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Arms Bill

Licences and approvals - Expiry, surrender, suspension, and revocation of licences - Revocation of licences

157: Effect of revocation of firearms licence

You could also call this:

"What happens to your guns and licence if it gets cancelled"

If your firearms licence is revoked, you must give it back to the chief executive straight away. When your licence is revoked, you are no longer allowed to have any arms items or ammunition that you were allowed to have with your licence. You must also give any arms items or ammunition you have to an officer of the Arms Regulator when they ask you to. If you do not give them the arms items or ammunition, an officer of the Arms Regulator can tell a Police officer to take them from you. You will no longer be able to keep any arms items or ammunition that you had with your licence. This happens as soon as your licence is revoked. The Police can take your arms items or ammunition if you do not give them up when asked, as per subsection (2)(b), which is part of the proposed law change.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1533782.

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

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyGovernment and voting > Emergency management

156: Revocation of suspended licence, or

"What happens if your gun licence is taken away while it's suspended"

158: Effect of revocation of business licence, or

"What happens if a business gun licence is cancelled"

Part 3Licences and approvals
Expiry, surrender, suspension, and revocation of licences: Revocation of licences

157Effect of revocation of firearms licence

A person whose firearms licence is revoked must immediately surrender their firearms licence to the chief executive.
On the revocation of a firearms licence, the holder of the licence—
ceases to be licensed to possess any arms item or ammunition under the licence or any endorsement on the licence; and
must, on request, deliver any arms item or ammunition in their possession or under their control to an officer of the Arms Regulator.

If a firearms licence holder fails to comply with the requirement under subsection (2)(b), an officer of the Arms Regulator may direct a member of the Police to seize and take possession of any arms item or ammunition in the possession or under the control of the holder.