Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Questions about Queensland gun and ammunition laws. QLD Weapons Act 1990.

Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 19 May 2020, 9:43 am

Yeah good plan mate. Hope it works out.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 19 May 2020, 2:09 pm

I contacted Shooters Union for advice about my situation, their response is below and came back within an hour, WLB could learn from that.
Since then I have emailed Mark Ryan to express my concern about WLB response times and ask for my application to be processed asap.
Now back to the waiting for license approval followed by the waiting for license card, I don't think I can do any more till I get to week 20.



"If you have lodged your application before the safety certificate runs out then you are fine. In regards to the timeframe for processing license applications it is running at over 20 weeks. We have contacted the Police Minister as we believe this is totally unacceptable, particularly given the license fee required. Weapons Licensing won’t look at an application until it is over 20 weeks old and as you say you can only contact them via email.

I would suggest you send an email to the Police Minister, Mark Ryan, police@ministerial.qld.gov.au pointing out that this is incredibly poor service. We often find that this seems to move things a bit faster."
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 19 May 2020, 2:55 pm

Nice mate. That should at least get the ball moving.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Calister » 21 May 2020, 12:40 pm

@rc42 not sure if this helps at all, I'm on my 15th week currently.

I had a call from an inspector about having a safe inspection last friday as WLB wanted to confirm everything was in order before going ahead with my cat H application so it still appears that they are at least looking at applications though I have no idea when the approval will happen, probably after week 20. I'll update when that happens.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 22 May 2020, 9:17 am

WOOHOOO.... Just got the email approval for my Cat H license after 18 weeks and 6 days

Now to wait for that plastic card and my PTA, I have a Ruger Mk IV Hunter waiting at the dealer so it looks like I'll have it by the time the ranges open.

That was a long wait, the pistol process started on 4th June 2019 when I submitted my QP515 at the local police station, lets see if I can get the plastic license card in under a year, it will be close...
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by RuinedNoodle » 22 May 2020, 11:55 am

Congrats RC, did they reply to any of your emails to the police minister?
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 22 May 2020, 12:59 pm

Finely mate. You have earned it.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 22 May 2020, 2:14 pm

I got an automated reply from the Minister's office then a few hours later a personal one from one of the staff on behalf of the Minister saying that the Minister had noted my concerns and would ask QLD Police to give them due consideration. Three days later I have my approval.

For anyone interested, I sent this:


"For the attention of Mark Ryan, Hon Member and Police Minister

Could I please raise an issue to your attention and ask for your assistance in resolving it.

I applied to Weapons Licensing Branch on 12th January 2020 for a Category H license for sports and target shooting, I was advised at that time to make contact if the license had not been processed after 12 weeks. After waiting 11 weeks the Covid-19 restrictions were put in place and at some point after that the wait time increased to 20 weeks before applications are even considered.

I am now in week 18 of waiting with no ability to phone Weapons Licensing Branch as they have shut off their phone lines and I have only received one generic email response after trying to contact them by email weekly for the last three weeks.

Ranges are planning to open soon but I am now excluded from participation as ‘form 33’ unlicensed shooters will not be permitted as their required direct supervision would break social distancing rules.

I have already been through the police checking process twice and was approved for pistol club membership and again for my Category A/B long arm license so I do not believe that a further mandatory 20 week wait for this license application processing to begin is reasonable.

I would, therefore, ask that you please forward this concern to Weapons Licensing Branch and ask them to consider my application as soon as possible.


Thanks and kind regards"
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 22 May 2020, 4:17 pm

Maybe he moved you up the que mate or maybe coincidence. Either way well done it will be worth the wait when your out there. I just checked my A/B licence and it expires in Jan 2031 because I applied in Feb and it was approved in April but my birthday is in Jan so they gave me 9 extra months so it is inline with my birthday. The poor fellows in WA have 1 year licences and here I am with nearly 11.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 22 May 2020, 10:58 pm

rc42 wrote:WOOHOOO.... Just got the email approval for my Cat H license after 18 weeks and 6 days

Now to wait for that plastic card and my PTA, I have a Ruger Mk IV Hunter waiting at the dealer so it looks like I'll have it by the time the ranges open.

That was a long wait, the pistol process started on 4th June 2019 when I submitted my QP515 at the local police station, lets see if I can get the plastic license card in under a year, it will be close...

