Exporting Firearms Overseas

Including the Pacific Islands (September 2011)

Firstly you will need a permit to import the firearm into your country. The permit will need to be specific about the exact type of firearm, and we are not allowed to export some firearm types. Other restrictions, as applied by MFAT will apply to certain other countries.

If you have the permit already, you should select and pay for the gun and freight now to simplify matters, but we may need to refund the money later, somehow if the export does not proceed.

If you do not have the permit, you will need to select a (preferably new) firearm and send us the permit as soon as you get back. This ensures it is a gun we will have available when you finally get your permit. If you select a second-hand gun, it may have a fault we do not know about and we will not be responsible for repairs or faults in used firearms for export.

Taking it with you.  If you are a visitor to New Zealand who wishes to buy a firearm in New Zealand and take it overseas, you will almost certainly NOT be able to take the firearm back with you. All firearm exports have to be approved by the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs and Trade (MFAT)If export is approved, the gun will almost certainly travel by later, by airfreight.

The New Zealand Police have nothing to do with the exports of firearms.  It is arranged by us, (with your own country's import) permit through MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade.) If you try to take out firearms in your baggage without MFAT approval you risk having it confiscated by NZ Customs.

Firearms have to travel by airfreight. There are almost no exceptions to this.     For most typical Pacific destinations freight and documentation will be a minimum of $300 for a maximum of about 6kg including packaging.

If a permit arrives from you from overseas by mail or fax, we will confirm the price and availability of a suitable firearm and advise you. (Fax or email contact is needed, as well as a phone number). If not pre-paid, we will advise total cost of firearm, documentation and freight to the destination airport.

We will complete the export forms and send them to MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs.) A decision is usually received in 1 to 2 weeks.  On occasion, MFAT may refuse approval for a particular firearm (for example, avoid Pumps or Semi-autos) and may sometimes suggest a single shot or double barrel alternative. Or for various reasons MFAT may sometimes decline the export completely.

On approval of your export application we will ask you to pay for the firearm, freight and documentation, if it is not already paid-for. Airfreight can usually be arranged within a week of us receiving the MFAT approval and you paying for the firearm and freight.

Ammunition. Visitors should make their plans on purchasing their ammunition requirements in their own home country, not New Zealand. Ammunition (in small quantities) can travel in airline baggage, but the same restrictions apply to visitors buying and possessing ammunition in NZ as with firearms, making this option nearly impossible also. Ammunition cannot travel by airfreight, and shipping it in small quantities by sea is prohibitively expensive. The minimum sea-freight ammunition shipment charge is for a tonne/cubic meter of 1.4S or UN0012 dangerous goods. (Loaded ammunition).

WE CAN NOT SHIP ANY FIREARMS, PARTS OR AMMUNITION

RELATED PRODUCTS THROUGH THE MAIL / POST.