Below is a simple step by step process to getting your firearms license or additional firearm added to your existing license.

New Applications

Step 1. Genuine Reason.

Generally speaking there are only two commonly used genuine reasons for having firearms in WA.

1: Hunting / Destroying livestock / vermin control / target shooting (No handguns)
2: Competition Club Shooting (But you may then only use it at the club)

Each genuine reason requires its own paperwork for the licensing process. If you are wanting a firearm for destroying 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 will determine the maximum calibre you will be able to license.
For more information on what you can license on your property call firearms licensing on: 1300 171 011 or Email Licensing Services Firearms.

Roughly work on:
Air Rifle - 5 to 25 acres
Shotgun - 10 acres
Rimfire - 25 to 100 acres
Large Calibre Low Velocity C/Fire - 150 Acres
Small Cal High Velocity C/Fire - 150 to 1,000 Acres
Large Cal High Velocity C/Fire - 1,000 to 2,000 Acres
With the 2025 regulations you may be required to renew the permissions each licence renewal.

BY LAW YOU CANNOT BUY PROPERTY PERMISSION.

If you are a recreational club shooter you will need a letter of support from a shooting club. Each shooting club is different and will require you to be a financial member for a period of time before writing you a support letter. To find and contact a club near you head over to the SSAA WA website and use the ‘Find Branches’ feature. This license type is known as a “Club Support” license and will require you to remain a financial and active member of a shooting club in order to keep your firearm license.

Once you have determined what type of firearm you are able to license your next step is to purchase a firearm.

Step 2. Purchase a firearm.

When you have purchased a firearm from the Shooters Shed you will be supplied with a Serviceability Certificate. This certificate contains the details of the firearm you have purchased and will be used in the licensing process.
Please note. You are not be able to take the gun out of the store until you return with the firearm noted on your new license.

Step 3. Complete the Firearms Awareness Test

The firearms awareness test is a multiple choice test and can be carried out by a shooting club or by a registered firearms dealer. The test is $30, but if you buy a gun from us, you can sit this test free of charge at Shooters Shed.
Please ensure that you have read through the WA Police Firearm Safety Booklet before sitting the test.

Step 4. Application for Firearms Licence

Now that you have a genuine reason paperwork, firearms safety awareness certificate and serviceability certificate you are ready to fill out your application form.

GENUINE REASON/NEED: There is a requirement for you to justify your reason for being approved.

Following are example, but please make sure you use your own needs on your application.
Category A examples may be:
Air Rifle: Humane destruction of rats inside a shed up to 25meters.
Rim fire: Humane destruction of Rabbits up to 75m using subsonic bullets.
Shotgun: Humane destruction of foxes on the run.

Category B requires you to explain why a Category A cannot do the job. Examples may be:
223Rem: Humane destruction of Foxes up to 200m, my rimfire 22lr cannot shoot that distance.
243Win: Humane destruction of Feral Dogs up to 300m, my 223 does not dispatch the dogs humanely.
308Win: Humane destruction of Feral Pigs at 200m using 150gr bonded projectiles, my 243 does not have sufficient penetration to humanely kill large pigs at the distance.
6.5Creedmoor: Humane destruction of Feral Cats at night to 200m with a thermal rifle scope (attach the scope receipt to the application)

Once completed and validated you will then print the document to take to the post office to pay the fee and submit the application to licensing. At the present time new firearms licenses can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to process.  Don’t forget to bring 100 points of ID to the post office!

Step 5. 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 detailed photos of your storage safe. You can either email or post these photos back to licensing.
View the specifications for approved firearm storage.

Step 6. Picking up your firearm

Once you have your license you can come back to the dealer to pick up your firearm.
Shooters Shed recommends purchasing a case or bag for your firearm before leaving the store.
These come in all shapes, sizes and cost as little $55.