An all too often asked question. 

Do I need a serial number for a Permit To Acquire?

The answer comes in two parts:

1. If acquiring from a Dealer = No

2. If acquiring from an Individual = Yes

If you just want a Permit and you don’t know where you’re getting the gun from, you can’t get a Permit. 

You have to nominate a disposer. 

A lot of advice from well meaning individuals floats around the place, but let’s take a look at the reality of Permits To Acquire in Queensland. 

Stage 1 – Identification

As you can see from the above, this is where you identify yourself as the licence holder. 

Be careful when you enter your email address here and make sure that it is 100% correct both times. 

Queensland Weapons Licensing use this information to update their database. The email address you enter here is the email address that the next correspondence you receive from QLD Weapons Licensing will be sent from. This could be an approval email, it could be a licence renewal. 

Stage 2 – Let’s Assume Dealer Disposer

If you were planning on buying a gun from On Target Sporting Arms or having us broker the sale, those are the details you would enter into this page of the QLD Weapons Licensing system, this would then lead onto…

Stage 3 – Weapon Details

As you can see, when acquiring a “weapon” or firearm from a dealer, you are only required to provide the Category, Description, Calibre and Action. Serial Number is NOT required. 

You can voluntarily put a serial number in there, but don’t. This is provided at time of collection of the gun and many times, people get it wrong resulting in un-necessary delays through the need for a re-issue by QLD Weapons Licensing.

So that comprehensively answers the question IF you are buying from or having a firearm brokered by a Licensed QLD Firearms Dealer.  

NO – You do NOT need a Serial Number to be issued a Permit. 

If you’ve decided you are purchasing a Cat A, 12GA, Break-Action Shotgun then get a PTA for exactly that. 

Stage 2A – Let’s Assume an Individual as Disposer

As you can see above, if you’re purchasing a firearm from an individual you must:

• Identify the individual. Full Legal Name
• Provide the individuals Address as known by Weapons Licensing
• Provide the individuals Weapons Licence Number

How comfortable does that make you feel? 

Think about this for a minute. You sell a gun online and the purchaser, quite possibly some random on the internet that you’ve never met and don’t know needs your Full Name, Licence Number and the Address of where you store your guns so that they can complete a Permit To Acquire.

Stage 3A – Weapons Details If Individual Disposer

As you can see from the above, this is an example of the Weapon Details required when the disposer is an individual. 

Not only do you need a Serial Number, but you also need Make & Model. 

What have we learnt today?

This exercise has shown that you don’t need to know a Serial Number IF you nominate a QLD Firearms Dealer as a disposer. 

You do need to know a Serial Number IF you nominate an individual, but you must also know the Make & Model as well as the Individuals Licence Number, Address & Full Legal Name. 

To break it down even more simply. 

Leave the firearms dealing and brokerage to Firearms Dealers.

If you want to buy a gun, but you aren’t sure what gun then talk to your local dealer and ask for advice. 

They may not have what you want in-stock, but they might be able to get it in. 

IF you find a gun online, then have it sent to your local dealer and broker it through there. This makes the PTA process simple and uncomplicated.