How permits work

A permit is official approval to buy or receive a specific arms item. You will need either a permit to import or a permit to possess, depending on where you get the arms item and what it is.

About a permit to import

You need a permit to import if you plan to get the item overseas and bring it into New Zealand.

It is the importer’s responsibility to confirm whether a permit is required. You must have a permit issued by the Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand to import firearms, pistol carbine and air pistol carbine conversion kits, and ammunition.

You may also need a permit for certain kinds of magazines, firearms parts, and airguns. A permit must be obtained before the goods are imported into New Zealand; otherwise, they will be seized.

If you are unsure whether a permit is required, you should contact the Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand before attempting to import these items at permitfirearms@firearmssafety.govt.nz

Find out what firearms and other arms items require a permit to import, and which items you can import without a permit:

Arms items that require a permit to import

Extended duration of permits to import for business licence holders

From 23 February 2028, permits to import issued to business licence holders will be valid for 12 months between the arrival of the first and last consignments.

A permit may be used for items imported into New Zealand in a single consignment or across multiple consignments. Once the first consignment arrives, all remaining items and consignments must arrive within 12 months, or the permit to import will expire.

Currently, delays in shipping and delivery can result in permits expiring before all items arrive. While permits are valid for 12 months, once the first consignment arrives, importers have only 30 days for all remaining consignments to enter New Zealand before the permit expires. If the permit expires, importers must apply for a new one.

This change will reduce administrative pressure for importers, particularly those affected by supply chain delays. It will also reduce the number of permit applications that need to be submitted and processed, as the current 30-day validity period is often too short for imports arriving in multiple consignments.

Permit to import issued for items to be brought into or sent to New Zealand in single consignment or multiple consignments | Arms Act 2026, Section 200 | New Zealand Legislation website

About a permit to possess

You need a permit to possess if you plan to get certain arms items in New Zealand.

Find out which arms items require a permit to possess, who can apply and what you need to provide in your application.

Arms items that require a permit to possess

Permits are for specific items

A permit to import or possess is granted for a specific item. You must apply for the permit before importing or taking ownership of it.

You must apply for a permit any time you want to import or possess another item – even if you have had a permit for a similar item in the past.

Buying or receiving pistols, restricted weapons or restricted arms items

If you are buying or receiving pistols, restricted weapons or restricted arms items, you must have the right endorsement on your firearms licence before you can apply for a permit.

An endorsement identifies whether a licence holder can lawfully possess that type of item.

When you apply for an endorsement, you must say why you want to be able to have that type of item.

When you apply for a permit to possess or import, you must also say why you want to possess or import that specific item.

Your reasons for wanting the specific item must align with the reasons you provided in your endorsement application. For example, if you have an arms item in your capacity as a bona fide collector, you cannot use that arms item for another purpose, such as shooting in a pistol target shooting club.

Having an endorsement does not automatically mean you can possess or import any pistol, restricted weapon, restricted firearm or restricted magazine – you must apply for a permit, and be approved, for each item.

Endorsements

Relevant legislation

Purposes of this Act | Arms Act 2026, section 3 | New Zealand Legislation website

Subpart 2 — Permits to import | Arms Act 2026 | New Zealand Legislation website

Subpart 3—Permits to possess | Arms Act 2026 | New Zealand Legislation website