New guidance available on the disposal of unwanted or illegally held firearms
1 June 2024
Information is available on the Firearms Safety Authority website here to help people with firearms, other arms items or ammunition, that they have inherited or ended up with that they might not want to keep.
The guidance was developed in response to feedback from the public and licence holders, asking what they should do with a firearm they’d inherited when a family member died.
If a member of the public has a firearm, other arms item or ammunition they can’t legally possess, or don’t want to possess, they have a few options.
- sell or surrender the item to a current New Zealand firearms licence holder, or
- sell or surrender the item to a licensed firearms dealer, or
- surrender the item to New Zealand Police.
How they do this depends on the type of arms item, whether they are a licence holder and, where applicable, what they want to happen to it once it leaves their possession.
If you’re a licensed dealer, this guide will also be of use as it clearly outlines obligations and protections for licensed firearms dealers on accepting and handling surrendered arms items.
Online guide: https://www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/manage-and-apply/disposal-illegally-held-or-unwanted-firearms
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