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Arms Bill

Miscellaneous provisions - Delivery or surrender of arms items and ammunition

334: Powers to require surrender of airguns or antique firearms

You could also call this:

"When to hand over airguns or old firearms without a licence"

The proposed law says if you have an airgun or antique firearm without a licence, the chief executive can ask you to give it to an officer. They can do this if they think you are not a suitable person to have the airgun or antique firearm. You will have to give it to them if they ask. If you get a notice asking you to surrender your airgun or antique firearm, you must give it to an officer when they ask. There are rules about how this works, which are explained in section 162. You can appeal the decision if you think it is unfair. If you do not give up your airgun or antique firearm when asked, you can get in trouble. You might have to pay a fine of up to $10,000 or go to prison for up to 6 months. This will happen if you do not have a good reason for not giving it up.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1534085.

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

Topics:

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333: Voluntary delivery to Arms Regulator or Police of arms items or ammunition, or

"Handing in firearms or ammo you're not allowed to have"

335: Surrender of items declared restricted, etc, or

"What to do if the government bans an item you own"

Part 8Miscellaneous provisions
Delivery or surrender of arms items and ammunition

334Powers to require surrender of airguns or antique firearms

If any person who is not the holder of a licence is in possession of an airgun or antique firearm, the chief executive may, by notice in writing served on that person, require the person to surrender the airgun or antique firearm to an officer of the Arms Regulator if the chief executive is of the opinion that the person is not a fit and proper person to be in possession of the airgun or antique firearm.
If a person is served with a notice under subsection (1), the person must, on demand, deliver the airgun or antique firearm to an officer of the Arms Regulator, and section 162(2) and (3) applies accordingly with all necessary modifications.
Any person required under this section to surrender an airgun or antique firearm may appeal under section 341 against the requirement, and that section applies accordingly with all necessary modifications.
A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to a fine not exceeding $10,000, if the person, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a notice given to them under subsection (1).