If you live in Queensland and wish to own or use a firearm, crossbow, powerhead or paintball marker, you must hold a valid weapons licence. To apply for a Queensland weapons licence, you must:

• be at least 11 years old (if you are aged between 11 to 17 you can apply for a minor’s licence)
• have a genuine reason for needing a weapons licence
• reside only in Queensland
• be a fit and proper person
• have completed an approved safety course in weapons safety
• have a safe and secure place to store a weapon.

There are several genuine reasons for wanting to own or operate a firearm. When you apply for your weapons licence you will need to provide proof of your genuine reason.

You will not be considered a fit and proper person under the Weapons Act 1990 if you been convicted, discharged from custody on sentence, in the last 5 years of any of the following:

• offences relating to the misuse of drugs
• offences involving the use or threatened use of violence
• offences involving the use, carriage, discharge or possession of a weapon.

Or if you have been named as a respondent in a domestic violence order (other than a temporary protection order).

When deciding to grant a weapons licence, we also consider the following for whether you are a fit and proper person in Queensland:

• your mental and physical fitness 
• whether you have provided anything false or misleading on/with your application
• criminal intelligence or other information about you
• the public interest.

When you apply for a weapons licence you must let us know if you have ever suffered any medical conditions, such as serious eye or vision impairment, conditions causing seizures, brain injuries or neurological conditions, physical impairment and psychiatric, psychological or emotional problems. You may have to provide further details and a doctor’s certificate.

If you have immediate concerns about someone’s behaviour and his or her access to a weapon, if a crime is happening now, or a life is threatened, call Triple Zero (000) or speak to your local police station. 

If you have general concerns about someone’s behaviour and his or her access to a weapon, please contact your local police station or Policelink on 131 444.

When you make an application for a weapons licence you must provide information on your medical history. This is so we can assess your mental and physical fitness to hold a weapons licence. You must let us know if you have ever received treatment for:

• Serious visual impairment
• Fits, dizziness or blackouts
• Brain injuries
• Psychiatric or emotional problems
• Alcohol or drug related problems, and/or
• Physical impairment

If you answer ‘Yes’ to any of these questions you are required to provide further details. A current doctor’s report must accompany your application to certify the condition(s) and that it does not affect your ability to possess or use a weapon/firearm.

More information: https://www.police.qld.gov.au/weapon-licensing/mental-and-physical-health

Section 60 of the Weapons Act 1990 states a person must have secure storage of weapons. A licensee who has control of a weapon at a place must keep the weapon in secure storage facilities at the place when a person is not in physical possession of the weapon. The required type of storage varies, based on the type and number of weapons. 

MORE INFORMATION

There are some cases where you may not have to show a safety course certificate (statement of attainment for partial completion) from a firearms safety course when completing a weapons licence application.

Certain Registered Training Organisations (RTO) are accredited in a course in firearms safety (Course code 11029NAT).

The course has a number of units which relate to the category of firearms under the Weapons Act 1990. You must complete the unit within the firearms safety course for the category of weapon you want to use. Once you have completed units of competency under the accredited course in firearms safety, the RTO will provide you with a Statement of Attainment to prove your completion of the course.