19H, reg 28A) electronically in compliance with the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000. Ensure the Chief Commissioner’s reports include prescribed particulars in reg 28B. Establish a records retention policy aligned with the Act and Regulations so that records are available for IBAC review and for responses to requests under reg 19I.

Operational policies and training

Produce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for dealers, collectors and police that map each statutory obligation to a concrete administrative action, responsible officer, retention period, and escalation path. For dealers and collectors this should include audit trails, daily reconciliation of register entries, and evidence‑retention protocols such as scanned copies of permits and photos of firearms and magazines at the time of transaction.
Train frontline staff in the record fields that are legally required (e.g. magazine capacity at transaction moment), and in the notification and advertising prohibitions for private‑land shooting. For police, train on service warrant execution, custody timing, use of force documentation, and documenting transfer of custodial responsibility.

Audit, compliance review and legal checks

Schedule periodic compliance audits that sample dealer and collector registers against physical inventory and permit records to ensure magazine capacities and reference numbers are accurately captured. For police and the Chief Commissioner, test the record generation for Part 4A matters and simulate IBAC report extraction to ensure data completeness.

Legal and administrative checks

Before advising or acting on upgrades or fee waivers, confirm eligibility under regs 13-14 and reg 19 and compute the precise fee by reference to the current fee‑unit value published by the Treasurer. If advising international visitors, confirm the overseas authority satisfies the kinds prescribed in reg 30 before relying on s 186A exemptions.

Practical IT steps

For recording and reporting, implement electronic forms that replicate Schedules 1-2 and regs 19E-19G/22/19I. Ensure time stamps and user identity fields are locked to preserve chain of custody and auditability. Ensure systems can produce exports compatible with electronic transmission to IBAC under the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.

By mapping each regulatory field to a specific administrative step, assigning responsibility and implementing record‑keeping templates and training, regulated parties can align operational practice to the Regulations’ prescriptive content and reduce exposure to infringement notices and oversight findings.

Firearms Regulations 2018

Plain English Summary

Deep Dive

What it does

Current sections

Firearms Regulations 2018

Source text: opening excerpt

1 Firearms Regulations 2018

Main concepts

Who it affects

Key duties and rights

Penalties and enforcement

How it interacts with other laws

Amendment history

Litigation history

Gotchas

How to comply