Thread: E Cat processing time - Central districts

Hi guys,

Anyone gone through the E cat process recently in the Manawatu?
About to hit 6 months worth of chasing the Arms Officer without any outcomes (despite emails telling me it will be done a couple of months ago).

Is this expected?

If it makes you feel any better A cat re-licencing is taking 3 months at least for most people.
Mines taken over 3 months and have been told not to expect it done for another month at least.

Plus it takes longer if your listed references are in another policing district. I was a referee for a mate in Christchurch and the vetting interview for me had to be done in person, not on the phone.

Originally Posted by dogmatix

Plus it takes longer if your listed references are in another policing district. I was a referee for a mate in Christchurch and the vetting interview for me had to be done in person, not on the phone.

My last references were done over the phone. Different strokes for different AOs....

Originally Posted by dogmatix

Plus it takes longer if your listed references are in another policing district. I was a referee for a mate in Christchurch and the vetting interview for me had to be done in person, not on the phone.

Both references are in town, and the AO's knows both of them quite well.

Originally Posted by Beetroot

If it makes you feel any better A cat re-licencing is taking 3 months at least for most people.
Mines taken over 3 months and have been told not to expect it done for another month at least.

The A cat relicencing is a concern as well. My A cat expires shortly (month) as well. It's sitting on the same desk as my E cat application. I really doubt I'm getting that back before my current one expires....

6 months is absolute bullshit. Formal complaint time. If this wasn't a monopoly govt arrangement, they would have gone bust ages ago, with good reason.

Originally Posted by Koshogi

My last references were done over the phone. Different strokes for different AOs....

Lord yes, inconsistency seems to be the norm.

Yeah, I applied when the AO told me to apply for the renewal.
Haha if you think I can get a letter from him... I'm struggling to get him to answer an email/phone call, let alone write something for me.

Tommy I think you are right - email to the boss time.

I applied for e and c in August. Have followed up with a phone call and two emails since then. I have been told the AO is "very busy". Because my wife was deployed overseas at the time I submitted I put my old man as a nok referee. She's now back. Another mate and neighbour is now also due to deploy in the next few weeks so I need to change him as a referee. I've made this clear by email but no meaningful correspondence back.

Coming up 6 months now. Oh, and I'm moving house later in the year so if they don't get onto it then pretty much the whole application will need to be unfucked.

Not buying a safe or paying the application fee till they demonstrate some progress.

If nothing heard in Feb I will lodge a police complaint, cc COLFO and the FCAF.

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From memory my E cat took about 4-5 months, but that also involved transferring the application from Wellington to Hamilton as I moved. So that would have delayed it considerably.

Originally Posted by Feral

I applied for e and c in August. Have followed up with a phone call and two emails since then. I have been told the AO is "very busy". Because my wife was deployed overseas at the time I submitted I put my old man as a nok referee. She's now back. Another mate and neighbour is now also due to deploy in the next few weeks so I need to change him as a referee. I've made this clear by email but no meaningful correspondence back.

Coming up 6 months now. Oh, and I'm moving house later in the year so if they don't get onto it then pretty much the whole application will need to be unfucked.

Not buying a safe or paying the application fee till they demonstrate some progress.

If nothing heard in Feb I will lodge a police complaint, cc COLFO and the FCAF.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

At least I know I'm not being picked on now

I started this journey way back in Juneish last year when I emailed the AO asking if he was going to accept my E cat rated SentrySafe. I did this because I know they have been declining this particular safe in this region even though it is still being actively accepted in other areas. At the time I was building a house and wanted to know if this safe was going to be a problem as I suspected it would be, so I could buy one that they would be happy with and get it installed while the house was still being constructed (extra studs in wall at the right locations etc).

Trying to be a good firearms owner and get things sorted out way in advance. Seemed like a pretty easy to answer question "will you accept this safe as E cat, if not what currently available model will you accept?"

Eventually I had to email the Central District Commander (Sue) after a couple of months of very little contact and one appointment when he said he would turn up and he didn't and I _STILL_ didn't have an answer to that simple question.


To Sue's credit (or her PA) I got a reply the next day, and long story short they decided that my safe wasn't acceptable (as I suspected they would say). Didn't want to argue because I really needed a bigger safe anyway, so asked them what one they would be happy with and I've since brought and installed that. Following that I lodged the application (and paid the fee) and here I am still waiting.

I'll be following you with a complaint shortly at this rate.

Originally Posted by Feral

Not buying a safe or paying the application fee till they demonstrate some progress.

If nothing heard in Feb I will lodge a police complaint, cc COLFO and the FCAF.

You need to pay the fee to submit the application. Having not paid the application fee could you haven't submitted a valid application and have nothing to complain about.

Once you pay your fee, your application should be processed without unnecessary delay.

While you do not need an endorsed safe (or other storage) as part of the application process, not having one is only going to delay you further. It will cause yet another visit by your AO. Better to have it in place at the time of application.

If your application is talking an excessive amount of time, lodge a Expression of Dissatisfaction. Remember, they are required to perform their duty in a timely manner. They have KPIs and performance reviews, and are graded on the resolution of these expressions of dissatisfaction.

My approval took less than a month from time of application.

Originally Posted by Feral

Not buying a safe or paying the application fee till they demonstrate some progress.

If nothing heard in Feb I will lodge a police complaint, cc COLFO and the FCAF.

You need to pay the fee to submit the application. Having not paid the application fee could you haven't submitted a valid application and have nothing to complain about.

Once you pay your fee, your application should be processed without unnecessary delay.

While you do not need an endorsed safe (or other storage) as part of the application process, not having one is only going to delay you further. It will cause yet another visit by your AO. Better to have it in place at the time of application.

If your application is talking an excessive amount of time, lodge a Expression of Dissatisfaction. Remember, they are required to perform their duty in a timely manner. They have KPIs and performance reviews, and are graded on the resolution of these expressions of dissatisfaction.

My approval took less than a month from time of application.

Originally Posted by Koshogi

You need to pay the fee to submit the application. Having not paid the application fee could you haven't submitted a valid application and have nothing to complain about.

Once you pay your fee, your application should be processed without unnecessary delay.

While you do not need an endorsed safe (or other storage) as part of the application process, not having one is only going to delay you further. It will cause yet another visit by your AO. Better to have it in place at the time of application.

If your application is talking an excessive amount of time, lodge a Expression of Dissatisfaction. Remember, they are required to perform their duty in a timely manner. They have KPIs and performance reviews, and are graded on the resolution of these expressions of dissatisfaction.

My approval took less than a month from time of application.

Nothing on either the C or E form states a requirement for fees or to demonstrate proof of fees. Both were accepted by the Arms office, I have followed up three times or more asking if any further action was required on my part. It was pre arranged with the AO (in writing) that e endorsement storage would be inspected prior to issue of a permit to procure and that the license could progress without current storage.

I agree that the fees could be holding up the application but I have asked and not been advised of any further requirement at this stage.


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Perhaps your AO is less than competent....

As I said, you can apply and be issued with an endorsement without storage in place. Is it worth the extra inspection and delay though?

It mentions the requirement for fees on the back of both forms.