Before you apply for a visitor licence

A fit and proper person:

• is a person of good conduct and character
• possesses and uses firearms responsibly
• stores firearms and ammunition securely
• abides by the laws of New Zealand.

When Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand assesses if you are a fit and proper person, we consider:

• your overall character and conduct
• information we hold or receive from any source.

The Arms Act 2026 lists some circumstances in which Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand may find you are not a fit and proper person to hold a licence in New Zealand.

The circumstances include, but are not limited to, you have:

• been charged with or convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment
• had a protection order or restraining order made against you
• not complied with the requirements of the Arms Act, regulations made under the Arms Act, or the conditions of a permit, licence, or endorsement issued to you under the Arms Act
• had a mental or physical illness or injury that affects your ability to safely possess firearms
• abused alcohol or been dependent on alcohol
• used drugs that affect your judgement or behaviour.

If during previous visits to New Zealand any of these circumstances apply to you, we do not automatically refuse your application. 

We will contact you for more information before we decide to grant or refuse your application.

If Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand deems you not fit and proper, we will advise you of our reasons and give you the opportunity to refute or comment on it.

Persons who may be found not fit and proper to hold visitor licence | Arms Act 2026, Part 3, Subpart 124 | New Zealand Legislation website

Depending on the purpose of your visit the following may be required:. 

• Confirmation of your target shooting competition entry
• Guided hunting outfitter confirmation of reservation
• Department of Conservation hunting permit
• Hunting ballot confirmation
• New Zealand Fish and Game gamebird licence.

You must supply a recent, good quality digital photograph that is a good likeness of yourself. A scanned copy of a photograph will not be accepted.

The photograph must meet the minimum requirements. Passport photos from commercial outlets will typically meet these requirements. 

This means the photograph must: 

• have been taken within the last 12 months
• be a full front view of your face – chin to forehead and both sides of your face
• show head and shoulders, with the head filling most of the photograph
• be of you without a hat or head covering (except where your religion requires you to wear a hat or head covering)
• have a plain, light-coloured background
• be in colour and in focus
• be in portrait format (with a 4:3 aspect ratio)
• be in JPG or JPEG format
• be between 25KB and 10MB
• be between 900 and 4500 pixels wide and 1200 and 6000 pixels high.

We will not accept photographs that do not meet these standards

Some countries and jurisdictions, like some states of the United States, do not issue firearms licences. 

If you are from a country or state that does not issue firearms licences, you must have a document that shows you: 

• can legally own a firearm in your home country
• are trained in the safe use of firearms. 

Example documents: 

• hunting permit
• concealed carry permit
• hunter education certificate.