Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

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

Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times Apr-Jun 2019

Post by CTW » 25 Mar 2020, 3:38 pm

rc42 wrote:Well, all of the sense of urgency and anticipation for my Cat H license has now gone, with ranges shut there would be nowhere to use my new pistol anyway, I guess WLB can now take their time with it over the next 6 months or so and I'll get it one day.

Hopefully my club and the gun store holding my pistol will both survive financially and I'll still be alive at that time. :(


Hey rc, I know the feeling but hang in there. We will get through this and I am sure the clubs and gunshops will too.
I have it on good authority that WLB is now working remotely but still processing. I am sure that this will cause delays but under the circumstances which is understandable.
Let's stay safe for now.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times Apr-Jun 2019

Post by PorkEatingCrusader » 26 Mar 2020, 5:36 pm

Did my ID check today for A/B.

The email said the ID check is the final part of the application and not to contact them for 14 days whilst they do there checks and during this time they may inspect my safe. I have a safe but I have not bolted it down yet as it is only about 111kg. The act states a minimum of 10mm in diameter for the bolts. I will go out and buy some. However I highly doubt they will inspect me before I even get a licence and a PTA. Normally inspections come later if at all.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Quirinus » 27 Mar 2020, 8:55 am

I'm at the very beginning of this epic bureaucratic nightmare. Wifey and I submitted applications for eligibility at the same time. Hers came back in two weeks. Mine took 9 - got it Wednesday. Applied to join a club on Wednesday as well, just before they closed up. Can't do the training etc until they open again. Talk about crap timing.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 27 Mar 2020, 10:38 am

People have posted about police asking to arrange safe inspections before licenses have been issued but the police cancel when they realize. It would actually be a great time for an inspection, you get their feedback and can fix any issues with no risk of any charges for insecure storage of a firearm (I guess that's why they usually cancel, no possibility of getting a 'result')

The whole shooting range closure issue sucks but it's probably for the best, the age demographic for pistol clubs could be severely impacted by COVID-19. The lucky new members have completed induction and are just waiting out the 6 months probation anyway, the unlucky ones haven't done the induction so all that waiting lies ahead (after the current waiting).
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 27 Mar 2020, 6:09 pm

Quirinus wrote:I'm at the very beginning of this epic bureaucratic nightmare. Wifey and I submitted applications for eligibility at the same time. Hers came back in two weeks. Mine took 9 - got it Wednesday. Applied to join a club on Wednesday as well, just before they closed up. Can't do the training etc until they open again. Talk about crap timing.


Give the indoor range in Rothwell, North Brisbane, a call. They might be able to advise on a solution to get the 6 month waiting period started. Worth a shot.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Reverse » 27 Mar 2020, 6:56 pm

If you join shooters union qld ($35-$40 per year), and then join their pistol section (a one off payment of $50) your 6 month wait will start ticking over. You still will have to do your minimum 3 shoots at a club at some point, but at least you’ve begun the minimum 6 months.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 28 Mar 2020, 9:33 am

Reverse wrote:If you join shooters union qld ($35-$40 per year), and then join their pistol section (a one off payment of $50) your 6 month wait will start ticking over. You still will have to do your minimum 3 shoots at a club at some point, but at least you’ve begun the minimum 6 months.


Thanks Reverse, I knew it was something like that. At least that way he can get going with the wait. The club I joined starts the wait on the induction day.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Quirinus » 30 Mar 2020, 12:06 pm

Reverse wrote:If you join shooters union qld ($35-$40 per year), and then join their pistol section (a one off payment of $50) your 6 month wait will start ticking over. You still will have to do your minimum 3 shoots at a club at some point, but at least you’ve begun the minimum 6 months.


Thanks Reverse and CTW, I'll give that some thought. I'll see what the club comes back with and go from there.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Rwd22 » 30 Mar 2020, 4:09 pm

I've had a PTA ready to go since mid December for a rifle that still hasn't turned up at my LGS, with the closures, unless they re-asses things, looks like PTA will bloody lapse and I'll have to pay for the renewal of it.

It was looking like my rifle was inbound this week too, oh wait, I think it was last week, or the week before.

