Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

[rc42]

If this restriction of trade for firearms dealers goes on for too long their businesses will be at risk, this is probably the underlying intention of the small number of people behind this fiasco but we can all help by making purchases form gun shops that we are currently allowed to or placing orders for things that we will be able to collect later.
I just bought a nice spotting scope via mail order from my LGS, been thinking about one for a while and now is as good a time as I can think of.


Shooters Union and Firearm Owners United are all over the issues trying to get media attention and a good number of LNP politicians are standing with them, SSAA may even be working on it quietly, behind the scenes.

[DaveZ]

Shooters Union and Firearm Owners United are all over the issues trying to get media attention and a good number of LNP politicians are standing with them, SSAA may even be working on it quietly, behind the scenes.

And everyone else can help by emai;ing their state MP, the premier, police minister etc. Make your voices heard.

[Rwd22]

Now is the time to buy all those little things you've put off, went to LGS last night and grabbed a few bits and pieces, I'd like to say it makes the visit cheaper not being able to buy a firearm or ammo, but I still ended up walking out with a RCBS chargemaster lite.

Also got a call from other LGS that my 22-250 has arrived in store, unfortunately can't do piss all with it, haha. Might go look at it and get some rings and bases rolling.

[bmax]

Is it a fair assumption that given the current events I wont get my A/B license this year? I verified my ID at the cop shop a few weeks ago but my hopes are not high. Hopefully I do not have to attend a safety course and pay again ($ ouch)...

[CTW]

Is it a fair assumption that given the current events I wont get my A/B license this year? I verified my ID at the cop shop a few weeks ago but my hopes are not high. Hopefully I do not have to attend a safety course and pay again ($ ouch)...

The WLB website says that they are still processing and that it should be 15 - 20 weeks from application to approval. How many weeks are you on?
They also state that you can email them at 20 weeks for an update.
I have just gone past the 12 week waiting period for a Cat H so I am also anxiously trying to be patient and stay positive. Did my A/B a few years ago so no ID check needed.

[rc42]

I got to a couple of days short of 12 weeks for a Cat H license and was ready to phone and chase when they cut off the phone lines and increased the 'don't contact us before' time to 20 weeks.
So now I have about 7 weeks to wait but who knows where the goalpost will be by then.

I also have a Cat H PTA pending the license issue but even if the license and PTA come through there's no way to collect the firearm and nowhere to use it if I had it, so I'm trying to just forget about it until the restrictions lift and ranges re-open.


It's given me lots of time to email every politician I can think of about the stupidity of the gun shop restrictions and they're not fully lifted yet.

[9.3x64]

I sat on the couch last night with a beer and emailed every politician I could think of as well.

[AussieCapitalist]

Hey lads.

I applied for my A/B licence on February 11 and I got my Approval email notification 4 days ago. So weapons licensing is still working to some degree. My mate applied for his A/B licence the same day as me and is still waiting for his ID check. So the whole process is beyond random. Maybe I submitted a more sexy photo than my mate?

[CTW]

Hey lads.

I applied for my A/B licence on February 11 and I got my Approval email notification 4 days ago. So weapons licensing is still working to some degree. My mate applied for his A/B licence the same day as me and is still waiting for his ID check. So the whole process is beyond random. Maybe I submitted a more sexy photo than my mate?

Congrats! Please let us know when your card arrives in the post. It will be interesting to know how long that part takes.

[bmax]

Hey lads.

I applied for my A/B licence on February 11 and I got my Approval email notification 4 days ago. So weapons licensing is still working to some degree. My mate applied for his A/B licence the same day as me and is still waiting for his ID check. So the whole process is beyond random. Maybe I submitted a more sexy photo than my mate?

Good to hear. I submitted the 27th Feb so hopefully mine comes in the next 2 weeks.

[Chinballs]

I lodged a Form 4B Change of Conditions in late March at my local (large) cop shop as you can't do it online. The guy on the counter had no idea what he was doing and I had to tell him what he had to do with it so I had some concerns WLB wouldn't receive it.

I emailed them to see if they received it on Thursday as they no longer answer the phone. I was a bit annoyed to see the auto response has been modified to say they won't even respond to your enquiry unless it's urgent. Probably more helpful to put that on the website not tell people after they send an enquiry.

