Southern Highlands Rifle Club
In NSW, any person seeking to possess and use a firearm must be authorised by way of a licence or permit.
All persons wishing to obtain a firearms licence in NSW must have a genuine reason for obtaining the licence and must meet a range of legislative requirements relating to that genuine reason.
Licence holders are only authorised to possess and use the category of firearm for which the licence has been issued and the firearm may only be used for the purpose established as being the genuine reason for holding the firearms licence.
A summary of the steps in obtaining a licence are shown below.
Please note the process will take time… including the mandatory 28 days waiting period once your completed application forms are received by the NSW Firearms Registry.
Contact the NSW Firearms Registry
Visit the NSW Firearms Registry website or call 1300 362 562 and provide your 'genuine reason' for using a firearm and the category of licence you want:
- Category A: air rifles, rim-fire rifles & shotguns
- Category B: centrefire rifles & shotgun/centrefire combinations
- Category H: pistols
You will need to complete the Personal Firearms Licence Form P561 and the Genuine Reason Form P660 and/or P661.
Have a genuine reason such as joining a target shooting club
To satisfy the ‘genuine reason’ for registration, shooters must join a target shooting club such as the SHRC or have another genuine reason.
The Genuine Reasons applicable to a firearms licence are:
- Sport / Target Shooting
- Recreational Hunting / Vermin Control
- Primary Production
- Vertebrate Pest Animal Control
- Business or Employment
- Rural Occupation
- Animal Welfare
- Firearms Collection
Complete a firearms safety training course
If you are applying for a licence for the first time you will need to complete a firearms safety training course by an accredited trainer for longarms or pistols.
- Firearms Safety Awareness Course for longarms
- Pistol Safety Training for handguns
The SHRC has its own accredited trainer. See our contact page for details.
Submit your completed application
Finally, submit your completed application forms to the NSW Firearms Registry and wait the mandatory 28 days for the issue of your licence.
Mail your application to:
Firearms Registry
Locked Bag 1
Murwillumbah NSW 2484
Once it is approved you will need to attend Service NSW for a licence photo and pay the applicable fee.