New South Wales
New South Wales — Gun Categories & Safe Storage
Scope: Covers guns, rifles and handguns/pistols only. Excludes bullet-resistant vests, crossbows, machine guns and other military/prohibited weapons.
Compliance spotlight: NSW Police conduct random safe-storage inspections. Media reports highlight prosecutions for unlocked or non-compliant safes, and licence suspensions for breaches. Install correctly and keep evidence of compliance.
Wall thickness in NSW (history): Earlier NSW materials sometimes referenced minimum steel thickness for higher categories. Current NSW approvals/fact sheets do not prescribe a fixed mm. Requirements specify commercially manufactured safes that are not easily penetrable (Level 1: steel/hardwood; Level 2: steel). Inspectors still assess robustness in practice.
Categories at a Glance
Plain-English overview (refer to the Firearms Act/Regulation and your licence for legal definitions).
| Category | Examples (indicative) | Storage Level |
|---|---|---|
| A | Rimfire rifles (not semi-auto), break-action shotguns, air rifles | Level 1 |
| B | Centrefire rifles (not semi-auto), muzzleloaders | Level 1 |
| C | Pump/semi-auto shotguns (limited capacity), semi-auto rimfire rifles | Level 2 |
| D | Semi-auto centrefire rifles, higher-capacity pump/semiauto shotguns | Level 2 |
| H | Handguns | Level 2 |
Storage Levels (Summary)
| Level | Applies To | Container / Safe | Anchoring | Locks | Ammunition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Categories A & B | Commercially manufactured safe of steel or hardwood, not easily penetrable | Fix to floor/wall if safe <150 kg; if ≥150 kg, fixing not required | Sturdy locking; multi-point or equivalent security commonly referenced | Separate locked container or separate locked internal compartment |
| Level 2 | Categories C, D & H | Commercially manufactured steel safe | Must be anchored with internal anchor points/approved fixings (no ≥150 kg exemption) | Robust internal locking; tamper-resistant | Separate locked container or separate locked internal compartment |