Licensed firearms owners across NSW are waking up to new rules today, as the second phase of the state’s most significant firearms reforms in a generation takes effect.
The changes flow from the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025, which was passed following the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach in which 15 people were killed. The reforms are being rolled out in stages to give the NSW Firearms Registry time to implement the changes and allow licence holders to become compliant.
The most widely felt change for existing licence holders is the reduction in licence terms. From today, firearms licences can only be issued for a maximum of two years, down from five. Licences already held remain valid until their existing expiry date, but no new five-year licences will be available for fresh applications or renewals.
Strengthened identity verification processes also take effect today, making identity checks mandatory before any licence or permit application, including renewals, can proceed. The government says this formalises existing practice.
New conditions also apply to Permits to Acquire. A permit will not be issued unless the applicant can demonstrate they meet safe storage requirements. Additionally, the Commissioner must now be satisfied the applicant has never been investigated by a Commonwealth or state law enforcement or intelligence agency for terrorism-related offences, and is not residing or associating with anyone who has been investigated for such offences.
An internal administrative change also delegates certain decisions involving criminal intelligence to an Assistant Commissioner or above.
“First and foremost, these changes are about public safety,” said Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley.
“Owning a firearm is a privilege, not a right.”