Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

[StraightWhiteMale]

Yeah thanks guys. I have just been reading the act to bits. Thats all I can do suppose, today is day 24

[Oz95]

Hey Fellas, the long awaited day has come! Cat H license application submitted 22/7/19. Approval email recieved today 27/2/2020. A little over 7 months. Now still awaiting my Pta approval which was lodged 24/7/19. Hopefully the Pta doesn't become another issue. I was also told that there are a few other people in the same situation as me. So best of luck guys, the wait will be worth it... one day ha.

[StraightWhiteMale]

Hey Fellas, the long awaited day has come! Cat H license application submitted 22/7/19. Approval email recieved today 27/2/2020. A little over 7 months. Now still awaiting my Pta approval which was lodged 24/7/19. Hopefully the Pta doesn't become another issue. I was also told that there are a few other people in the same situation as me. So best of luck guys, the wait will be worth it... one day ha.

Congrats mate. What you going to buy for first pistol?

[Oz95]

Thanks mate, I'm looking at spending a little coin on a nice Sig Sauer legion p226 sao. I'll wait the 12months then look at buying a nice revolver, any suggestions?

[StraightWhiteMale]

Thanks mate, I'm looking at spending a little coin on a nice Sig Sauer legion p226 sao. I'll wait the 12months then look at buying a nice revolver, any suggestions?

Nice. When I get my H licence sig is what I will get for the semi auto. As for the revolver I watched a lot of dirty harry as a kid and I always wanted a 44 magnum.

Do you plan on getting your higher caliber licence down the track?

[rc42]

Oz95 - Great news, longest wait I've heard of on here. I'm seriously impressed at your self control for not having a pistol waiting for collection at your dealer, I held out for a month after my license application before ordering mine and that was my limit. You're scaring me that I might have to wait another 6 months before I can collect it though.

SWM - Semi auto 9mm is fun and revolvers are more fun that I expected, not sure which will be my second pistol in a year's time. The Class C pistols between .38 and .45 are more difficult to use as you can only fire them at accredited events so you need to be a real enthusiast to get one of those. Good to have a long term plan though.

I'm starting with rimfire, as most do, so that I can go to the range for practice and fire off a brick or two of ammo without having to take out a new mortgage.

[StraightWhiteMale]

I just noticed this feature on the SA police website. It shows a guide of where the police are upto with processing times. Thats a good little feature I must admit. It states it was updated on the 27 of Feb. They must update it once a week or something like that as an indication of where they are upto so people don't call them.

[Sawyer]

Here’s a bit of an update for my application. I called them on Friday (28/2/20) because I was pretty much in the 11th week and I thought it couldn’t hurt. I spoke to a lady and she was shocked I hadn't had an ID check, so while on the phone she confirmed all my documents and this morning (2/3/20) I finally received my ID check email, which I’ll do tomorrow. Hopefully the approval email will follow not long after.

[StraightWhiteMale]

Thats good news Sawyer.

In 4 hours time it will be exactly 28 days since I submitted for my licence. So lets hope anyday now I get my ID check.

[rc42]

If you're counting in hours already you'll go insane by the time you actually get your license.
Counting to the nearest week should be enough, you're about to enter week 5 so ID check should be coming through in the next week or two, after that it's likely another 6 weeks to approval email, then another 2 weeks for plastic card delivery (that's the worst waiting part, no matter how hard you try to not check the mailbox several times each day, you will)

Apparently there is a large backlog so they are taking the full 12 weeks (or more) for processing at the moment, license card delivery should be just under 15 weeks from application. Although some have waited up to 7 months

[FisherC]

Apparently there is a large backlog so they are taking the full 12 weeks (or more) for processing at the moment, license card delivery should be just under 15 weeks from application. Although some have waited up to 7 months [/quote]

Man I’m on 10 weeks and honestly I feel bad for them being so heavily under staffed, but they can literally type your name into their database and everything they need to know is infront of them. Anyone with squeaky clean records shouldn’t take much longer than the 28 days in my opinion. I have seen posts on here multiple times that people have called them on the day of 12 weeks to ask about their application status and 2 hours later their approval gets sent through. Bit strange as far as I’m concerned. I’m mostly being impatient but it is embarrassing how long it takes

[StraightWhiteMale]

@rc42 Thanks mate. Long road ahead of me mate.

[Macross]

I'm starting with rimfire, as most do, so that I can go to the range for practice and fire off a brick or two of ammo without having to take out a new mortgage.

Rimfire is a great place to start. A brick of good quality .22 can be pretty expensive as well... Some of the cheaper stuff can have your .22 pistol chocking and piss farting around after two or three hundred rounds. Depends a lot on what handgun you end up getting as well. Ruger Mark 4 for the win!!!!!

[jay76]

A Quick update. Got my Approval email today.

