Concealable firearms class and participation requirements

IMPORTANT:  Participation conditions have been revised for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 financial years due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Please refer to the NEWS section for further information.

Category H weapons are divided into four classes:

1. Class A - an air pistol;
2. Class B - a centre-fire pistol with a calibre of not more than .38 inch or a black-powder pistol;
3. Class C - a centre-fire pistol with a calibre of more than .38 inch but not more than .45 inch; and
4. Class D - a rimfire pistol.

Participation conditions vary depending on the number of Category H weapon classes that are registered to a licence.

Participation conditions (one class) 
Licensees who are the registered owner of 1 class of category H weapon must participate in a minimum of 6 handgun shooting competitions, for that class, conducted on different days in each financial year.

Participation conditions (multiple weapon classes)
If the licensee is the registered owner of 2 or more classes of category H weapons, the licensee must use a weapon in a minimum of 4 club-organised shoots for each class in each financial year. 

Six of the club-organised shoots must be handgun shooting competitions and, if one (1) of the classes is the high calibre weapons class, at least 4 of the club organised shoots for a weapon from the high calibre weapons class must be accredited events.

A club-organised shoot is a practice shoot organised by an approved pistol club or a handgun shooting competition.

To calculate the participation requirements for your licence, please use the Participation shoots calculator (clubs, ranges and galleries).

Example:

If a person owns 3 handguns that include 2 classes of handgun, the licensee will be required to participate in 8 club-organised shoots conducted on 8 different days. At least 6 of these shoots must be handgun shooting competitions. 

Accredited events are:

• A metallic silhouette competition
• A single action competition

Participation requirements (no weapons classes)
Licensees that have no Category H weapons registered to their licence are not subject to participation conditions but are required to maintain financial membership of an approved Queensland pistol club in order to support the genuine reason for their concealable firearms licence.

Some clubs may require financial members to participate in club events regardless of whether they are the registered owner of weapons or not. You should check with your club for their local requirements.

Participation rate for less than 12 months
A licensee who is the registered owner of a category H weapon in a particular class for less than 12 months will be required to do a proportionate number of participation shoots based on the number of whole months that the weapon is owned for the financial year.

The participation rate is proportionally calculated based on one whole calendar month for that financial year, after rounding down to the nearest whole number of competitions. 

Example:

If the licensee has 1 class of category H weapon for 5 months during a particular financial year, the licensee must participate in 2 club-organised shoots to satisfy the participation condition for that weapon in that financial year.

Authorised officer discretion limitations 
Where the holder of a concealable firearms licence provides the authorised officer with substantial reasons including proof (e.g. medical certificate) for failure to comply with participation rates, the authorised officer may decide the number of times the holder must use the weapon for competition to satisfy the participation condition.  This adjustment may be made both retrospectively and prospectively. 

For example:

A licensee will be overseas for an extended period and unable to comply, or retrospectively where an extended illness has prevented use of a handgun. 

The participation rate can be proportionally changed based upon on whole calendar months for that financial year if the authorised officer is satisfied that the licensee is, or was, unable to comply with a participation rate for reasons outside the licensee's control.

Participation record 
Concealable firearm licensees who possess Category H weapons for sports or target shooting are required to keep and maintain a record of their participation in handgun shooting competitions (participation record).  You may use the QP 516 Pistol Club Shooters Participation Card, which is an example of how you may record your shoots.

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