Thats great news! I hope your card arrives soon.
I am hopeful that mine will not be too much longer now but then again who knows.? 18 wks and 1 day.
I have already been told by gunshop that they will be charging storage since it has taken so long. 20 weeks is a bit of an unnecessarily long wait especially since we already have AB licences. If they want to take 20 weeks they should allow you to apply earlier so that by the time the 6 month probation is over that you can get the licence in a reasonably time period.
Let us know when you get your card.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 23 May 2020, 8:57 am

Which gun store is that? name and shame them so others can avoid them.

I use Shooters Delight in Underwood, Brisbane, they don't have any storage charges for new purchases if they have to hold them while you wait for licensing, the benefit to them is they get the sale and they get it early.

With everything slowing down due to restrictions I'm expecting the card in about 3 weeks but as long as it arrives before my pistol club opens I'll be happy, my PTA should come through in that time too, those are being processed very quickly at the moment (probably because hardly anyone is looking at licensing)
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 23 May 2020, 11:34 am

My card was quick RC42. Like 10 days and that included good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays so you may get it sooner than you think mate.

The Barn out at Oakey charge $11 a week for storage after 2 months. I think they have it in place because their vault is only so big and they do not want people storing stuff there for months at a time. Which is fair enough as a small business to do that. I am not sure if they charge every single person but they have it noted that they do as a deterrent to stop long term storage.

Do you guys read the NSW licence thread? Those guys down there wait like 150 days for their A/B licence.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 23 May 2020, 4:35 pm

The deterrent side only works if there is something you can do about it, we don't leave firearms sitting at the dealer by choice and just have to swallow any charges they impose and then just don't use that dealer again.
The best option is to avoid those dealers completely if waiting on a license and only buy from the ones that don't charge, I doubt the bad ones encourage new applicants not to buy and pay for their guns till the license has arrived.

My pistol licensing journey started on 6th June last year with my QP515 submission so I've passed the 150 days total for my Cat H, that would suck for an A/B license though. That wait is a disgrace and likely a deliberate deterrent to applications, it's not as if they need to do much more than look up names on their computer, they're not searching through banks of filing cabinets or doing security clearance vetting by interviewing your friends and family.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 25 May 2020, 9:32 am

rc42 wrote:Which gun store is that? name and shame them so others can avoid them.

I use Shooters Delight in Underwood, Brisbane, they don't have any storage charges for new purchases if they have to hold them while you wait for licensing, the benefit to them is they get the sale and they get it early.

With everything slowing down due to restrictions I'm expecting the card in about 3 weeks but as long as it arrives before my pistol club opens I'll be happy, my PTA should come through in that time too, those are being processed very quickly at the moment (probably because hardly anyone is looking at licensing)

If they actually charge me when I pick up my pistol (which I paid for in full in January) I will put their name up here. I am going argue against it and see what they say. The resaon I bought it then was that it is a used pistol in very good condition and was going at a very good price and I really did not expect to wait more than 12 weeks but I guess neither did the gun shop. I did not want to miss it. Lets see. I am just wanting to get through this licence approval and card stage right now. I will worry about that later.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by anmars73 » 26 May 2020, 5:10 pm

My wait times.

Applied for LIC and PTA - 21/02/2020
Got ID visit to local Police station email - 06/03/2020
Email Confirmation of Licence - 15/05/2020
Licence in mail - 25/05/2020

hoping my PTA gets emailed to the dealer soon ,as I applied withing 5 minutes of the licence.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 26 May 2020, 8:40 pm

anmars73 wrote:My wait times.

Applied for LIC and PTA - 21/02/2020
Got ID visit to local Police station email - 06/03/2020
Email Confirmation of Licence - 15/05/2020
Licence in mail - 25/05/2020

hoping my PTA gets emailed to the dealer soon ,as I applied withing 5 minutes of the licence.


That is great. Enjoy.
Was that for a Cat AB or Cat H?
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by GlockMaster » 26 May 2020, 10:33 pm

Applied AB license 22/03/2020
ID Check 29/03/2020
Still waiting to hear anything back after that.

I know some other people who applied about 2 weeks before I did, they also had their ID check a week after submitting application. They have not been issued with a license yet either.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by RuinedNoodle » 27 May 2020, 11:24 am

anmars73 wrote:My wait times.

Applied for LIC and PTA - 21/02/2020
Got ID visit to local Police station email - 06/03/2020
Email Confirmation of Licence - 15/05/2020
Licence in mail - 25/05/2020

hoping my PTA gets emailed to the dealer soon ,as I applied withing 5 minutes of the licence.


