Thread: Firearm licencing

I suspect that's Wanganui for you. Not bad. When I was in Wilson's the other day the man at the counter said he hadn't heard of anyone waiting as long as I had (10 months).

Originally Posted by Rush

I suspect that's Wanganui for you. Not bad. When I was in Wilson's the other day the man at the counter said he hadn't heard of anyone waiting as long as I had (10 months).

I did maybe think given the arms officers are by regions I must have being at a lucky date where they were able to get cracking right away . My little brothers just waited 2 months for his new card to arrive though so my real wait could still be coming fingers crossed anyhow it's being tricky with out it

why couldn't they issue a temporary paper based license like the driving license before the actual card arrive

I got mine last month after 13 months from lodging my application. 4 months wait to do the course, another 8 months wait until I was seen for interview then 1 month wait until the licence arrived in the mail. Im in Christchurch

Originally Posted by hakka_ranger

why couldn't they issue a temporary paper based license like the driving license before the actual card arrive

They can give you your license number before your real plastic card arrives.
I lost my license, applied for a replacement, in the interim the local firearms office wrote my number on a piece of paper stamped it and added their phone number for anyone to confirm my status.

My replacement FAL arrived in a couple of weeks, then I found the original. So now I have two copies.

Check your copies - the newest one should have a new version number which will be the only version that will validate in online checks (if that's a thing yet).

Does anyone know if you can submit your application etc before your 16th Birthday just to avoid even further delays ?

Originally Posted by Rush

Check your copies - the newest one should have a new version number which will be the only version that will validate in online checks (if that's a thing yet).

Both copies predate the version numbering, so in effect both are valid.
This is why they brought in version numbering.

Originally Posted by Pete_D

Does anyone know if you can submit your application etc before your 16th Birthday just to avoid even further delays ?

I believe you cannot complete the process before one's 16th birthday.

It is a shame.
My son got his learners driver license and FAL on his 16th birthday.
I reminded him both were licenses that could accidentally kill, more likely with his drivers than his FAL.

Originally Posted by Danger Mouse

That's not the point of it. The point of it is an embuggerance to you so you give up your license and do something else

So if they are to handle your firearms, will they also be licensed? Because they should be!

Originally Posted by Cyclops

They can give you your license number before your real plastic card arrives.
I lost my license, applied for a replacement, in the interim the local firearms office wrote my number on a piece of paper stamped it and added their phone number for anyone to confirm my status.

My replacement FAL arrived in a couple of weeks, then I found the original. So now I have two copies.

Give it to Cindy for the Mongrel Mob!

Originally Posted by Maca49

So if they are to handle your firearms, will they also be licensed? Because they should be!

NZ Police and Military are exempt when handling firearms in the course of their work, that includes Police civilian employees.

Originally Posted by Pete_D

Does anyone know if you can submit your application etc before your 16th Birthday just to avoid even further delays ?

@Pete_D unfortunately you can no longer do this.

When my son went through the process 4 years ago he carried out his Mountain Safety Course a couple of months before his 16th birthday and handed in his FAL application forms the week before his birthday. This resulted in him getting his plastic card within 6 weeks of turning 16. The application process changed about 18 months ago and when my daughter approached her 16th birthday last September we found you now need to be 16 in order to book the Mountain Safety Course. In some locations this might mean you need to wait several months before you can attend the course due to demand. Once the course has been done then you can get the 36-page FAL application form submitted. Don't forget the two 16-page referee forms too. By the finish you will certainly know how to spell your name, know your address, recall your telephone number and Drivers Licence number... nothing like filling those details in multiple times.

Our timeline so far...

Mid September - turned 16, booked MSC
Late November - completed MSC
Late November - submitted FAL application
Late April - interviews, advised license should arrive in 6 weeks
12 weeks later no license, no responses to emails, phone not even picked up at Dunedin Police Station. Just rings.


I think we need to employ the American cost-benefit analysis ideas where government departments need to justify the forms they create and review the time it takes to complete them, then state on the form the expected time necessary to complete it. Adding new multiple-page forms duplicating data is a waste of effort but bureaucrats love it.

Thanks @planenutz that sounds long winded and painfully slow......Happy birthday son and welcome to bureaucratic real world when you turn 16 !!!!

Originally Posted by Pete_D

Thanks @planenutz that sounds long winded and painfully slow......Happy birthday son and welcome to bureaucratic real world when you turn 16 !!!!

Yep... you got that right!

Its a shame they've fucked up what was a pretty good system. The new forms now ask you to fill in answers to the questions they used to ask you during your interview so the inverview process is slightly shorter and easier. That said, I think the 'old' system was better because it provided the vetting officer an opportunity to talk to the applicant and to get a better understanding of their thoughts, motivations and plans. Now you're putting those down on paper but with time to plan your response.

My work colleagues in Australia keep telling me their FAL process is long and difficult. So much so that it provides disincentive to anyone who thinks they want to go down that road. Their perception is NZ has a much easier system to navigate. I disagree - our process was always more robust and in fact it was always more involved than theirs. They don't have face to face interviews for a start. They do have a "stand down time" but that is far shorter than our current bureaucrat-imposed compulsory stand down time of a year or more due to the inefficiencies and lack of man-power in the relevant departments. To say this is all very disappointing is a bloody understatement.

I wish you and your son luck. Its a process, but one you just need to knuckle down into and see through to the end. Damned if I'm going to let added layers of Labour-government-induced bullshit put me or my family off enjoying my recreational activities just because of a little bit more paperwork.