Anyway, I figured I would never hear from them but they sent me an email about quarter past seven this morning to say they got my paperwork.

In another six months I might finally have my post 47 handgun collector license lol.

[CTW]

I got to a couple of days short of 12 weeks for a Cat H license and was ready to phone and chase when they cut off the phone lines and increased the 'don't contact us before' time to 20 weeks.
So now I have about 7 weeks to wait but who knows where the goalpost will be by then.

I also have a Cat H PTA pending the license issue but even if the license and PTA come through there's no way to collect the firearm and nowhere to use it if I had it, so I'm trying to just forget about it until the restrictions lift and ranges re-open.


It's given me lots of time to email every politician I can think of about the stupidity of the gun shop restrictions and they're not fully lifted yet.

Hey RC42, any luck with your licence?

[rc42]

Haven't heard a thing from WLB since I called them on 16th March because I was concerned about the potential impact of Covid-19 on processing times and they told me that it wouldn't have any impact....

As they have no phone numbers now and have asked people not to email about ongoing applications I guess I have to wait for the 20 week point before emailing them.
I'm currently at 15 weeks and 3 days

[RuinedNoodle]

Helped my dad to apply for his A/B license on the 20th of April and I've already got an email back on the 30th of April for him to get his ID checked at the police station.
Is Weapons Licensing processing a lot quicker now or is this just a unique case?

[rc42]

It seems to be completely random, even more now that their processes have been disrupted by staff working from home.
I got my fastest ever Cat A PTA approved and emailed tot he dealer last week but I'm also just finishing week 17 waiting for a Cat H license approval and can't get a response from them about what the problem is.

[CTW]

It seems to be completely random, even more now that their processes have been disrupted by staff working from home.
I got my fastest ever Cat A PTA approved and emailed tot he dealer last week but I'm also just finishing week 17 waiting for a Cat H license approval and can't get a response from them about what the problem is.

This is only a hunch but my thoughts are that there might have been a stop put to new Cat H applications and if it is approved I wonder whether they will send out the card when the licence is approved.? Then we sit and wait for Qld premier to lift restrictions to allow us to pick up our paid for firearms. Will that be another 12 weeks?
I am also not sure how a licence application goes from 12 weeks to 20 weeks even with working from home.
It could just be me being impatient but with the resrictions placed on firearm and ammunition sales I am not sure what to think anymore.

Rant over!

[CTW]

Helped my dad to apply for his A/B license on the 20th of April and I've already got an email back on the 30th of April for him to get his ID checked at the police station.
Is Weapons Licensing processing a lot quicker now or is this just a unique case?

Good luck with the application process. I hope it goes okay. I am in the same boat as RC42. Almost 17 weeks into a Cat H application. We already have Cat AB licence's so no need for the ID check. I want to buy reloading equipment but I am going to wait for everything to be completed on application first and I am allowed to pick up my firearm.

[AussieCapitalist]

Why would they put a stop to H licences? That would be illegal to do so. A licence means nothing when they are not letting the majority of people pick up their firearms. They can approve all the licences and PTAs in the world but at the end of the day they mean nothing when the shops are closed. I have no doubt something dodgey is going on but if weapons licencing had any idea they would know that a licence does not mean you can obtain a firearm, so they have no reason to not approve them.

[CAVEMAN]

Why would they put a stop to H licences? That would be illegal to do so. A licence means nothing when they are not letting the majority of people pick up their firearms. They can approve all the licences and PTAs in the world but at the end of the day they mean nothing when the shops are closed. I have no doubt something dodgey is going on but if weapons licencing had any idea they would know that a licence does not mean you can obtain a firearm, so they have no reason to not approve them.

Id put away the tinfoil there mate, probably like the rest of the world and there manning has dropped. If someone has a sniffle they cant work, some people with kids choose not to. And many other reasons. Don't stress the New world order not coming for you yet. Just keep on drinking the tap water the fluoride will help.

[CTW]

Why would they put a stop to H licences? That would be illegal to do so. A licence means nothing when they are not letting the majority of people pick up their firearms. They can approve all the licences and PTAs in the world but at the end of the day they mean nothing when the shops are closed. I have no doubt something dodgey is going on but if weapons licencing had any idea they would know that a licence does not mean you can obtain a firearm, so they have no reason to not approve them.

