Weapons offences

The Queensland laws regulating weapons are set out in the Weapons Act 1990. These define rules regarding:

• who can acquire or buy a weapon and from whom
• who can possess or use a weapon and in what circumstances
• how a weapon is to be disposed of.

The penalties for breaching the Weapons Act vary depending on the type of weapon. Generally, most offences relate to not holding a licence for the particular weapon, or failing to store or secure it correctly.

It is important to note that replicas of weapons are considered a type of weapon under the Weapons Act.

There are particular provisions concerning antique and heirloom weapons and the regulation of collectors.

The types of weapons are defined in the Weapons Categories Regulation 1997.