Yes, you can own a gun in Australia, but only under strict conditions with licensing, a genuine reason, and heavy regulation on the type and number of firearms you can have.

Basic rule: guns are tightly controlled

Australia does not have a constitutional “right to bear arms”; instead, firearm ownership is treated as a tightly regulated privilege. After the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, governments agreed to the National Firearms Agreement (NFA), which severely limited automatic, semi‑automatic and pump‑action firearms and created strict rules for licensing, registration and storage.

What you generally need

To legally own a gun, a person typically must:

  • Be at least 18 and pass background and character checks (criminal history, violence, domestic violence, mental health concerns).
  • Complete approved safety training (varies by state/territory).
  • Obtain a firearms licence tied to a specific “genuine reason” (such as hunting, sport/target shooting, occupational use, or primary production — “self‑defence” alone is not accepted).
  • Register every firearm, with serial number and category, on a state/territory register.
  • Comply with strict storage rules (e.g., locked safe, ammunition stored separately).

Rifles and shotguns in the lower categories (A and B) are the most common legal civilian firearms; handguns are more restricted and usually tied to membership of an approved shooting club and additional conditions.

Who can and can’t own guns

Gun laws are made by states and territories, but they follow the NFA framework and are broadly similar nationwide. Disqualifying factors commonly include:

  • Certain criminal convictions (especially involving violence, weapons, drugs, or organized crime).
  • Domestic violence orders or similar protective orders.
  • Documented serious mental health risks where police are notified by health professionals.

Following a 2025 terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, national leaders agreed in principle that only Australian citizens should be able to obtain firearm licences, and to tighten assessments of licence holders; these changes are being developed for implementation by 2026.

Types and numbers of guns

Australia divides firearms into categories (A, B, C, D, H, etc.), each with different rules. In broad terms:

  • Category A/B: Most common sporting and hunting rifles and shotguns; still require licence, registration and safe storage.
  • Category C/D: Higher‑risk longarms (e.g., certain semi‑automatics) usually restricted to very limited occupational or official uses.
  • Category H: Handguns, generally limited to club‑based target shooters with strict participation and storage rules.

New reforms being discussed after the Bondi attack include capping how many firearms a single person can legally own and narrowing which types remain lawful, plus building a fully national firearms register that links all jurisdictions.

Latest news and forum chatter

Recent political and media discussion in late 2025 focuses on:

  • A proposed national firearms register, citizenship‑only licensing, and tighter import controls (for example, large‑capacity magazines and 3D‑printed weapons).
  • A new national buyback scheme to remove newly banned and illegal firearms, aiming to replicate or extend the large 1996 buyback.
  • Some states, such as Western Australia, moving toward “Australia’s toughest firearms laws”, including licence caps, mandatory health checks, and stricter storage and training requirements.

On Australian and firearms forums, posters often emphasize that “yes, we can own guns” but under far stricter rules than in places like the United States. Common misconceptions they correct include the belief that all guns are banned (they are not), and that it is easy to get one for self‑defence (it is not, because self‑defence is not accepted as a primary reason).

If you’re asking “could I get one?”

If someone is wondering whether they personally could own a gun in Australia, the practical steps would usually be:

  1. Check the firearms authority website for the state/territory (e.g., NSW Police, Victoria Police, WA Police) for exact current requirements.
  2. Confirm eligibility (age, criminal history, health, citizenship/residency status as rules tighten).
  3. Choose a genuine reason (e.g., join a shooting club for target shooting; show need for farm use if primary producer).
  4. Complete approved safety training and apply for the appropriate licence category.
  5. Install compliant storage and have it inspected if required.

Because this is a serious topic involving safety and criminal liability, anyone considering firearm ownership in Australia should rely on official state or federal government sources and, if needed, legal advice, rather than informal summaries alone.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.