Not that any of the ranges are open to use it, but would sure be nice to have had it before all this went down.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by PorkEatingCrusader » 30 Mar 2020, 4:20 pm

Will all PTAs for sport be denied whilst everything is closed? The act does not mention a range must be open. So legally they can't?
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Rwd22 » 30 Mar 2020, 4:29 pm

PorkEatingCrusader wrote:Will all PTAs for sport be denied whilst everything is closed? The act does not mention a range must be open. So legally they can't?


Curious about this one too, I heard whispers of WA? not approving PTA's currently.

I imagine it could go either way, but seeing as though this is an interim solution, not an indefinite one, they should still be approving PTA's.

Anyone willing to bet the $40.50 to find out? :lol:

I managed to get my probationary pistol shoots in before the ranges closed, so hopefully can still apply for Cat H when the timeline rolls around, my club mentioned they would have the front office open on some days for club approval letters etc.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 30 Mar 2020, 9:39 pm

With gun shops closed, potentially for 6 months or more the best result would actually be for WLB to just suspend PTA processing, it would be infuriating to get a PTA approved and then have to sit watching it expire and then have to apply for another one.


The WLB website is now stating:

"Weapons Licensing phone contact lines will be unavailable for enquiries until further notice. Weapons Licensing staff continue to process applications and will contact applicants should further information be required."

I'm sure there was a line previously stating processing for applications received up to 27th March would still be processed but that now seems to have gone.



Guess I'm lucky that I tested the PTA system last Sunday (22nd) for an air rifle, email approval came through Monday morning (23rd) and dealer received the PTA by email on Tuesday (24th) and I rushed down there and picked an air rifle from their stock.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Rwd22 » 31 Mar 2020, 4:35 pm

Spewing I didn't do similar rc, have been toying with the idea of an air rifle lately, would've been handy. Got wound up in buying reloading components instead.

My current PTA for a 22-250 was approved in Jan, but have been waiting on the rifle to turn up, can only hope that I can get the bloody thing before the PTA expires, I sincerely hope firearm related activities have kicked back off by then.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 31 Mar 2020, 9:07 pm

I had a January PTA for a 22 lever, a Browning BL-22 was on it's way over and due in June, pretty close tot he PTA expiry but the dealer said he'd book it to something else, hold onto it and do a like for like if that happened.

Anyway, I had a bad feeling that imports would be delayed, especially from the US so I used that PTA on a Savage A22R stainless that they had in store and either like for like it myself or get a new PTA when the Browning comes in. So glad I did, wish I'd stocked up on ammunition too but I've go close to 10,000 rounds of 22LR in the house already and no range to shoot at, just a bit of plinking on our rural property when I feel the need (the air rifle is actually better for that too)/ So happy I got that A22R though, it's way better than I even expected it to be.


I'd be interested in any information that anyone gets out of WLB over the coming weeks, I'm in week 11 of a Cat H license application and also have a Cat H PTA that went in about 7 weeks ago. I'm not hopeful though.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 01 Apr 2020, 2:47 pm

rc42 wrote:I'd be interested in any information that anyone gets out of WLB over the coming weeks, I'm in week 11 of a Cat H license application and also have a Cat H PTA that went in about 7 weeks ago. I'm not hopeful though.


I have just seen on WLB website it says 15 - 20 weeks for processing and not to email before 20 weeks. I was looking forward to getting an update from them at the 12 week mark (next week for me). I am still trying to be hopeful that since our application have already been in for 11 weeks that we are close to the top of the pile. Estimating and hopeful for 13 -16 weeks to approval in total. The next hurdles will be to receive PTA and the licence card, then have LGS open up to general public so that I can pick up pistol, then the range needs to open again.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Rwd22 » 01 Apr 2020, 5:08 pm

rc42 wrote:I had a January PTA for a 22 lever, a Browning BL-22 was on it's way over and due in June, pretty close tot he PTA expiry but the dealer said he'd book it to something else, hold onto it and do a like for like if that happened.

Anyway, I had a bad feeling that imports would be delayed, especially from the US so I used that PTA on a Savage A22R stainless that they had in store and either like for like it myself or get a new PTA when the Browning comes in. So glad I did, wish I'd stocked up on ammunition too but I've go close to 10,000 rounds of 22LR in the house already and no range to shoot at, just a bit of plinking on our rural property when I feel the need (the air rifle is actually better for that too)/ So happy I got that A22R though, it's way better than I even expected it to be.


