Carrying a gun
Carrying and using firearms is subject to the Arms Act 1983. The law generally concerns reasonableness and safety.
Offences include:
- Careless use of a firearm, airgun, pistol or restricted weapon
- Discharging a firearm, airgun, pistol or restricted weapon in or near a dwelling house or public place to endanger property or to endanger, annoy or frighten any person
- Carrying a loaded firearm (whether in its breech, barrel, chamber or magazine) in or on a motor vehicle on a road or in any place to which members of the public have a right of access.
Permits
Hunting activities both require permits in addition to any permission required for land access.
Contact the Department of Conservation for information about hunting permits on public conservation land.
Contact Fish and Game New Zealand or the various regional Fish and Game Councils for license information about game bird hunting.
Access for people carrying a gun
To carry a firearm, you need to know the public access rights associated with the land you are on. WAMS maps show the public access areas (PAA) on various land types and easements. Each type of PAA has different access rights associated with it. Some provide for walking only, others for other access types, such as the right to carry a gun or hunt.
Our maps show PAA on a range of different land types or easements.
The most common types of PAA are:
Public Conservation Land and Reserve Land
A third of NZ is Public Conservation Land so it is particularly relevant to carriers of guns. Carrying a gun with a permit is sometimes allowed on Public Conservation Land, but not always. Check the local rules. If you are hunting on Public Conservation Land or Reserve Land, you will need a Department of Conservation hunting permit.
Esplanade strips
Esplanade strips (alongside waterways) are easements established under the Resource Management Act and are managed by the local district council. The vast majority provide for walking access only - no bicycles, dogs or firearms.
Marginal strips
Marginal strips (again, alongside waterways) are land parcels managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). They are managed under the Conservation Act for public access and recreation along the waterway. They all provide public walking access, but other access types will depend on how DOC is managing the marginal strip. A DOC hunting permit is needed to carry a firearm along a marginal strip.
Roads
Roads, both formed and unformed, provide public rights for all forms of access. Whether this access is practical or doable on an unformed legal road depends on the terrain. But the rights of public access remain. Carrying a firearm that is loaded, whether in its breech, barrel, chamber or magazine, in or on a motor vehicle on a road or in any place to which members of the public have a right of access is an offence.
Shooting from an unformed legal road onto or across private land or other property without the relevant permissions or permits is an offence.
Discharging a firearm on any public place that endangers property or endangers, annoys or frightens a person is an offence.
Other easements
Other easements include public access easements under Crown Forest Licences, walkway easements under the Walking Access Act 2008, and easements managed by local councils and DOC under their relevant legislation. The access conditions on these types of easements vary from one to the other, and some may permit you to carry a firearm.
Hunting
The only PAAs where hunting may be permitted are:
- DOC land
- regional forest parks.
DOC-managed land and regional parks require hunting permits. Hunting without a permit is illegal. Hunting from permitted land does not sanction shooting onto or across private land without permission.
Committing an offence
There is a big difference between carrying an unloaded firearm on the way to a hunting block and hunting or firing it.
Trespassing on private land with a firearm is a serious offence. Similarly, illegal hunting (whether hunting without a permit on DOC land, or without permission on private land), is a serious offence. Killing livestock without the owner’s permission attracts a range of serious charges.
The public access areas depicted on our maps show where the public has rights of access.
Enforcing illegal behaviour is a separate matter and is independent of public rights of access. Enforcing the law is the responsibility of a range of agencies. It is separate to the rights of access.
The Outdoor Access Code
Herenga ā Nuku has published the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code that includes all the practical information and reminders you need about public access and hunting, which requires both the carrying and use of firearms:
- The right to carry firearms or to take dogs depends on the existing rights that run with access. However, you need a firearms licence, or to be under the immediate supervision of someone with a licence, to be in possession of a firearm.
- The New Zealand Mountain Safety Council‘s website includes the Firearms Safety Code and a link to the Arms Code — a downloadable firearms safety manual issued by the New Zealand Police.
- There is no legal right of access either to private land or across private land to public land, for the purpose of sports fishing or game hunting.
If you carry or use firearms, you need to be responsible. To help reduce any landholder concerns and ensure appropriate, safe behaviour, it’s a good idea to refresh your knowledge of the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code and the Firearms Safety Code.
The Arms Code is a firearms safety manual issued by Firearms Safety Authority Te Tari Pūreke.
Firearms Safety Authority Te Tari Pūreke
Firearms safety (Mountain Safety Council)
The seven basic rules of firearms safety
- Treat every firearm as loaded
- Always point firearms in a safe direction
- Load a firearm only when ready to fire
- Identify your target beyond all doubt
- Check your firing zone
- Store firearms and ammunition safely - new rules came into effect in 2023
- Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms