Thread: Licence expiry - continuing validity

I hope somebody here can point me in the right direction to the changes made because of the debacle in renewal delays wherein it was promulgated that if ones licence expired it became necessary to surrender ones firearms to somebody who still had a current/valid licence.

I believe that a change was made which meant that if one made an application for renewal (even right up to the day before expiry) that ones licence remained valid until such time as the renewal was either approved or the licence was revoked.

Please point me the amendment, wherever it might be hiding.

Thanks.

Have you thought about asking the firearms authority ?
Pretty easy to get hold of and no doubt will have the answer you seek

I'll give it a try, if I can get through to them.
Seeing it in writing is always preferable to a verbal response.

Thanks, Kimber. Excellent.

Thanks, folks.

A supplementary question.
An application for renewal has been made before the (indicated) expiration date.
25A of the Arms Amendment Act allows for the licence to remain in force.
Until such time as the new (if it is renewed) licence card is in the hands of the licensee, what "mine-field" might they face when attempting to purchase anything that requires a valid/current licence be sighted?

Can't say this is a generic answer, but the one time I have talked to someone in this situation the online licence checker showed them as being licensed even though their card showed the original expiry date? Again you'd have to ring the people and confirm this with them to be certain.

Don't rely on been able to use the old license to buy ammo etc after the exp date, unless the shop staff are willing to look it up you could be out of luck.

Best to apply for your new license well before the current expiry date.

I applied 9 months early (before it became a registration triggering event) and rec'd my renewed license after about 3 months with the renewal date matching the old expiry date so the new license is valid for 10 years 6 months.

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Best to apply for your new license well before the current expiry date.

I applied 9 months early (before it became a registration triggering event) and rec'd my renewed license after about 3 months with the renewal date matching the old expiry date so the new license is valid for 10 years 6 months.

My renewal was due in 2019 and I was also told to apply 4 or 5 months early if I wanted it before it expired....And they somehoe managed to do it in under 6 weeks and dated it from date of approval so I lost the last 3 months of my previous license....I am glad to se that they have sorted that out....it felt like being punished for doing the right thing again....

A mate of mine applied for his renewal at the same time and his took nearly 7 months and his referees were local like mine and so was he.....

Originally Posted by Cyclops

Best to apply for your new license well before the current expiry date.

I applied 9 months early (before it became a registration triggering event) and rec'd my renewed license after about 3 months with the renewal date matching the old expiry date so the new license is valid for 10 years 6 months.

I disagree.
The op will get a letter or email approaching expiry explaining that as long as the new application is lodged prior to the existing licence expiring, they can exercise their licence privileges until the new licence is issued. There is no longer any advantage in long lead in times since the legislation changed.
Took me 55 days recently to go through my renewal, Tasman region, referees and vetting. I didn’t bother trying to purchase ammunition or anything during that month so apply my experience as part your own due diligence.
Can a shop access a database and see that the licence is in the renewal process, no idea? I was just satisfied I would be able to hold onto my firearms, sort the hares and attend the range without any worry between licence expiries. I was more than happy to get an extra month+ on my old licence free.
Dannyb has given the best advice in the thread so far. My interactions with the FSA was pretty seamless.

At the recent Fishing,Hunting & 4x4 Expo in Rotorua I asked the FSA representative about renewing my firearms licence. He told me that as long as I submitted my completed application and paid the fee before my licence expired I would still be licenced until the new licence is issued.
This is very much in line with what @Moutere has posted.

Originally Posted by Moutere

I disagree.
The op will get a letter or email approaching expiry explaining that as long as the new application is lodged prior to the existing licence expiring, they can exercise their licence privileges until the new licence is issued. There is no longer any advantage in long lead in times since the legislation changed.
Took me 55 days recently to go through my renewal, Tasman region, referees and vetting. I didn’t bother trying to purchase ammunition or anything during that month so apply my experience as part your own due diligence.
Can a shop access a database and see that the licence is in the renewal process, no idea? I was just satisfied I would be able to hold onto my firearms, sort the hares and attend the range without any worry between licence expiries. I was more than happy to get an extra month+ on my old licence free.
Dannyb has given the best advice in the thread so far. My interactions with the FSA was pretty seamless.

Edit to add: I submitted my online renewal application the day before expiry.

It would be real easy to mess up the application if something didn’t load etc or you were missing some info. I used an online tool that vetted the passport photo I took at home in the couple days prior. I’m not going to lie, there was an element of stress.