Northern Territory Firearms Licensing: Gun Licence Categories, Fees and the 28 Day Wait (2026)

The Northern Territory licenses firearms under the Firearms Act 1997, with five categories, A, B, C, D and H, and a closed list of 12 genuine reasons at section 11(2) that does not include personal protection. A shooter's or junior licence cannot be granted earlier than 28 days after the application is made, a separate permit to acquire a firearm carries its own 28 day wait, and, unlike the licensing regimes in South Australia and Tasmania, a Northern Territory licence is not renewable: the holder must lodge a fresh application, and lodging it before the old licence expires keeps the old licence in force until the new application is decided.

Information last verified 28 September 2026 against the Firearms Act 1997 (NT), as in force at 30 June 2026, and Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services (NT PFES) published fee and policy pages.

This page is part of the Australia weapons law section and addresses firearms and gun licensing under the law of the Northern Territory only, administered by NT PFES. For the genuine reason framework compared across all eight Australian jurisdictions, see firearms licensing in Australia. For firearm storage requirements compared across states, see firearm storage laws in Australia, and for non firearm self defence items, see capsicum spray and taser laws in Australia.

Five Licence Categories and a Closed List of Genuine Reasons

Firearms Act 1997 (NT) sets out five licence categories, A, B, C, D and H, each tied to the type of firearm it covers and the purpose it may be used for. Before any category can be granted, s 11(2) requires the applicant to establish one of 12 specific genuine reasons, set out as a closed list rather than an open standard. Personal protection is not one of the 12 reasons, and the Act contains no separate self defence provision.

A Northern Territory firearms licence therefore confers no authority to possess or use a firearm for personal protection, whatever category is held. Non firearm self defence items, such as capsicum spray or a taser type device, are governed separately from the Firearms Act and are addressed on capsicum spray and taser laws in Australia, which compares the position across all eight Australian jurisdictions.

Fit and Proper: The Reapplication Bar After a Firearms Offence

Section 10(2A) of the Firearms Act sets a graduated bar on granting a licence to a person found guilty of an offence against the Firearms Act, the Weapons Control Act 2001, or any offence involving a firearm. The Commissioner must not grant a licence unless a set waiting period has passed since the finding of guilt: 2 years, if the outcome was a pecuniary penalty only, or a qualifying non custodial order such as a Sentencing Act 1995 s 10 order or a conviction free community correction order; or 5 years, if the outcome was a custodial sentence, measured from the finding of guilt or from release from custody, whichever is later.

Section 10(3) also bars a licence for an applicant found guilty of a disqualifying offence within 10 years or an offence of violence within 5 years, or who has had a final domestic violence order in force within 5 years, or is subject to a personal violence restraining order or an order to keep the peace.

This is graduated by the severity of the outcome, rather than a single flat bar. It sits alongside the Act's general genuine reason and training requirements as part of the Commissioner's overall assessment of an applicant.

Age Requirements and the Junior Club Licence

The general minimum age for a Northern Territory firearms licence is 18, under s 9(2)(a). The one exception is a firearms club junior licence under s 28, which NT PFES's own licence and permit eligibility page states can be granted from age 10. This is a materially lower floor than the 12 year minimum used for minors' permits in South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

A firearms club junior licence authorises possession and use of a firearm only under the personal supervision of a licensee holding a licence in the same category, and only for instruction at an approved shooting range or for competing in an approved shooting event. The Act's text does not itself subdivide the junior licence by age band within the 10 to 17 year range. It remains in force until the holder turns 18 (s 14(1)(b)), and the Commissioner may refuse a permit to purchase or acquire a firearm to a junior licence holder under s 35(3)(b), a discretionary refusal power rather than an absolute statutory bar.

Training Must Be Completed Before a Licence Is Granted

Section 10(3)(c) requires the Commissioner to be satisfied that an applicant has completed an approved firearms training and safety course before granting a licence. Under s 10(6), the requirement does not apply to an applicant who already holds a licence when the application is made, or to an application for a paintball operator licence. NT PFES's own eligibility page restates this as a plain requirement for applicants: they must have undertaken an approved Firearm Safety Training Course, or passed an approved Firearms Safety Test.

The 28 Day Wait, for a Licence and for a Permit to Acquire

A shooter's licence or a firearms club junior licence cannot be granted earlier than 28 days after the day the application is made, under s 10(2). Under s 10(5), the Commissioner may grant a shooter's licence earlier if the applicant already held a shooter's licence when applying and the prescribed checks are complete. Holding a licence does not itself authorise acquiring a firearm: a separate permit to purchase or acquire a firearm is required, and that permit carries its own 28 day wait under s 35(4).

Section 35(5) allows that wait to be waived in two circumstances: where the prescribed checks are complete and the applicant already holds a licence and owns a registered firearm with an established genuine need, or, for Category A or B specifically, where the applicant already holds a licence for that category and already owns a registered firearm of the same category. Once issued, a permit to acquire remains valid for the period stated on it, or until the firearm is acquired, whichever happens sooner (s 35(6)).

