Who can apply for a weapons licence?

If you live in Queensland and wish to own or use a firearm, crossbow, powerhead or paintball marker, you must hold a valid weapons licence. To apply for a Queensland weapons licence, you must:

• be at least 11 years old (if you are aged between 11 to 17 you can apply for a minor’s licence)
• have a genuine reason for needing a weapons licence
• reside only in Queensland
• be a fit and proper person
• have completed an approved safety course in weapons safety
• have a safe and secure place to store a weapon.

What is a genuine reason for needing a weapons licence?

There are several genuine reasons for wanting to own or operate a firearm. When you apply for your weapons licence you will need to provide proof of your genuine reason.

More on applying for a licence in Queensland and genuine reasons.

What is a fit and proper person? 

You will not be considered a fit and proper person under the Weapons Act 1990 if you been convicted, discharged from custody on sentence, in the last 5 years of any of the following:

• offences relating to the misuse of drugs
• offences involving the use or threatened use of violence
• offences involving the use, carriage, discharge or possession of a weapon.

Or if you have been named as a respondent in a domestic violence order (other than a temporary protection order).

When deciding to grant a weapons licence, we also consider the following for whether you are a fit and proper person in Queensland:

• your mental and physical fitness 
• whether you have provided anything false or misleading on/with your application
• criminal intelligence or other information about you
• the public interest.

When you apply for a weapons licence you must let us know if you have ever suffered any medical conditions, such as serious eye or vision impairment, conditions causing seizures, brain injuries or neurological conditions, alcohol or drug related problems/dependency, physical impairment and psychiatric, psychological or emotional problems or other serious health diagnosis. You also need to let us know if you have a medical condition that affects your driver licence. You may be required to provide further details and a medical report from your doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist.

For further information regarding personal eligibility requirements, view our instructional videos regarding criminal and medical history:

• Applying for a weapons licence – Criminal History

Why do I have to complete a firearms safety course?

A weapons licence may only be issued to a person who has adequate knowledge of safety practices for the use, storage and maintenance of a weapon or category of weapon. 

How do I complete an approved firearms safety course?

Certain Registered Training Organisations (RTO) are accredited in delivering 11029NAT - Course in Firearms and Weapons Safety (Approved for Firearms Licensing in Queensland).

The course has a number of units which relate to the category of firearms under the Weapons Act 1990. You must complete the unit within the firearms safety course for the category of weapon you want to use. Once you have completed units of competency under the accredited course in firearms safety, the RTO will provide you with a Statement of Attainment to prove your completion of the course. 

Find a list of RTOs who deliver the course in firearms safety. Search the word “firearms” or the course code 11029NAT.

Do you have to complete a firearms safety course?

There are some cases where you may not have to show a safety course certificate (statement of attainment for partial completion) from a firearms safety course when completing a weapons licence application.

Replacing an expired licence

You will not need to complete a firearms safety course if you are the holder of a current licence from interstate or overseas authorising you for the category of weapon on this application.

If you are the holder of a Collector's Licence (Weapons), Concealable Firearms Licence, Firearms Licence or Minor's Licence the is current or within 12 months of expiry with the same categories.

If your Queensland licence has expired, you will be asked to provide evidence of your recently expired licence on your new licence application. 

Current interstate licence

If you hold a current interstate firearms licence and you are moving to reside permanently Queensland, you may not need to complete an approved safety course.

More on moving to Queensland.

What if I have previous weapons experience?

Prior experience with the safe use of firearms will not be accepted; however, you can have your skills assessed by an RTO under the Recognition of Prior Learning guidelines.

Find an RTO and search for course code 11029NAT.

Security guards safety course

​​All applicants for a 'security licence (guard)' must provide a statement of attainment, issued in the last 12 months, from an RTO showing you have completed the CPP31318 Certificate III in Security Operations.

Approved course for security guard licensing

The Certificate III in Security Operations consists of units of competence related to the issue of a security officer licence under the Security Providers Act 1993. A Statement of Attainment must be issued in last 12 months from an RTO to show that you have completed the following units of competency:

• CPPSEC3101 Manage conflict and security risks using negotiation
• CPPSEC3103 Determine and implement response to security risk situation
• CPPSEC3102 Maintain operational safety and security of the work environment
• CPPSEC3114 Control security risk situations using firearms

The final course unit, CPPSEC3114 Control security risk situations using firearms, has the following compulsory prerequisites (this prerequisites you complete must be for the specific categories of firearms you are applying for the licence, for example categories C, E or H (revolver and/or semi-automatic):

• CPPSEC3115 Carry, operate and maintain revolvers for security purposes
• CPPSEC3116 Carry, operate and maintain semi-automatic pistols for security purposes
• CPPSEC3117 Carry, operate and maintain shotguns for security purposes

OR

• The relevant units of competency from the course in firearms safety 11029NAT.

Find a list of RTOs that deliver the required units of competency for security guard training (CPP31318 Certificate III in Security Operations) and search CPP31818.

What is a safe and secure place to store a weapon?

Section 60 of the Weapons Act 1990 states a person must have secure storage of weapons. A licensee who has control of a weapon at a place must keep the weapon in secure storage facilities at the place when a person is not in physical possession of the weapon. The required type of storage varies, based on the type and number of weapons. 

More of safe storage of weapons and ammunition.