The following is a summary only, for more information see Information Sheet 1 – Firearms Licensing in Tasmania Overview and Information Sheet 5 – Firearms Licence Holder Requirements
The Tasmanian Firearms Act 1996 requires a person wishing to obtain a licence or own a firearm to:
- possess a firearms licence in Tasmania
- be a Fit and Proper Person
- be over 18 years of age. (Minors Permits are available for ages 12 to 18)
You need to prove that you have a Genuine Reason to possess or use a firearm to have a licence. Licences are issued for the following reasons:
- Genuine Reason 1 – Sport or target shooting
- Genuine Reason 2 – Recreational hunting or vermin control
- Genuine Reason 3 – Primary production
- Genuine Reason 4 – Animal population control
- Genuine Reason 5 – Animal welfare
- Genuine Reason 6 – Business or employment as a firearms dealer, security agent or security guard
- Genuine Reason 6A – Commercial fishing (seal management)
- Genuine Reason 6B – Paintball operator or paintball employee
- Genuine Reason 7 – Firearms collection (firearms are inoperable and not to be fired without Commissioner of Police approval)
- Genuine Reason 8 – Show or exhibition (museum licence only)
You can have more than one Genuine Reason on your licence and can apply to get more added later.
If you apply for a Category B, C, D, or H licence you need to prove that you need that category of licence, and explain why another category isn’t going to be sufficient.
What do I have to do to get a firearms licence in Tasmania?
For more information, see the Firearms Licence Application Process information sheet or read Application Process.
Firearm licence types
There are several types of firearms licence in Tasmania.
Licences for different Genuine Reasons such as Sport or Target Shooting, Recreational Hunting and Vermin Control, or Primary Production can have different categories of firearms.
To find out more visit Categories of Firearms Licenses