When a firearms licence holder dies

Learn what to do when a firearms licence holder dies, including who becomes responsible for their firearms, arms items, and ammunition, how to surrender arms items, and how to update the Firearms Registry.

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When a firearms licence holder dies, their firearms, arms items and ammunition become the joint responsibility of the person or persons responsible for their estate - the deceased’s executors, administrators or next of kin. 

This person or persons should work with members of the deceased’s whanau to make sure the deceased’s arms items and ammunition are transferred to a suitably licensed person. 

For example, the arms items may be:

  • surrendered to Police, Firearms Safety and Education or a business
  • transferred to another licence holder

See more information about How to surrender arms items

What you must do as the representative of the deceased licence holder

If you are an executor, administrator, personal representative or next of kin of a deceased licence holder, Firearms Safety and Education NZ will work with you, to update the Firearms Registry and ensure any firearms or major firearms parts recorded in the Firearms Registry are appropriately transferred to a firearms business or other firearms licence holder, or disposed of.  

  1. Update the Firearms Registry

    As the deceased licence holder’s representative, you must contact us as soon as possible so we can record what has happened to the firearms in the Firearms Registry. To contact us: 

    - Phone 0800 844 431 (09 302 6500) between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday 

    Our team will let you know if any further details are required. 

    If the deceased owned any restricted firearms or arms items 

    You must promptly notify us if the deceased licence holder possessed any of the following items:  

    - Pistol 
    - Restricted firearm 
    - Restricted magazine 
    - Restricted weapon. 

    To notify us about these items:

    - Phone 0800 844 431 (09 302 6500) between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

  2. Managing the deceased's firearms and shooting-related items

    The most commonly possessed standard firearms in New Zealand are hunting rifles or shotguns. If the deceased was in possession of one of these firearms, ammunition or other shooting related shooting items, decide who these should be transferred to.

    You should take into account the entitlements of any beneficiaries and who is lawfully able to possess them. 

    Your options include: 

    - sale or transfer to another family member or friend with a firearms licence and relevant endorsement, if applicable 

    - sale or transfer to a business or another firearms licence holder with the relevant endorsement, if applicable. 

    - destruction, in which case Police will dispose of them.

    For another person or family member to take possession of standard firearms, a firearms licence is the minimum requirement. 

    Ideally, the licence holder should make plans for what is to happen with their firearms in advance and tell their family so that this is a smooth process. See:

    See more information in When a firearm changes hands

  3. Destroy the firearms licence card

    If you know the whereabouts of the deceased’s firearms licence card, please cut it into two pieces and take a photo of the destroyed card. 

    This photo may be requested by Firearms Safety and Education NZ as proof of destruction.

  4. Arrange surrender of any firearms or arms items not transferred

    If you haven't already done so, contact Firearms Safety and Education NZ to let us know what arrangements have been made to transfer arms items belonging to the deceased to another firearms licence holder or firearms business.

    For more information, see When to register your arms items

    If no arrangements have been made, you can fix a time to surrender the arms items to Police for destruction.

    If any firearms or arms items have already been destroyed, notify us immediately by:

    - Filling in the 105 online reporting form – selecting ‘Reporting firearms matters’ 

    - Phoning the non-emergency Police number 105. 

How to surrender arms items belonging to a deceased firearms licence holder

It’s a matter of public safety and in line with purposes of the Arms Act 2026 that arms items are only in possession of current licence holders.  

Firearms Safety and Education NZ requires anyone who is in possession of, or has control over, any arms item that belonged to a deceased licence holder to either: 

  • arrange transfer to a licence holder, or 
  • surrender the items to a business or Police.  

See more information about Surrendering an arms item or ammunition

Transferring arms items before sale

If the arms items are to be sold and the executor does not hold a firearms licence, the items must be transferred to a firearms business or another firearms licence holder pending the sale.

If you have a firearm, magazine, part, or ammunition that you no longer want, you can arrange a time to hand it over to Police at your nearest Police station. 

Arrange a time to surrender the arms items belonging to the deceased by: 

Note: Do not turn up to a Police station with a firearm unannounced – please call ahead of time on 105. It’s important that you make sure firearms are not loaded and transport them safely using a gun case or similar bag.

What is a restricted weapon? 

Read more information about Meaning of restricted weapon in the the Arms Act 2026.

What is a restricted firearm?

Read more information about Meaning of restricted firearm in the the Arms Act 2026.

Related links

Disposal of firearms and arms items
Mental health and wellbeing for firearms licence holders
When a firearm changes hands
Businesses and organisations

 

Need help?
phonePhone 0800 844 431 (04 499 2870)
8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday