Find out about the Museum worker licence, including who can apply, the requirements, and your responsibilities as a licence holder.
A museum employee or volunteer aged 16 or over whose duties require them to possess firearms or other arms items at a museum, may apply for a Museum Worker Licence, which allows holders to handle those items in the course of their work.
The Museum worker licence is for individuals who work in a museum and:
A person who is applying for a Museum worker licence:
To be considered for a Museum worker licence under the Act 2026, an applicant needs to demonstrate that they know how to safely handle firearms. They also need to demonstrate that they have, or will be, required to possess, display and store arms items in the performance of their duties as a person who works in a museum (that has a person who holds a Museum licence).
If this is the first time you have applied for a Museum Worker licence, or your licence expired more than 1 year ago, you will be contacted by our staff with how to book a firearms safety course. You must attend and pass this course before your application can progress.
If you’re renewing a valid licence or a licence that expired less than a year ago, you do not need to attend a safety course. Instead, you will be tested during your interview on your knowledge of current firearms safety requirements in the Firearms Safety Code
Museum worker licence applicants must provide three referees:
1. the licensed curator or senior manager of the museum where they will work
2. next of kin
3. an unrelated referee who can speak to the applicant’s fit and proper.
The licensed curator or senior manager must provide a written reference confirming employment and suitability to work with arms items. They may be interviewed if necessary.
The next of kin and unrelated referee may be interviewed to assist in determining that the applicant is fit and proper to have access to and handle firearms. The interview process for Museum worker licence applicants differs to a firearms licence applicant.
Applicants for a Museum worker licence must meet the same fit and proper person requirements as firearms licence applicants.
For information on fit and proper, see the requirements
Application for Museum worker licence | Arms Act 2026, Part 3, Section 112 | New Zealand Legislation website
Your Museum worker licence is valid for five years if it is:
Any Museum licence is valid for 10 years if none of the circumstances listed above apply.
Application fees:
- New or renewed Museum Worker licence – $126.50
Museum workers do not need an endorsement on their firearms licence or Museum worker licence to possess the following arms items while carrying out their duties:
The museum worker does not require a permit to possess any of the following arms items:
A Museum worker licence is personal to the person to whom it issued and may not be transferred to any other person.
Like with firearms licences, the holder of a current Museum worker licence may, before the expiry, apply for a new Museum worker licence.
If an application for a new licence is submitted before the current licence expires, the existing licence remains in force until a decision has been made on the new application.
If a Museum worker licence holder stops working at the museum specified on their licence, they must notify Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand and surrender their Museum worker licence to an arms officer or a police employee.
Upon suspension, the licence holder is treated as though they are not licensed to possess arms items.
When licence may be suspended | Arms Act 2026, Part 3, Section 146 | New Zealand Legislation website
A Museum worker licence is immediately revoked if:
1. the licence holder becomes disqualified under section 70 from holding a firearms licence holder, or
2. if the licence holder ceases to work at the museum specified in their licence
3. if the museum specified in their licence is no longer a licensed museum
A Museum worker licence may be revoked by the Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand the licence holder is not a fit and proper person to hold a firearms licence.
Persons disqualified from holding firearms licence | Arms Act 2026, Part 3, Section 70 | New Zealand Legislation website
Revocation of museum worker licence | Arms Act 2026, Part 3, Section 156 | New Zealand Legislation website
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