Id put away the tinfoil there mate, probably like the rest of the world and there manning has dropped. If someone has a sniffle they cant work, some people with kids choose not to. And many other reasons. Don't stress the New world order not coming for you yet. Just keep on drinking the tap water the fluoride will help.

WLB are currently working from home. Although it might be a bit slower I still don't understand how it goes from 12 to 20 weeks. That is a 8 week difference from the old normal to the new normal. And we were already close to the 12 week mark. So being at a point where we should've been close to the top of the pile to having another few (8) weeks just quickly added on does not make sense.

I have been working from home for an American company for the last 9.5 years so I can understand network issues but not a 8 week extra delay. My wife works for a similar government department and started successfully working from home at the same time with some issues but is still managing to achieve month end and other targets.

I will be very happy when the restrictions, which should never have been put in place in the first place, is lifted.

IMO restrictions on ammo or pta's had nothing to do with social distancing or any other valid reason and the longer they are in place the fishier things are. Apparently at least WA has had the common sense to drop the restrictions there. Now for Qld to come to the party.

[AussieCapitalist]

October 31 is election day. Never forget what they have done and make them loose their cushy jobs lads.

[CTW]

October 31 is election day. Never forget what they have done and make them loose their cushy jobs lads.

Hey, AussieCapitalist, have you received your card yet? Your AB has been approved for more than a month now?
I am looking forward to 31 Oct.

[AussieCapitalist]

Yeah mate got the licence and 4 PTAs approved. One of the PTAs is approved but wont be issued for another 2 weeks because I submitted it before I had collect a firearm so I have to do the waiting period over again.

[CTW]

Yeah mate got the licence and 4 PTAs approved. One of the PTAs is approved but wont be issued for another 2 weeks because I submitted it before I had collect a firearm so I have to do the waiting period over again.

That is really good news mate. There is hope after all!!! The main thing is that you now have the card.
Now we just need the restrictions to be lifted.

[rc42]

Yeah mate got the licence and 4 PTAs approved. One of the PTAs is approved but wont be issued for another 2 weeks because I submitted it before I had collect a firearm so I have to do the waiting period over again.

I had something similar happen when I applied for my second PTA, despite having possession of the first rifle for over a month the WLB system hadn't been updated so they applied the 28 day wait again.

I emailed them a scan of the completed PTA paperwork from the dealer for the first rifle to show that it was in my possession and should be under my license on their system and the second PTA came through a couple of days later.

The wait for dealer paperwork to be uploaded into their systems can take months and some seem to get lost and are never uploaded, the dealer mentioned this specifically and said to be sure to keep the PTA paperwork safe, preferably in the storage with the firearms as police records are rarely correct when they do inspections.

[Rwd22]

Same thing happened with me, 2nd PTA ended up serving another 28 days due to my first firearm not having been registered to me yet.

I had an issue where my wallet went walk-about so needed to get another license card, even when that turned up, the list of registered weapons still had nothing on it, 2-3 months after my first PTA had been filled and sent back to WLB. After waiting 3 months for the license card, to only have it pinched a month and a half later, certainly a pain in the ass.

Dealer said the same to me as RC mentioned, so I keep the PTA paperwork in my rifle bag whenever I have the rifle out and about.

[bmax]

I am in week 11 for my cat A/B and still haven't heard anything. Can't really do much with it, so not a huge deal but thought i'd give an update.

[AussieCapitalist]

Sorry mate. I got mine in 56 days. Applied in February got it in April. It is beyond random how people apply later and get it quicker. I have had heaps of fines and a couple of arrests in my life too so go figure.

[bmax]

I put in a PTA as an experiment. We will see if this triggers some internal process.

[rc42]

I put in a PTA last week as I thought it would take a long time to come through (gun is on order from the US so could be months away)
Came back as the fastest PTA approval I've ever had, email approval was next day and the dealer had the official PTA email the day after that.

Looks like they have plenty of resources for PTAs but none for Cat H license applications.
Week 18 of waiting has just finished for me, only 2 more to go to meet the the new 20 week guide, but I got to 1 week from the '12 week' guide when they just added another 8 weeks so I'm still not hopeful.

With no phone lines and no responses to emails WLB are completely off the grid now.