Application submitted online 30/12/19
I/D Check Completed 30/01/2020
Approval Email 04/03/2020

So happy now.

[StraightWhiteMale]

A Quick update. Got my Approval email today.

Application submitted online 30/12/19
I/D Check Completed 30/01/2020
Approval Email 04/03/2020

So happy now.

Wow 65 days. Thats awesome mate. Close to a record. I just cracked day 30 but still no ID check yet.

[jay76]

A mate applied on the 27/12 and got his too

[FisherC]

Mega happy for you lads that got the approval email but wow just completely proves they are full of s**t when it comes to “getting processed in order of receipt”. I applied with a squeaky clean record on the 23/12/19 and still nothing.....

[Sawyer]

Mega happy for you lads that got the approval email but wow just completely proves they are full of s**t when it comes to “getting processed in order of receipt”. I applied with a squeaky clean record on the 23/12/19 and still nothing.....

Yeah same here i applied on the 18th, I probably wouldn’t have even had an ID check by now if I hadn’t called them. It’s 12 weeks for me on Wednesday next week so I’ll call them then if they haven’t sent the approval email

[StraightWhiteMale]

Day 32 still no ID check. I'm back at uni now and working full time so I got something to keep me busy.

[rc42]

All government departments and agencies are currently putting huge effort and resources into planning how they will manage if COVID-19 hits hard and lots of staff are sick, unavailable or sent to work from home or elsewhere or are seconded to help key departments.

It's quite likely that WLB is falling further behind in backlog processing than ever before and it will get a lot worse before it starts to get better (if it ever does), people receiving their license in a mere 15 weeks may soon be considered the lucky ones on some sort of fast track.

[jay76]

All government departments and agencies are currently putting huge effort and resources into planning how they will manage if COVID-19 hits hard and lots of staff are sick, unavailable or sent to work from home or elsewhere or are seconded to help key departments.

It's quite likely that WLB is falling further behind in backlog processing than ever before and it will get a lot worse before it starts to get better (if it ever does), people receiving their license in a mere 15 weeks may soon be considered the lucky ones on some sort of fast track.

Weapons licenisng have nothing to do with COVID-19 and wouldn't be slowing them up. I believe times will get better when the new system is up and going.

[Nails]

Hi all,
I put my application in on 23/2/20 and got my id check email 28/2/20 which I presented for the next day. After reading other’s experience on here that seems incredible to me, still the wait has just begun...

[rc42]

Weapons licenisng have nothing to do with COVID-19 and wouldn't be slowing them up. I believe times will get better when the new system is up and going.

Every government agency, department or service is making extensive plans for coping with a full scale COVID-19 outbreak, WLB will be involved in this too as will every department within QLD police.

Obviously WLB aren't a front line response team but they need to have detailed plans for coping with key work if a significant proportion of their staff are quarantined at home or their office becomes inaccessible or no 'authorised officers' are available.

I work in a QLD government department and COVID-19 planning meetings involving all levels of staff is a huger part of what is happening right now, day to day work is being queued up.

WLB were struggling to keep up with the workload without any distractions, their 12 week processing time is just going to get longer and it COVID-19 hits hard new license processing will grind to a halt.

[StraightWhiteMale]

Hi all,
I put my application in on 23/2/20 and got my id check email 28/2/20 which I presented for the next day. After reading other’s experience on here that seems incredible to me, still the wait has just begun...

What!!!! I put my licence in 03/02/20 and I have not had my id email yet. I can't believe you got the email in 5 days and did not have to wait the 28 days. Is your licence for occupation? Maybe thats why.

[StraightWhiteMale]

new license processing will grind to a halt.

I pray thats not the case. I have already spent about 7grand at the gun shop.

Mum works as a nurse for QLD health in the dementia/old people ward. Still business as usual for her at the moment. Although as a nurse she is not really “high up” so who knows what management are doing. No doubt they would have contingency plans.

[mrmef]

A Quick update. Got my Approval email today.

Application submitted online 30/12/19
I/D Check Completed 30/01/2020
Approval Email 04/03/2020

So happy now.

WTF!

I applied like a week before you and also did my ID check a week before you as well.

No criminal record at all. Not even a speeding ticket.

[Nails]

Sorry guys, I made a typo, application date was 13/2/20 and email for id check was 28/2/20 - not quite as quick, but still very short time, I was quite surprised.
Application was not work related, just the usual recreational shooting as the genuine reason.

Apologies again for the typo.

[mrmef]

Gave them a call today and they said they are still processing it.

Got the approval email about 30 minutes later.

It's like they just put it aside until you complain.

[Nails]

Thats good to hear mrmef. I wonder whats the soonest I could call them - I guess 3 months like their website says

[StraightWhiteMale]

Day 35 for me and no ID email.