Changes for Endorsements and permits

Under the new Arms Act, employees of a firearms business do not need endorsements or permits to possess to handle restricted firearms and other arms items in the course of their duties. 

Employees of a firearms business still require a firearms licence to work at a licensed business. 

Existing dealer employee endorsement holders do not need to do anything. Endorsements will be removed from licence cards at the next firearms licence renewal or if a new licence card is requested.

Business employee endorsements

Applications for endorsements: general | Arms Act 2026, section 186 | New Zealand Legislation website

When an endorsement on a licence is revoked, the licence holder:

-ceases to be entitled to possess a pistol, large-capacity pistol magazine, pistol carbine conversion kit, or restricted weapon, and
-must surrender their licence to the chief executive on demand for the cancellation of the endorsement; and
-must deliver the pistol, large-capacity pistol magazine, pistol carbine conversion kit, or restricted weapon to an arms officer or a Police employee on demand.

How endorsements works

Revocation of endorsement in respect of pistol or restricted weapon | Arms Act 2026, section 195 | New Zealand Legislation website

Under the new Arms Act, a person may possess a large-capacity pistol magazine only if the person holds a firearms licence or visitor licence that bears an endorsement permitting them to possess a pistol.

Pistol endorsement holders will continue to be able to possess large-capacity pistol magazines without needing a separate endorsement for the magazine itself.

How endorsements works

Requirement for possession of large-capacity pistol magazine | Arms Act 2026, section 28 | New Zealand Legislation website

The Arms Act 2026 clarifies what manufacturing means in relation to an arms item.
Manufacturing includes:

• Modifying, converting, or otherwise altering the function of an arms item
• Assembling an arms item from parts or magazines

The Act also clarifies that the following activities are not considered manufacturing:

• Replacing a part with a like-for-like part that has already been legally manufactured
• Disassembling or reassembling a firearm for cleaning or maintenance

Manufacturing arms items

Interpretation | Arms Act 2026, section 5 | New Zealand Legislation website

Under the Arms Act 2026, firearms licence holders and Business licence holders must obtain the required approvals before manufacturing certain regulated items.

Firearms licence holders must obtain a permit to possess before manufacturing a pistol, restricted weapon, or pistol carbine conversion kit for personal use.

Business licence holders must obtain the chief executive's approval before manufacturing pistols, restricted firearms and other restricted items, pistol carbine conversion kits, or air pistol carbine conversion kits. 

This change reduces the risk of investing resources in items they may not be permitted to possess. Previously, a permit to possess did not need to be obtained until the manufacturing process was nearing completion. 

Export, import or manufacture arms items

Other applications forms

Permits to posses

Requirements for manufacture of certain items by business licence holders | Arms Act 2026, section 67 | New Zealand Legislation website

Requirement for manufacture of certain items by firearms licence holders | Arms Act 2026, section 68 | New Zealand Legislation website

Under the Arms Act 2026, former pest controllers are called animal and biosecurity controller.

Animal and biosecurity controllers may include:

• Department of Conservation staff involved in animal control operations
• People undertaking animal recovery operations under a Department of Conservation concession
• Staff of biosecurity management agencies involved in animal control
• People who run businesses or work providing services for animal control purposes
• Owners, managers, and employees of agricultural, horticultural, or forestry businesses affected by pest animals.

Animal and biosecurity control endorsements

Meaning of animal and biosecurity controller | Arms Act 2026, section 7 | New Zealand Legislation website 

From 23 February 2028, the animal and biosecurity control endorsement duration has been extended to five years.

This change will significantly reduce the administrative costs and effort for applicants that were previously required to renew their endorsement every 2 years 6 months.

Before you apply animal and biosecurity control endorsement

Duration of endorsement | Arms Act 2026, section 194 | New Zealand Legislation website

From 23 February 2028, Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand will introduce multi-user agreements that allow specified employees of animal and biosecurity control to share restricted firearms without requiring a permit to possess or Registry updates for each short-term transfer.

These agreements apply to transfers of less than seven days. Organisations must maintain internal records of all firearm transfers and provide them to the regulator upon request. 

This change will significantly reduce the administrative costs and effort for applicants, who were previously required to update the Registry and obtain a permit for each short-term transfer, particularly when firearms are routinely shared among the same users.

Conditions about animal and biosecurity control endorsement

Exception for employees of animal and biosecurity controllers sharing possession of restricted firearms | Arms Act 2026, section 33 | New Zealand Legislation website

From 23 February 2028, collectors, museum licence holders, and certain other endorsed licence holders who own restricted firearms will be allowed to store vital parts at the address of any licensed firearms owner (not just someone with the same endorsement), subject to regulator approval.
 
This change reduces regulatory burden and provides collectors and other endorsed licence holders with greater flexibility by allowing vital parts to continue to be stored at commercial storage facilities. Public safety will be maintained through the ongoing requirement for vital parts to be stored at a separate address approved by the regulator.

Currently, collectors are required to store vital parts at a separate address belonging to another licence holder who is endorsed to possess prohibited firearms.

Conditions for a bona fide collector endorsement

Additional condition of endorsement in respect of restricted firearm in possession of collector, museum licence holder, or employee of broadcaster or theatrical company, etc | Arms Act 2026, section 193 | New Zealand Legislation website