Congrats. Astounding that they approved your license at 12 weeks exactly.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by brian » 27 May 2020, 5:33 pm

applied 25-2 pta 14-3 id 11-3 hopefully it is close
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 28 May 2020, 11:56 am

Applied for Cat H on 16 January - Approved 28 May. Exactly 19 weeks. Hopeful that the card and PTA will not be too far away.
AB licence held since Feb 2016.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 28 May 2020, 12:13 pm

Good work everyone. I put in a Cat A PTA yesterday. Lets see how long it takes.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by RuinedNoodle » 28 May 2020, 1:06 pm

AussieCapitalist wrote:Good work everyone. I put in a Cat A PTA yesterday. Lets see how long it takes.

Nice, what are you thinking of getting?
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 28 May 2020, 1:38 pm

RuinedNoodle wrote:
AussieCapitalist wrote:Good work everyone. I put in a Cat A PTA yesterday. Lets see how long it takes.

Nice, what are you thinking of getting?


:friends:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9& ... MdjLfR6eKE


viewtopic.php?f=11&t=13746
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 28 May 2020, 6:50 pm

CTW wrote:Applied for Cat H on 16 January - Approved 28 May. Exactly 19 weeks. Hopeful that the card and PTA will not be too far away.
AB licence held since Feb 2016.


:thumbsup:
Great news, people are reporting about 2 weeks for A/B cards to arrive so hopefully not too much longer.
Do you have a PTA in progress too? I submitted one in early Feb, still heard nothing about that, ranges might be opening in 2 weeks so there's still plenty of time.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 28 May 2020, 7:18 pm

rc42 wrote:
CTW wrote:Applied for Cat H on 16 January - Approved 28 May. Exactly 19 weeks. Hopeful that the card and PTA will not be too far away.
AB licence held since Feb 2016.


:thumbsup:
Great news, people are reporting about 2 weeks for A/B cards to arrive so hopefully not too much longer.
Do you have a PTA in progress too? I submitted one in early Feb, still heard nothing about that, ranges might be opening in 2 weeks so there's still plenty of time.

I am relieved to say the least. PTA was put in on 21 Jan. At this stage I am not too concerned about the PTA coming through. Let us know when yours comes theough. I will start camping at my letter box in a week from now just in case my card arrives.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Patriot » 29 May 2020, 9:23 am

Submitted CAT A PTA 0920 29.05.20

See how long it takes
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Patriot » 30 May 2020, 10:15 am

Patriot wrote:Submitted CAT A PTA 0920 29.05.20

See how long it takes



PTA approval email 10.10am 30.05.20.

Just over 24 hours, pretty good service.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 30 May 2020, 11:48 am

It seems like WLB have divided up tasks for the staff working from home with most of them just processing new A/B PTAs so the backlog has gone and turnaround is faster than it's ever been.
I suspect a good number are working on license renewals but fewer than usual on new A/B licenses and almost nobody on Cat H licenses or PTAs.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 30 May 2020, 4:19 pm

rc42 wrote:It seems like WLB have divided up tasks for the staff working from home with most of them just processing new A/B PTAs so the backlog has gone and turnaround is faster than it's ever been.
I suspect a good number are working on license renewals but fewer than usual on new A/B licenses and almost nobody on Cat H licenses or PTAs.


I got conformation that a PTA for A/B takes bugger all to complete, literally a few minutes. All they do is just look up if you have committed a crime in the last few days or so then approve. Even Cat H is not much more to investigate and C/D is not long either. The process is very quick but the time it takes for them to look at it is what is pathetic. Scrapping the whole PTA system needs to occur. The dealers record the S/N anyway when they sell the firearm. I really feel like scrapping the PTA process as well as cat C licences being available for sport shooters is in the realm of possibilities that can be achieved within the next 5-10 years. You can get a self loading 10 shot 45 cal handgun with a cat H licence after a bit of hassle but a little 10 shot self loading 22LR rifle is heavily restricted. That is bizarre.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 01 Jun 2020, 2:08 pm

CTW wrote:Applied for Cat H on 16 January - Approved 28 May. Exactly 19 weeks. Hopeful that the card and PTA will not be too far away.
AB licence held since Feb 2016.

Applied for PTA 21 January and approved 01 June.
Now just the card.
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