Licence Terms Are Long, But Not Renewable

Licence terms under s 14(1) are: 10 years for a Category A or B shooter's licence; 5 years for Category C, D or H, with Category D possibly shorter at the Commissioner's discretion; to age 18 for a junior licence; 5 years for a dealer's, armourer's, instructor's, club or paintball operator's licence; 5 years or a shorter specified period for a paintball employee licence; 10 years for a collector's licence; 10 years or a shorter specified period for a corporate or employee licence; and for the life of the holder for an antique firearms collector's licence. A shooter's licence covering more than one category runs for the shortest of those periods (s 14(1A)), which is why a licence covering Categories A, B and C runs for 5 years.

Section 14(3) then states plainly that a licence is not renewable, and a fresh application must be made for the grant of a new licence as required. This makes a Northern Territory licence long in duration but structurally different from a renewable licence: the holder starts the application process again rather than filing a renewal. Timing matters. Under s 14(4) and (5), if the holder lodges an application for a new licence of the same type before the current licence expires, the current licence stays in force past its expiry date until the new application is granted or refused; a holder who waits until after expiry does not get that continuation. A licence also expires 3 months after the holder ceases to permanently reside in the Territory (s 14(2)), a residency based expiry rule specific to the Northern Territory among the jurisdictions checked for this page.

Current Firearms and Gun Licence Fees, FY2026-27

NT Police's Firearm Application Fees schedule, effective 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, sets out the current fees. Selected figures:

Corporate licences carry a sliding fee tied to the licence term, from $539.00 for 10 years down to $53.00 for 1 year; employee licences follow a separate sliding scale. The full sliding tables sit in NT Police's own fee schedule.

Safe Storage by Category

Section 46 sets the general safekeeping duty for every licensee, with a maximum penalty of 50 penalty units ($9,700) or 12 months' imprisonment for an individual, and 250 penalty units ($48,500) for a body corporate; s 46(3) allows regulations setting the minimum storage standards, and s 47 lets police seize a firearm reasonably believed to be stored non compliantly. Section 99A is a different provision, governing the Commissioner's own custody of seized or surrendered firearms pending disposal, not the licensee's storage duty.

NT PFES's storage guidance sets the practical specifications under that regulation making power. For Category A or B firearms, the recommended standard is metal at least 3.0mm thick, with 2.0mm as the hard floor below which a receptacle will not be considered compliant, a recessed or flush door, non removable hinges, at least 2 bolt down points (4 recommended), and 2 internal locking points; a receptacle weighing more than 150kg empty need not be bolted down. For Category C, D or H firearms, the door must be at least 6mm metal (6mm is also recommended throughout), with non removable hinges and safe quality locks, at least 2 locking bolts for Category C or D, and at least 1 lock for Category H (2 if the opening's swinging edge exceeds 50mm); these safes must be fixed to a wall or floor regardless of weight. A combination cabinet, an A/B standard main cabinet containing a separately locked, equal or greater thickness internal compartment reachable only after opening the outer cabinet, can be used to store a Category H firearm. Full detail on how storage compares across jurisdictions this site has verified is at firearm storage laws in Australia.

Registration

Firearms are registered under s 36, in Part 5 of the Act. The applicant lodges the prescribed form and fee with the Commissioner, who is to register the firearm, subject to s 36. The Commissioner is not to register a firearm unless the applicant holds a licence covering its category (s 36(3)(a)), may refuse if the applicant holds a firearms club junior licence (s 36(3)(b)), and may refuse if the firearm is not produced to a police officer for inspection (s 36(4)). A refusal to register is reviewable by NTCAT (Schedule 7 item 6).

Interstate Recognition: A 2 Day Window for Category C, D and H

A visitor from another state or territory does not need a Northern Territory licence to possess Category A, B, C or H firearms and ammunition while participating in an approved shooting competition at approved premises, or for another prescribed purpose, provided they hold a corresponding interstate licence, under s 92. Section 92 lists only Categories A, B, C and H, so it gives no visitor exemption for Category D.

For a person moving to the Northern Territory, both new resident periods apply only once the person notifies the Commissioner in writing of their intention to reside in the Territory, and they run from the time of that notice (s 93(1) to (3)). Section 93(2) then treats a corresponding Category A or B interstate licence as valid for 3 months, or until the new licence application is decided, whichever is sooner. For a corresponding Category C (other than paintball), D or H licence, s 93(3) allows only 2 days, the shortest fixed recognition period among the jurisdictions this site has checked (South Australia instead gives new residents no authority to use category C, D or H firearms); after that 2 day window, s 93(4) protects a person who notified the Commissioner and applied for a Northern Territory licence before the 2 day period expired from committing a possession offence while that application is being determined.

Key Offences and Penalties

Failing to store a firearm safely under s 46 is an offence carrying a maximum of 50 penalty units ($9,700 at the FY2026-27 value of $194 per unit) or 12 months' imprisonment for an individual, and 250 penalty units ($48,500) for a body corporate. The $194 value applies from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, under the NT Attorney-General's Department penalty unit table.

