*Leaving your firearm at a gunsmiths for longer than 30 days (whether it be for being worked on or waiting for pick up) or lending your firearm to a friend/relative or another person for longer than 30 days, while it won't trigger an event, by law you would need to transfer possession online which would then trigger an event requiring you to register all of your firearms within 30 days..
22/8/2023 There has been a lot of confusion around what is an arms item that will trigger the registry, hope this clarifies everything:
What activates the Registry as per Firearms Safety Authority Website:
You must register all specified arms items in your possession the first time and only time any of the following situations apply. These are referred to in the Arms Amendment Regulations as ‘activating circumstances’. (scroll to the top if it doesn't default to the top)
Part 9 Arms registry
36 Interpretation
(1) In this Part and Schedule 1B, arms item—
(a) means any firearm (including a prohibited firearm), prohibited magazine, major firearm part, restricted weapon, or pistol carbine conversion kit; but
(b) does not include an antique firearm.
** Be aware - If you purchase a part such as a bolt, suppressor, barrel, stock etc as per the above definition purchasing these parts will not trigger the registry even if purchasing by Police Mail Order Form, however if you put a serial number on your PMOF when purchasing these parts, the registry could be triggered. The only items that WILL trigger the registry are : any firearm (including a prohibited firearm), prohibited magazine, major firearm part, restricted weapon, or pistol carbine conversion kit **
Registry info, I have had the following clarifications from the Firearms Safety Authority regarding the new registry starting 24/6/2023:
Purchasing ammunition from a dealer or an individual will NOT trigger an event until June 2025.
Purchasing a suppressor - you will not need to register your firearm
Modifications
Only applicable circumstance “modification of a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm”. This is straight from The Arms regulations.
Therefore gunsmithing such as threading, suppressors, fluting, triggers etc is NOT a triggering event.
Purchasing gun parts
If you purchase a "non prohibited" part, such as a barrel, stock, bolt, magazine or suppressor (anything that isn't a firearm or "major part" see below for major part definition from the Arms Regulations 1992), whether it be from a dealer or another individual either face to face with a firearms licence or by mail order that requires a police mail order form, this will NOT trigger an event.
major firearm part means—
(a) the action (frame, receiver, or upper receiver and lower receiver) of a firearm:
(b) the frame of a pistol:
(c) a calibre conversion component or kit of a pistol.
Therefore purchasing a suppressor, ammunition or other gun part from us (regardless of whether a pmof is required) will NOT be a triggering event that you must register.
Purchasing a firearm
* Purchasing a firearm (whether brand new or second hand) from a dealer will trigger an "event" resulting in needing to register all of your firearms.
* Purchasing a firearm from another person (not a dealer) face to face regardless of whether the firearm is currently registered will trigger an event and the firearm will need to be registered and BOTH parties will need to register all of their own firearms.
* If you are purchasing a firearm from another person and you are unable to do the face to face transaction and a Police Mail Order Form will be involved, then this IS a triggering event and you will BOTH have to register all of your firearms.
Registering Pistol Magazines and the registry:
Pistol magazines (that are sold individually/separate from a pistol) do not need to be registered on the registry.
Some examples from Firearms Safety Authority Website where you may need to register all of your firearms early (valid from 24th June 2023):
* The first time you apply for a licence or endorsement , you must register all items in your possession within 30 days
*The first time you notify NZ Police of a change in your licence holder information (such as personal, business, contact or licence details) you must register all items in your possession within 30 days. ** this includes a change of phone number and or email address **
*The first time you purchase or receive an arms item (from a dealer or individual firearms licence holder), you must register that item as soon as is practicable, but within 30 days.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time you sell or supply an arms item you must register that item at the time of the sale or supply, or immediately after.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time you import an arms item you must register that item within 30 days of the item being released by New Zealand Customs.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time you export an arms item you must register that item within 5 days of the date of exportation.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time you manufacture an arms item you must register that item within 5 days of manufacture.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time you modify a prohibited firearm to a non-prohibited firearm you must register that item within 5 days of its modification.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time that you notify Police of the loss or theft of an arms item, you must register that arms item immediately after the loss or theft is known to have happened.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*The first time that you notify Police of the destruction of an arms item, you must register that arms item within 5 days of its destruction.
You must register all remaining arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
*If you are subject to any arms-related compliance or enforcement action by Police you must register all arms items in your possession within 30 days.
* Manufacturing ammunition for sale is an activating event, reloading is not an activating event
******* Being a referee for someone is NOT an activating event for the referee BUT it IS an activating event for the applicant. *********
* If you have a firearm that is interchangeable with different barrels that have different calibres such as cz455, thompson contenders, hardy hybrid, choose a calibre and register under that calibre.
* Engraving serial numbers/identification markings on receivers to be compliant with registry
We are offering an engraving service for those receivers that currently do not have a serial number or identification number.
This is not a triggering event
A serial number/identification number on your receiver is a requirement when registering your firearm/receiver.
$75 incl GST per receiver/firearm.
From 24th June 2025
The first time you purchase ammunition from 24 June 2025, you must register all arms items in your possession within 30 days of this activating circumstance.
You do not need to register the ammunition itself.