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Arms Bill

Licences and approvals - Firearms licences - Duration of firearms licence

78: Extension of firearms licence in other cases pending determination of application for new firearms licence

You could also call this:

"Your firearms licence stays valid while you wait for a new one."

If you have a current firearms licence and you apply for a new one before it expires, your current licence might keep being valid. This happens if the person in charge does not extend your current licence under section 77 and they have not made a decision on your new licence application by the time your current licence expires. Your current licence will keep being valid until you are told about the decision on your new licence application. If you want to, you can ask the person in charge for a written note saying your current licence is still valid. They can give you this note if you ask for it. If you get a new licence, it will start being valid from the date your current licence expires, or from the date you get the new licence, depending on which happens first.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1533665.

This page was last updated on 8 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safety

77: Extension of firearms licence for up to 3 years pending determination of application for new firearms licence, or

"Keeping your firearms licence valid while you wait for a new one"

79: Application for review of firearms licensing decision, or

"Asking to Reconsider a Firearms Licence Decision"

Part 3Licences and approvals
Firearms licences: Duration of firearms licence

78Extension of firearms licence in other cases pending determination of application for new firearms licence

This section applies if the holder of a current firearms licence (licence A) makes an application for a new firearms licence—
before the expiry of licence A; and
the chief executive does not extend the expiry date of licence A under section 77.

If the application is not determined before the expiry of licence A, licence A continues in force, unless it is sooner surrendered or revoked, until the date on which the licence holder is notified of the determination of the application.
The chief executive may, on the application of the holder of licence A, provide to the holder of licence A written confirmation that licence A is extended.
A new licence issued on an application takes effect from—
the date on which licence A expires if the new licence is issued before licence A expires; or
the date on which the new licence is issued if the new licence is issued after licence A expires.