I'd be interested in any information that anyone gets out of WLB over the coming weeks, I'm in week 11 of a Cat H license application and also have a Cat H PTA that went in about 7 weeks ago. I'm not hopeful though.


Actually not a bad idea booking out something else in the interim, LGS has a Ruger 77 Hawkeye in 22-250 that's currently on the shelf, traded in recently, in quite good nick. But I've been stubborn in wanting my new T3X. Unfortunately for whatever reason, it should've been in within 3 odd weeks of order date, that was 3 months ago. That ruger is looking better and better each time I'm down there.

I'm in a similar boat with 22lr at the moment too, somewhere in the region of 5000 odd rounds and nowhere to shoot it :lol: Have quite a few hundred rounds of 22-250 ready to go too, for the rifle I don't have.

Looking like I might soon have access to an appropriate property to sight in my rifles, so there's a plus through all this.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 01 Apr 2020, 9:16 pm

QLD WLB website quote:

"The Licensing Team are currently processing a large volume of new licence applications, with the majority of licence applications being processed within fifteen (15) to twenty (20) weeks."

The reassuring part is the "new license applications", that would mean most are in the 28 day mandatory wait and then join the (now 20 week long) queue so my 11.5 week existing application should be near the front (hopefully)
I'm assuming that the 20 week estimate is just based on a calculation from 'x' applications processed per week and 'y' applications in the queue plus 'z' weeks delay because staff are working less efficiently from home.


Some news has reported a doubling of PTA and license applications which was one of the drivers for shutting the gun stores down so I guess the delay in WLB processing is to be expected.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 02 Apr 2020, 9:35 am

rc42 wrote:QLD WLB website quote:

"The Licensing Team are currently processing a large volume of new licence applications, with the majority of licence applications being processed within fifteen (15) to twenty (20) weeks."

The reassuring part is the "new license applications", that would mean most are in the 28 day mandatory wait and then join the (now 20 week long) queue so my 11.5 week existing application should be near the front (hopefully)
I'm assuming that the 20 week estimate is just based on a calculation from 'x' applications processed per week and 'y' applications in the queue plus 'z' weeks delay because staff are working less efficiently from home.


Some news has reported a doubling of PTA and license applications which was one of the drivers for shutting the gun stores down so I guess the delay in WLB processing is to be expected.


It would be great if tougher penalties were given to illegal owners and more crackdowns on these illegal owners rather than some media and governments across the globe always taking the road of threatening to take away or limit legal, responsible owners. I don't think people would panic buy if that was the case but I suppose one panic leads to another and another. Hopefully it will all calm down again soon to a milder panic so that we can go and punch some holes in paper and knock down some steel.
I really want to order a press but I am reluctant to do so now until LGS is fully open and I have my pistol.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 02 Apr 2020, 8:34 pm

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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by DaveZ » 03 Apr 2020, 6:09 am

rc42 wrote: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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Rwd22 » 03 Apr 2020, 1:54 pm

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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by bmax » 09 Apr 2020, 4:28 pm

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)...
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 10 Apr 2020, 1:01 pm

bmax wrote: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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by rc42 » 11 Apr 2020, 2:05 am

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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by 9.3x64 » 11 Apr 2020, 6:45 am

I sat on the couch last night with a beer and emailed every politician I could think of as well.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by AussieCapitalist » 11 Apr 2020, 4:46 pm

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? :allegedly: :violin:
Last edited by AussieCapitalist on 22 Apr 2020, 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 12 Apr 2020, 9:00 am

AussieCapitalist wrote: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? :allegedly: :violin:


Congrats! Please let us know when your card arrives in the post. It will be interesting to know how long that part takes.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by bmax » 13 Apr 2020, 10:31 am

AussieCapitalist wrote: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? :allegedly: :violin:


Good to hear. I submitted the 27th Feb so hopefully mine comes in the next 2 weeks.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by Chinballs » 14 Apr 2020, 7:31 am

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.
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Re: Queensland Weapons Licensing - Wait times

Post by CTW » 27 Apr 2020, 10:34 pm

rc42 wrote: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?
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