Items that require a permit or consent to import

Who can apply 

Who can apply 

Parts have the same eligibility requirements as the items they are used for. Check who can apply for standard firearms and magazines, restricted firearms and magazines, pistols or restricted weapons.

Who can apply 

• For restricted airguns, you must be aged 18 or over to apply for a permit to import. You do not need a firearms licence. 
• If you are 16 or 17, you must have a firearms licence to apply.
• You must also provide a special reason why the item should be allowed into New Zealand.
• For high-energy airguns, you must have a New Zealand firearms licence to apply for a permit to import.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply 

You must have an endorsement on your licence for pistols in one of the following capacities to apply for a permit to import.

• As a member of a pistol target shooting club.
• As a bona fide collector of firearms.
• As a person for whom the item has special significance as a memento or heirloom.
• As an employee or approved member (including theatrical armourers) of:
  • a broadcaster or theatre company or society
  • a cinematic or television film production company
  • a video recording production company.
• As a director or curator of a bona fide museum.
• As a licensed business.

You must also provide a special reason why the item should be allowed into New Zealand.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply 

You must have an endorsement on your licence for restricted weapons, in one of the following capacities to apply for a permit to import.

• As a bona fide collector of firearms.
• As a person for whom the item has special significance as a memento or heirloom.
• As an employee or approved member (including theatrical armourers) of:
  • a broadcaster or theatre company or society
  • a cinematic or television film production company
  • a video recording production company.
• As a director or curator of a bona fide museum.
• As a licensed business.

You must also provide a special reason why the item should be allowed into New Zealand.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply 

You must have an endorsement on your firearms licence in one of the following capacities to apply for a permit to import.

• As a Animal and biosecurity controller who is:
  • Employed or engaged by the Department of Conservation and involved in operations for the purpose of controlling wild animals or animal pests in accordance with a specified Act (subject to prescribed limits, if any).
  • The holder of a concession granted by the Minister of Conservation to undertake wild animal recovery operations in accordance with a specified Act (subject to prescribed limits, if any).
  • Employed or engaged by a management agency as defined in section 100 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 and involved in operations for the purpose of controlling wild animals or animal pests in accordance with that Act (subject to prescribed limits, if any).
  • A person whose sole business, or a substantial part of whose business, is providing services to control any prescribed wild animals or animal pests, or a person employed or engaged by that person for that purpose (subject to prescribed limits, if any).
  • A person who is the owner or manager, or is an employee, of an agricultural, a horticultural, or a silvicultural business, if there is a real possibility that the commercial viability of the business would be detrimentally affected to a significant extent by the presence of prescribed wild animals or animal pests on any land used for that business (subject to prescribed limits, if any).
• As a bona fide collector of firearms.
• As a person to whom the item as special significance as a memento or heirloom.
• As a director or curator of a bona fide museum.
• As an employee or approved member (including theatrical armourers) of:
• a broadcaster or theatre company or society
• a cinematic or television film production company
• a video recording production company.
• As a licensed business.

You must also provide a special reason why the item should be allowed into New Zealand.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply 

You must have an endorsement on your licence for pistols in one of the following capacities to apply for a permit to import.

• As a member of a pistol target shooting club.
• As a bona fide collector of firearms.
• As a person for whom the item has special significance as a memento or heirloom.
• As an employee or approved member (including theatrical armourers) of:
  • a broadcaster or theatre company or society
  • a cinematic or television film production company
  • a video recording production company.
• As a director or curator of a bona fide museum.
• As a licensed business.

You must also provide a special reason why the item should be allowed into New Zealand.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply

Although you need to apply for a permit to import, you do not need a firearms licence.

Apply for a permit to import

However, you must:

• be a member of an airsoft or paintball club affiliated with a national airsoft or paintball organisation
• satisfy Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand that you will use the kit for airsoft or paintball as a member of that club. 

Who can apply 

Anyone can import offensive weapons after they apply for a consent to import. 

Apply for a consent to import

Who can apply

You must have a New Zealand firearms licence to apply for a permit to import.

Apply for a permit to import

Who can apply

Not many people have approval to apply for a permit to import restricted ammunition. You must be approved by Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand as one of the following:

• director or curator of a bona fide museum (who may apply to import restricted ammunition manufactured for small arms only)
• bona fide collector of ammunition (who may apply to import restricted ammunition manufactured for small arms only)
• researcher employed or contracted by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)
• researcher employed or contracted by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR).

Directors or curators of bona fide museums, and bona fide collectors of ammunition must also have a firearms licence.

If you are employed or contracted by NZDF or ESR as a researcher of restricted ammunition, speak to your employer first about importation and licensing provisions.

Apply for a permit to import