Importing a Firearm Into NSW in 2026: Permits, PTAs and What Changed
Magnum Sports — NSW Firearms Dealer Licence No. 413159984, 19 Babbage Road, Roseville Chase NSW 2069. Checked against the ABF, Home Affairs and NSW Police Firearms Registry on 19 October 2026.
If you live in New South Wales and want to bring a rifle, shotgun, part or ammunition in from overseas, you need two approvals before it lands: federal permission to import it, and confirmation from the NSW Police Firearms Registry that you may lawfully possess it here. Since 22 January 2026 the federal side has tightened sharply. Ordinary Category A and B rifles and shotguns still go through the NSW Firearms Registry on a single-use B709A police certification. Handguns, straight-pull and lever-release firearms, speed loaders and several other items now need written permission from the Department of Home Affairs instead, and some are effectively closed to private import. Unregistered firearms must be received by a NSW licensed dealer, and nothing changes the NSW rules on licences, Permits to Acquire and storage.
What changed on 22 January 2026
The changes were made under the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026 and set out in Australian Customs Notice No. 2026/02. They took effect the day after the notice, with no transition period for new orders, and industry reported firearm imports stalling at the border while the new process was worked out.
The changes that matter to a NSW shooter:
Handguns. Police certification no longer applies. Imports need written permission from Home Affairs under the sports shooter, international sports shooter, dealer or a new handgun test.
Straight-pull and assisted-opening (lever-release) firearms. Home Affairs permission only. They are now assessed on the same tests as a semi-automatic firing the same ammunition: rimfire rifles and shotguns are treated according to magazine capacity, and centrefire rifles fall into the same item as self-loading centrefires regardless of capacity. In practice that closes centrefire straight-pull imports to almost every private buyer.
Frames and receivers must be serial-number marked and are inspected on import, with the same permit requirements as the firearm they belong to.
Speed loaders (including revolver moon clips and stripper clips) need Home Affairs permission.
Magazines over 30 rounds are limited to official or specified purposes, and belt-fed firearms are treated like fully automatic firearms.
Police certification forms. The ongoing B709DA dealers once used for bulk imports is no longer valid. Only single-use certifications can be used.
A new public safety test lets the Minister refuse an import even when every other test is met.
Goods that arrived with a valid permit before 22 January 2026 could be cleared under the old rules. Everything else must meet the new ones.
How an import works for a NSW licence holder
For a Category A or B rifle or shotgun, the sequence is:
Hold the right NSW licence. The B709A certification only confirms that you may possess the item in NSW, so the Registry refuses it if you are not licensed for that category.
Nominate a NSW licensed dealer. A firearm arriving from overseas is unregistered, so the Registry requires you to name a NSW licensed dealer to receive it on your behalf.
Apply for the B709A to the NSW Police Firearms Registry, with the ancillary form for the item, the quantity, a full description and how it is being shipped.
Apply for a Permit to Acquire. Since 1 July 2026, a PTA application cannot be submitted in NSW until a satisfactory safe storage inspection has been confirmed, so book that early.
Customs clearance using the certification, then delivery to the dealer.
Registration and collection. Once the PTA is issued and the firearm is registered in your name, you collect it from the dealer.
The Registry's fact sheet says the certification is free, is valid for six months and can take up to 28 business days. That fact sheet predates the 2026 changes and still refers to the Attorney-General's Department and the old handgun form, so confirm current timeframes with the NSW Police Firearms Registry import page before you order.
Parts and accessories
Parts are where private imports most often go wrong. A barrel, stock, trigger or scope mount is generally a matter for the B709A process; a frame or receiver is treated as the firearm itself and is now serial-checked at the border. Anything that completes or converts a firearm into a different category is assessed on what it does, not on how the overseas seller lists it. A "spare part" label carries no legal weight.
Two NSW-specific points. Sound moderators are prohibited weapons in NSW and are not available to ordinary licence holders, whatever the federal permit position. And chassis kits that change how a firearm is classified need checking against your licence category before you buy, not after the parcel is held.
Ammunition
Ammunition imports also need NSW police certification. The Registry's ammunition application only certifies a private import where you have NSW-registered firearms that take that ammunition, or a licence or permit that authorises you to buy and possess it. Freight is the bigger obstacle in practice: ammunition is dangerous goods for shipping, and most overseas sellers will not send it to an individual. For almost everyone, buying locally is simpler. At Magnum Sports, ammunition is sold for collection at our Roseville Chase counter only; we do not ship it.
The NSW rules that sit on top
Federal permission never overrides NSW law. Before you import, check how these 2026 NSW changes apply to you:
Firearm limits. NSW now caps how many firearms a licence holder may own: four for general purposes, and ten for sport or target shooting, vertebrate pest control, primary production, or business or employment, with more possible with the Commissioner's approval. An imported firearm counts towards your limit.
Two-year licences are now the maximum term, so check your licence will still be current when the goods arrive.
Storage inspection before every PTA, as above.
Straight-pull and pump-action reclassification. The move of straight-pull and some pump-action firearms to Category C in NSW has passed but is not yet in force; it commences on proclamation on a date still to be set (NSW Government). The federal import rules above already treat straight-pull firearms more strictly, whatever their current NSW category.
Where private imports usually fail
Ordering first, applying second. Goods that arrive without a valid certification or permit are detained, and you may never be able to take possession.
Assuming a federal permit means NSW approval, or the reverse. You need both.
Misdescribing an item on a declaration, which turns a paperwork problem into a serious one.
Overseas sellers who say "we ship to Australia all the time." Their experience is not your permit.
Why most NSW shooters import through a dealer
You will need a NSW dealer to receive an imported firearm anyway, so it usually makes sense to let the dealer handle the whole import: classifying the item, the certifications, freight and storage. You receive a registered firearm with clean paperwork rather than a detention notice.
Magnum Sports, NSW Firearms Dealer Licence 413159984 at 19 Babbage Road, Roseville Chase, can tell you before you pay whether an item can come in under the 2026 rules, and receive it for you if it can. Ring (02) 9882 2689 or email sales@magnumsports.com.au with the listing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import a rifle from the US into NSW myself? For an ordinary Category A or B rifle, yes, with a NSW licence for that category, a single-use B709A certification from the NSW Firearms Registry, a NSW licensed dealer nominated to receive it and a PTA before you collect. Straight-pull and lever-release firearms now need Home Affairs permission instead, and centrefire versions are effectively closed to private import.
Do I need a Permit to Acquire for an imported firearm? Yes. The firearm arrives unregistered and goes to your nominated dealer. You collect it once your PTA is issued and it is registered in your name, and the PTA itself now needs a satisfactory storage inspection first.
Who approves handgun imports now? The Department of Home Affairs, not the NSW Firearms Registry, since 22 January 2026.
Can I import ammunition? Only with NSW police certification, which requires NSW-registered firearms in that calibre or a licence authorising it. Freight restrictions make it impractical for most individuals.
Does an imported firearm count towards the new NSW limit? Yes. Check your limit with the NSW Police Firearms Registry before you order.
Information here is general and current to 19 October 2026. Import rules have changed several times this year: confirm with the ABF firearms page, the Home Affairs importing firearms page and the NSW Police Firearms Registry before you buy.