Before granting an application for a firearms licence or a permit to acquire a firearm, the Commissioner of Police must be satisfied the applicant is able to meet the storage and safety requirements of the Firearms Act 1996. The requirements are outlined in Part 5 of the Act (sections 84-87A) and within Regulations 9A – 9C and 17 – 18 of the Firearms Regulations 2016.
All licences are issued subject to the condition that the licensee complies with these requirements for firearms in their possession.
People in possession of firearms are required to comply with Section 84 of the Act, which is an over-arching provision requiring that all reasonable precautions are taken to ensure that firearms, firearm parts or ammunition are kept safely, not stolen or lost and do not come into the possession of a person not authorised to possess them.
In addition to the over-arching provisions of Section 84, there are specific requirements relevant to each category of firearm (A, B, C, D, H) and additional requirements for people possessing Category H firearms or if there are 10 or more firearms of any category being stored (Refer Section 85 of the Act and Regulations 9A – 9C).
As part of its responsibility to administer and enforce the legislation, Tasmania Police undertakes regular and routine inspections of licence holder storage arrangements.
The checklist template attached to this document is designed to inform licence holders of the manner in which such inspections are conducted. Licence holders are encouraged to use this tool to assess whether they comply with the storage and safe-keeping requirements.
Further information about storage requirements and the inspection process can be found at fas.police.tas.gov.au or by contacting Firearms Services on (03) 6173 2720.