How to Apply

In outline, an applicant lodges a licence application with NT PFES, who assess whether the applicant has a genuine reason under the s 11(2) closed list, is not barred under the s 10(2A) reapplication rule, and has completed an approved firearms training and safety course under s 10(3)(c), unless an exemption in s 10(6) applies. A shooter's or junior licence cannot be granted earlier than 28 days after the application is made, under s 10(2), unless the applicant already held a shooter's licence and the prescribed checks are done (s 10(5)). Once licensed, acquiring a specific firearm requires a separate permit to acquire, which itself carries a 28 day wait under s 35(4) unless the s 35(5) waiver applies, and the firearm is then registered under s 36 at the time of purchase.

Reviewing a Licence Refusal

A refusal to grant a licence can be reviewed by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) (s 50, Schedule 7 item 1), except a refusal based on criminal intelligence under s 10(8A), which Schedule 7 excludes; s 10(8B) also means no reasons need be given for that kind of refusal. Firearm prohibition orders have their own dedicated review pathway under ss 49L and 49M, in Division 3 of Part 8A. For other reviewable decisions, s 50 gives NTCAT jurisdiction to review a decision specified in Schedule 7, which sets out the specific list of reviewable decisions and who counts as an affected person entitled to apply; s 51 modifies NTCAT's normal constitution rules specifically for firearms review proceedings.

The Firearms Act sets no time limit of its own, so the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2014 default applies: an application must be filed within 28 days after the applicant is notified of the decision, or after a requested statement of reasons is given or was due, whichever is earlier (s 94(3)(b) and (7)), and NTCAT may extend that time (s 94(6)). NT Police's current fee schedule does confirm a real, costed step in the process: lodging a notice of appeal with the firearms tribunal costs $89.00.

Reforms: The National Firearms Register and the 2026 Self Check

National Cabinet agreed to a National Firearms Register on 6 December 2023, implementation commenced 1 July 2024, and NT PFES's own page states the register is expected to be operational by mid-2028. As the first phase of that project, NT PFES required every Northern Territory firearms licence holder to complete a mandatory firearms self check by 17 April 2026. That deadline has passed; the self check was the first phase of the register project. NT PFES states that, from 1 January 2026, a licence holder must have completed the self check before any firearm licence or permit application of theirs is processed. Whether a second phase has started was not confirmed in the most recent review of this page.

The Territory's own Firearms Amendment Act 2026 (NT), in force from 30 June 2026, added an offence of producing, selling, distributing or possessing a digital blueprint for manufacturing a firearm or firearm part on a 3D printer or electronic milling machine, with a maximum of 14 years' imprisonment (s 61B).

A separate National Firearms Buyback Scheme was announced by the Prime Minister on 19 December 2025. Its operational detail, including how or whether it will apply in the Northern Territory, was not settled as of the most recent review of this page, so it is described here only as announced, not as a scheme with settled mechanics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a Northern Territory firearms licence for personal protection?

No. Section 11(2) of the Firearms Act 1997 (NT) sets a closed list of 12 genuine reasons for any category of licence, and personal protection is not one of them. There is no separate self defence clause elsewhere in the Act.

What is the minimum age for a firearms licence in the Northern Territory?

18, under s 9(2)(a). The one exception is a firearms club junior licence, which NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services states can be granted from age 10, lower than the 12 year floor used in South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

How long do I have to wait for a Northern Territory firearms licence?

A shooter's or junior licence cannot be granted earlier than 28 days after the application is made, under s 10(2), unless the applicant already held a shooter's licence and the prescribed checks are done (s 10(5)). A separate permit to acquire a firearm has its own 28 day wait under s 35(4), which can be waived in limited circumstances under s 35(5).

Can I renew my Northern Territory firearms licence?

No. Section 14(3) states that a licence is not renewable, and a fresh application must be made for the grant of a new licence. If that application is lodged before the current licence expires, the current licence stays in force until the new application is decided (s 14(4)). This applies even though Northern Territory licence terms, up to 10 years for Category A or B, are longer than some other jurisdictions'.

How much does a Northern Territory firearms licence cost?

A Category A/B only shooters licence is $269.00 for 10 years, and a Category C or Category H licence is $269.00 for 5 years, under NT Police's fee schedule effective 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Other licence and permit types carry different fees; see the fee table above.

What happens if I have a firearms related conviction?

Section 10(2A) bars the Commissioner from granting a licence for 2 years after a finding of guilt resulting in a fine or a qualifying non custodial order, or for 5 years after a custodial sentence or release from custody, whichever is later.

Can I appeal a refused firearms licence application in the Northern Territory?

Yes, in most cases. A licence refusal is reviewable by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal under s 50 and Schedule 7, except a refusal on criminal intelligence grounds under s 10(8A). The Firearms Act sets no time limit, so under the NTCAT Act 2014 an application must be filed within 28 days after the applicant is notified of the decision (s 94(3)(b)), and NTCAT may extend that time (s 94(6)). Lodging a notice of appeal currently costs $89.00.