Getting your Firearms license in Tasmania
Step 1. Establishing a genuine reason
The simplest way to establish a genuine reason to own a category A/B firearm is to either/both be a financial member of a shooting club or have permission to hunt or perform pest control duties on private land. Depending on what you would like to use your future firearms for will depend on the route that you go.
Target Shooting
For this to be a genuine reason you will need to apply to a shooting club in the state that holds competitions or activities for the desired firearm. Once you have been accepted as a member and have proof i.e. a membership card you can continue on with your application.
Pest Control/Hunting
If you want to hunt or perform pest control duties on private land. You must produce a statutory declaration or official document signed by the owner or occupier of the land. If you don’t have access to private land you can contact The Director of the National Parks and Wildlife, or the Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Corporation established under section 6 of the Forestry Act 1920 giving permission to shoot a specified type of animal or vermin on specified land. Copy of document required with application. Keep in mind you don’t need both of these to establish a genuine reason either one will be sufficient for your application.
If you wish to own any category B firearms you will need to have a genuine need for these. You are required to give a reason as to why category A firearms are unsuitable. This is a simple as saying you would like to participate in centrefire shooting competitions or for deer hunting even if you don’t currently have a permit to hunt deer.
Once you have the required documents you can then proceed to the next step.
Step 2. Getting an firearms application
These forms are supplied at any servicetas stores across the state. Once you have gone in and picked up an application. Fill it out with the required information along with any relevant documents from step 1. Hand it in to a servicetas store they will make sure its filled out correctly and then they will take a processing fee as well as the fee for the license. Then you will need to wait for it to be approved, once it has been approved you can move onto step 3.
Step 3. Booking in for your firearms safety course
If you get approved for your license you will then be sent out some documentation regarding dates and fees for the safety course. This will be run by TasTafe at a range they have selected. You will be required to select up to 3 dates that they you would be able to attend. Once you have sent off the documents and paid for the course they will send you your date of the course that is available in relation to the 3 you chose. You will also get some study notes and some multiple choice questions that need to be completed before you attend your course.
Step 4. Attending and completing your firearms safety course
On the day of the course you will need to bring the multiple choice tests that you filled out beforehand. These will be handed into the teacher on the day who will mark them. He will let you know how many answers you are required to answer correctly to pass. You will then sit through the lesson which will comprise of a theory session as well as a practical session. At the end of the day the teacher will let you know if you have passed. If you have passed you will then be sent a certificate that says you passed, The Police will also get a copy of this information.
Step 7. Receiving permission from the police
Once the police have received your paperwork regarding the successful completion of the firearms safety course they will then send you a letter to say that you can go and get your photo taken for your license. For this you will go into servicetas just like you would with your driver’s license. At this stage you can proceed two ways.
Step 8 Applying for a permit to acquire
This can be done when getting your photo taken but you will need to make sure that either
a) You have satisfied the requirement for a safe storage receptacle at your current address i.e. a gun safe secured to the wall or floor
b) if you do not wish to store them at your address or have yet to install a safe but have permission from another licensed firearms owner who satisfies these requirements you can put down their address on the permit.
On the permit you will need to specify what category of firearm you would like to purchase. Keep in mind you can only purchase a firearm that falls under the category that you have applied for
It takes a minimum of 28 days for the PTA to be processed and approved in this time the Police will attend the address that was put down on the permit and make sure that the storage is acceptable. In the mean time you can put down a deposit on the desired firearm that you wish to purchase.
Step 9. Receiving your PTA
If you have satisfied the requirements needed by the police you will be issued your PTA. You are then free to go and purchase or pick up your firearm.
It is 7 steps , not 9.
I think it should be noted that land owners with more than 5 acres have a genuine reason for vermin control and a rate notice is sufficient evidence. The guide on the police website doesn’t mention this and assumes a vermin control reason is for someone else’s land!