Arms Act 1983

Licensed dealers - Licensed dealers

5A: Application for dealer’s licence

You could also call this:

"How to Apply for a Licence to Sell or Trade Firearms"

To apply for a dealer's licence, you must fill out a form given by the Police or use a method they approve. You need to say what kind of dealer activities you want to do and what type of arms items you will be working with. You also need to tell them where your business will be and who will be in charge if you have more than one place of business. If you want to make prohibited items, you can only apply for a dealer's licence if you meet certain criteria described in section 4A(1A). You can only apply for a dealer's licence to do certain activities, like those mentioned in section 5(1)(e) or section 5(1)(f), if you meet the criteria in section 4A(1A).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS510544.

This page was last updated on 27 January 2026 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyBusiness > Industry rules

5: Dealers to be licensed, or

"Selling or fixing guns and some other arms items requires a special licence"

5B: Issue of dealer’s licence, or

"How to get a licence to buy and sell firearms in New Zealand"

Part 2Licensed dealers
Licensed dealers

5AApplication for dealer’s licence

An application for a dealer’s licence must—
be made on a form provided by a member of the Police, or in any way approved by a member of the Police; and
specify—
1. the dealer activities for which the dealer’s licence is sought; and
2. the class or classes of arms items in respect of which those activities will be carried on; and
3. the place of business from which the dealer activities will be carried on; and
4. if the dealer intends to operate from 2 or more places of business, the name of the manager of each place of business and the address of each place of business.

An application for a dealer’s licence to carry on or manage the dealer activity specified in section 5(1)(e) in relation to the manufacture of any prohibited items may only be made by a person described in section 4A(1A).
An application for a dealer’s licence to carry on the dealer activity specified in section 5(1)(f) may only be made by a person described in section 4A(1A).

Notes

Section 5A: inserted, on 24 June 2021, by section 12 of the Arms Legislation Act 2020 (2020 No 23).