Process for acquiring a weapon

Applying for a permit to acquire (PTA) is the first step in acquiring a weapon. If you are acquiring the weapon from a licensed individual (who is not a weapons dealer), you must ensure the sale is brokered.

A PTA authorises a weapons licence holder to buy or acquire a weapon. This assists QPS in tracking weapons movement and identifying the weapons registered to a licensee and where they are stored.

1. Application

A Permit to Acquire application must be made for each weapon you intend to acquire. Fees are payable for each application.

You can now submit and pay for a PTA application online.

Alternatively, an application for a permit to acquire (form 28) can be downloaded and then lodged and paid for at your local Queensland police station.  At the station you will need to provide details of your current weapons licence and show photographic identification.

2. Waiting period

The mandatory waiting period for a PTA (whilst you do not have any weapons currently registered to a licence) is 28 days from the date the application is lodged.

Applicants who do not provide sufficient information or supporting documentation will experience delays in processing or possible rejection of the application.

3. How will you be advised

If the application is successful, a PTA (Form 27) will be issued by Weapons Licensing and forwarded to you by mail. You can request to have your PTA emailed to a licensed weapons dealer. You will need to advise this in writing to Weapons Licensing.

If the application is not successful, you will be notified in writing.

4. Permit to acquire/notice of disposal – form 27

Form 27 is an approved and issued PTA, which is in two parts.  The top half of this form is your issued PTA, this is to be kept by you in your weapons safe as proof of ownership. The bottom half is the notice of disposal, this section is used by the licensed QLD dealer to advise Weapons Licensing that you have acquired the weapon legally.

The expiry date will be nominated on the PTA. If you do not acquire the weapon before the PTA expires you will need to apply for a new PTA.

Once you have received your PTA (form 27) you may purchase or acquire the weapon.

5. Acquiring from a licensed weapons dealer

If you are acquiring the weapon from a licensed weapons Dealer they will sign the front of the notice of disposal. The dealer will then forward the completed form to Weapons Licensing. On receipt, Weapons Licensing will transfer the registration of the nominated weapon to your licence.

6. Acquiring from a licensed individual

If you are acquiring a weapon from a licensed individual, you are required to have the transaction brokered by a licensed weapons dealer. The transaction can be brokered by a Queensland police officer if the nearest licensed dealer is more than 100km from your usual place of residence.

The weapons dealer or police officer will check the bottom section of the PTA and complete the licensed dealer/police certificate on the reverse side of the PTA. The dealer or police officer will then forward the completed form to Weapons Licensing. On receipt, Weapons Licensing will transfer the registration of the weapon to your licence.

The disposer of the weapon is required to sign the notice of disposal. If for some reason the disposer is unable to sign the document, a statutory declaration outlining the reason must be attached to the form 27.

Both the acquirer and disposer should sign the back of the PTA.

If you fail to present the weapon with the PTA to a licensed weapons dealer (or a police officer) the transaction is not complete.  The firearm will not be registered to your licence. The PTA will expire and you will be unlawfully in possession of a firearm and at risk of prosecution.

7. Registration of the firearm to your licence

Once Weapons Licensing receives the completed notice of disposal, the weapon will be transferred from the disposer’s licence and registered to your licence.  It will then be reflected on your weapons list. You may request an updated weapons list from Weapons Licensing at any time.

8. Modifying a PTA

You may request a modification to your PTA application (i.e. you have changed your mind about the weapon to be acquired) at any point up until your PTA has been issued.

Once the PTA has been issued; if you require a modification, you must return the original paper PTA to Weapons Licensing. Return the PTA via post to GPO BOX 892 BRISBANE QLD 4001 with a covering letter advising of the requested changes.

PTAs that have been emailed to a dealer must be returned to Weapons Licensing by the dealer.

9. PTA expires before acquiring a weapon

A PTA cannot be used to acquire a weapon once it has expired. Therefore, if a PTA expires before you have acquired a weapon the PTA will be unusable and should be returned to Weapons Licensing.  A PTA cannot be renewed and you will need to make a new application.

10. Lost/stolen/destroyed PTAs

If a PTA is lost, stolen or destroyed you must immediately report the matter to a police station and complete Form 3 - application for replacement licence - permit to acquire. On receipt of the Form 3, Weapons Licensing will issue a replacement.​

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