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Following is a guide to obtaining a Firearms Licence (excluding handguns or Cat C firearms).
1. Establish your Genuine Reason.
1. Establish your Genuine Reason.
Generally speaking there are only two commonly used genuine reasons for having firearms in WA.
- Hunting / Destroying livestock / Vermin control
- Club use or Recreational/ Sport Shooting
Each genuine reason requires its own paperwork for the licensing process.
Hunting / Recreational private property / Vermin control
If you want a firearm for livestock or vermin control you will need to be a property owner or have a ‘letter of support’ from a property owner. The size of the property and game will determine the maximum calibre you will be able to license. For more information on what you can license on your property contact WAPOL Firearms branch. This is what is known an “Open License” as it does not strictly require you to shoot regularly during the year.
Club competition shooting /club use only
If you are a recreational club sporting shooter you will need a ‘letter of support’ from a shooting club. Each shooting club is different and all will require you to be a financial member for a period of time before writing you a support letter.
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia WA – Link
This licence type is known as a “Club Support” licence and will require you to remain a financial and active member of a shooting club in order to keep your firearm licence. Your club will help you with the steps required to obtain your licence as well as advise you on what type of firearm that will be suitable for you to purchase.
Once you have determined what type of firearm you are able to licence your next step is to purchase a firearm.
2. Purchase a firearm
When you purchase a firearm from Downrange you will be supplied with a Serviceability Certificate if payed in full or layby payment meets 50% of the purchased price the certificate will be issued. This certificate contains the details of the firearm you have purchased and will be used in the licensing process. Please note; you will not be able to take the gun out of the store until you return with the firearm stated on your licence.
Second hand firearms / Brokering Purchases
If you are purchasing a second-hand firearm or wanting a firearm to be brokered from another dealer interstate or locally the charges associated will be a fee of $150.00 for the 4 weeks storage, insurance and Serviceability Certificate. You will need to have the firearm sent to the store so we can place the firearm on WAPOL licencing books and issue you a serviceability certificate and store the firearm until you have your licence is approved. Storage fees will apply after the 4 weeks initial free storage at $30 per month minimum. This ensure that application process is started and if delayed covers insurance cost for housing the firearms.
Transferring Dealer Information:
Downrange Services PTY LTD
DL#09993889
Unit 3/52 Erindale Road
Balcatta, W.A 6021
3. Complete the Firearms Awareness Test
The firearms awareness test is a multiple-choice test and will be carried out by your shooting club or by us here at Downrange Perth Firearms. Please ensure that you have read through the WA Police Firearms Safety Booklet before sitting the test. You will be issued a Safety Awareness Certificate after successfully completing this test; you will need this to send in with your application. If purchasing your first firearm through Downrange this certificate is inclusive of your firearm purchase. If only requiring to sit the test this will incur a fee of $25.00 to cover administration and archiving of your paperwork for WAPOL.
Firearms Safety Booklet – Link
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4. Obtain a support letter from your club or property owner
Once you have your serviceability certificate you take this back to your club, they will then issue you with your “Letter of Support” with the firearm information detailed on the Serviceability Certificate. There is a Property Letter form on the WAPOL website for the property owner to complete as support for an open licence.
5. Application for Firearms Licence
Now that you have:
- Genuine reason paperwork (either as letter of support from your club or a letter from a property owner)
- Firearms safety awareness certificate
- Firearm serviceability certificate
You are now ready to go online and fill out your application form. Once completed and validated you will then print the downloaded document and attach the above supporting documents to take to the post office for submitting here is where you pay the licence application fee to WAPOL, the post office will then submit your application to licensing. Don’t forget to take 100 points of ID to the Post Office (passport, drivers licence)
6. Storage
Once you have submitted your application at the post office you can use this time to organise a gun safe. The licensing department will contact you a few weeks after submitting your application requesting a Statutory Declaration 22 Form with detailed photos of your storage safe. You can either email or post these photos back to licensing. Check the WAPOL website for up to date storage requirements and regulations. Your ammunition is required to be stored in a separate approved locked container. Police also have the authority to inspect your storage facility at any time.
W.A Firearms storage requirements – Link
Storage Statement Form 22 – Link
Storage Statement Form 22 example – Link
How long will it take to get my licence?
There is no set time and it depends on various factors such as information provided and category of firearms. There is a mandatory 28 days cooling off period before your licence starts to be processed.
7. Picking up your firearm
Once you have your paper license and identification card you can go back to the dealer to pick up your firearm. Please note it is a requirement by law you must carry your paper licence and firearm extract card on you at all times when you are conveying your firearm or intending to purchase ammunition.
How do I Purchase Additional Firearms?
For an additional firearm licence the above steps apply, minus the safety awareness and usually the storage paperwork. The 28-day cooling off period also doesn’t apply to additional applications.
Licencing References:
Online Application Australian Post Site – Link
Licence and Registry Portal – Link
APPLYING FOR A HANDGUN LICENCE
The process for obtaining a licence for a handgun is as follows:
1. Membership.
1. Membership.
Join a handgun/pistol club. After being a member of a pistol club for at least 6 months, members may apply to licence a pistol. The club you join will hold different matches, which will allow you to apply for certain firearms/calibres depending on these matches. To find the club nearest you go to our branches page of the website.
2. Complete a safety awareness test.
3. Choose/purchase a handgun.
4. Obtain the serviceability form.
This is a form that a dealer can complete and sign once they have the handgun in their possession. It is a form that identifies the firearm you wish to licence (with its serial number, etc.)
5. Obtain Club & SSAA WA Support Letters.
You take the serviceability certificate to your club and ask for a support letter. You also need to have a SSAA WA support letter for handguns. With your club support letter and your SSAA WA support letter, you can then complete the application.
5. Complete an online application (original).
6. Submit the Application.
You then take all of this paper work to the post office with 100 points of ID. This is where you submit the application. It is now a matter of waiting for correspondence from Police Licensing.
7. Statutory Declaration 22 Form.
If your application is successful, you will need to show evidence of storage – I.E. Show them you have a safe and it has been fitted. Police Licensing will send you this paper work.
HUNTING IN WA
What can you hunt in WA?
Hunting in WA is limited to taking feral and pest animals on private property with the landowner’s permission.
Only a current “open” firearms licence is required to hunt on private property. There is no hunting permit or fee applicable. The following animals are some of the feral species that can be regularly taken in Western Australia: Rabbits, hares, foxes, pigs, wild dogs, goats, camels, donkeys, wild horse and wild cattle.
The SSAA Farmer Assist program has been developed to enable farmers with wildlife management issues to seek the assistance of members. SSAA members who participate in this program have all achieved a skill competency equivalent to professional shooter training and have committed to operating under a code of practice that demands safety, animal welfare and ethical behaviour.
Farmer Assist – https://farmerassist.com.au/
SSAA Farmer Assist Assessment Target – https://farmerassist.com.au/firearm-proficiency-requirements/
SSAA Farmer Assist Assessment Target Download – http://farmerassist.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/approved-assessment-target-1.pdf
SSAA also have Hunting and Conservation Groups who work with the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Department of Agriculture and Food WA, Recognised Biosecurity Groups, Catchment Councils and declared species groups to provide assistance with pest animal control programs.
SSAA Groups – http://www.ssaawa.org.au/conservation-wildlife-management/
SSAA Hunting and Conservation Clubs have stringent training and assessment programs for applicants. There are various Clubs around WA, to find out more about this program go to SSAA Conservation and Wildlife Management and the Branches pages of their website.
SSAA Branches – http://www.ssaawa.org.au/branches/
