Licence management

What to do if your licence has expired

If you have not applied to renew your licence at least one day before the expiry date, your licence will become invalid and you will no longer be licensed to possess any weapons.

You cannot renew an expired licence. You must take immediate action to lawfully dispose of any weapons registered to your expired licence, and provide Weapons Licensing with evidence of the disposal method of the weapon immediately. Your local police station will be notified if you remain in possession of weapons without holding a current licence.

If you intend to apply for a new licence, the weapons must be placed in temporary safekeeping with:

• a licensed dealer or a licensed armourer
• a person who holds a current Queensland licence with the same category of weapon (for a maximum of six months)
• a police station.

If you do not intend to apply for a new licence the weapons can be disposed of by: 

• sale or consignment sale to a licensed dealer
• handing in at a police station
• disposal of the weapon to another person by the permit to acquire (PTA) process.
  • Note: The weapon cannot be in safekeeping with the individual applying for the PTA.

Applying for a new licence after failing to renew a licence

If your licence has expired you will need to apply for a new weapons licence. If you lodge your application for a new licence within 12 months of your previous licence expiring, you will not be required to provide the statement of attainment for a firearms safety course. This applies if:

• your previous licence type was a either a collector’s licence (heirloom) or (weapons), concealable firearms licence or firearms licence; and you are applying for the same category of weapons or licence type for which you were previously licensed
• you are the holder of a minors licence and are now applying for a Firearms licence.

For further information relating to applying for a new weapons licence.

Renewing your weapons licence

You can renew your weapons licence online. You must submit your renewal application at least one day before your existing licence expires. If you prefer, you can lodge your renewal application at a Queensland police station at least one day before the expiry date of your licence. Applications to renew licences can typically be lodged up to three months before the expiry date of the licence.

Find out more about renewing your weapons licence, including what to do if your circumstances have changed.

Changing your licence conditions or categories

If you hold a Queensland weapon’s licence, you must let us know of any change in your circumstances within 14 days of the change. This includes any changes to your to your reason for possessing a weapon, including if your permission to shoot on a landowners rural land is revoked. You licence must reflect your reason for possessing and using firearms.

To apply for a change in your reason for possessing and using firearms you must submit a “Form 4B - Change of Weapons Category and / or Change of Condition(s) of Licence” and provide a new genuine reason and supporting documents to satisfy the requirements of that genuine reason.

Further information on the supporting documents required can be located by navigating to the type of licence and genuine reason from our page about applying for a licence in Queensland.

The form and supporting documents can be submitted at an Queensland Police Station and accompanied by the prescribed fee.

Changing your personal details

If you hold a Queensland weapon’s licence, you must let us know of any change in your personal details within 14 days of the change. This includes any changes to your addresses (residential, postal and storage), contact details (email address, mobile and land line numbers) and change of name.

Use the hard copy version to update your details.

Change online

Changing your business details–dealers, armourers, theatrical ordnance supplies, shooting clubs, ranges and galleries

You must let Weapons Licensing know of any changes to your business details, including changes to business particulars, representatives and changes to your business address or safe storage location.

Please note, a business cannot operate from an applied for new premises until the premises is approved and has been endorsed in the licence conditions.

Change online

Surrender your licence

If your licence has expired and/or you no longer wish to hold a weapons licence, you can surrender it by:

1. completing form QP463 – notice of surrender of licence
2. gathering documentary evidence of the lawful disposal of any weapons registered to your licence
3. lodging the form and documentation, along with your licence card, at a police station or sending it to Weapons Licensing.

What to do if your licence is lost or stolen

You must report the loss, destruction or theft of a weapons licence to the police immediately after you become aware of it. If you don’t, you may be prosecuted. Reporting of such an incident can be made by phoning Policelink and record the QPRIME occurrence number provided.

How to apply for a replacement licence

If your licence card has been lost, stolen, destroyed or is illegible you can apply for a replacement by completing  form 3 – application for a replacement licence-permit to acquire, lodging it at your local police station and paying the applicable fee.

Maintaining a concealable (Cat H) sport or target shooting licence

Category H weapons include air pistols, centre-fire pistols and rimfire pistols. To keep your concealable licence for the sport of target shooting you must continue to meet the relevant conditions, which vary depending on the type of category H weapon your licence covers. The conditions usually include participating in a number of handgun shooting competitions and keeping records of your participation.

Learn more