Police mail order forms

Just bought a new shotty ready for duck season and a week away hunting, hoping to go and bomb some wallababies.
As per usual got my mail order form from cop shop, local station doesn't make you fill in any info before you leave, and I don't normally do so when sending to the seller because I don't know why I need to fill in their details...

The guy in purchasing from is now suspicious because the form isn't completely filled in, which his local station must make people do when getting one, he wont send the gun until he receives the original copy of the form via snail mail. Normally I would just concede and do it but we're heading off on Anzac Friday so id be unlikely to receive the shotty in time.

Has anyone had trouble with emailing police mail order forms? I've bought dozens of guns and haven't had an issue before, even from online stores.

I've had the policewoman on the counter at the Whitianga station say the whole form must be filled in, and the original sent. (she went as far as trying to look the guy up via his missus's surname on the email address he was using, in his area. Swore blind that the original HAD to be sent too.)

At Akl central I've had one guy say a faxed copy was fine (with his nickname off the forum as the only sellers details), but not a photo of it sent in an email.

Another lady at Central said that a photo is fine, no seller details needed at all.


I really don't understand why there isn't a set way the police do things, there is a lot of confusion

Have never had an issue with the forms ... my local police officer even gives me extra forms to take home,so I can fill them out and return them when I next purchase something ...he then sights form, licence and signs ..guess saves him and myself time in the long run ... and ive always emailed or pxt/txt a copy to the seller with no issues ...

1st one i did the lady behind the counter got all snappy with me because i hadnt printed one of the internet and had made her life some how harder by making her get one. she got even more pissed when i told her i didnt print one because i dont own a printer.filled the form out left some things blank that weren't needed and sent by snail mail. 2nd one i did took 5 seconds and sent by snail mail again i dont need a copy of it and im in no rush to have stuff mailed to me so i just mail the original. never bothered with the sellers details as they know who they are lol.

Its up to the seller to be satisfied that they are getting a decent copy or an original. We dont accept faxed versions.

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Originally Posted by Digit

Its up to the seller to be satisfied that they are getting a decent copy or an original. We dont accept faxed versions.

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I plan on buying a kit off you soon, but that wouldn't be a hurried situation like OP is talking about( ie plenty of time for the 'snail mail' to make its way back and forth). However, you're probably a good example, selling quite a lot online. If, say, someone WAS in a hurry, would you accept a good quality hi-res photo of the form? Or is it the original or no-can-do?

Yes - we accept hi res photo if we think the photo is legit. If the image is not up to scratch or we suspect an issue we follow it up with the police officer/staff named on the mail order.

Yeah well I've bought from you digit and emailed scan was fine at the time.
The guy replied saying that he didn't think it was legal to have been issued a form without first filling in all of the details, including his and the firearms details/serial. That the woman behind the desk that issued it liable to get in trouble if an arms officer were to have seen it.
And because her endorsement included that she was a non sworn officer she shouldn't have been able to issue it.
And that I should read the law because all of the information is legally required.

I replied with a link to the arms act section 43a that disagreed with what he said.

He's now caved and has sent the shotgun, normally id be happy to snail mail it in any other circumstance, the problem I had is that if he'd asked for it to be mailed last week when I emailed the forms he would have received them by now, so definitely the result I was after,
just interesting to see a different interpretation.

I see little point in the form,FFS it's just a hassle, but a good way for police to know a little of what you own? I have a perfectly good FAL that I've paid forIt should be enough, but I guess I have to prove I'm not a crim, once again!

My local nor the one in the next town don't appear to take copies, just sign the S43A and give it back. In fact, the last one I got done the cop asked me what he was supposed to do with the form!!! I explained that it was a form that provided evidence to the seller that he was selling to a person with a FA Licence. Cop was in a hurry to lock up and go - lunchtime? Otherwise between 3 stations I have used I have not had a single issue getting the form done.

I too had the issue where the cops get stroppy about me needing a form from them and insist I print off one from the store I am buying from.
Perhaps they should stop printing the forms in colour if they think it's costing too much, like anyone gives a fuck if it's black and white like the store ones we are meant to be printing.

I hate the process.. The local guys at the station keep saying oh no not you again... How many firearms do you need.. I just say lots !!!
Small town issues I know !!

I've had the watchhouse girl in Palmy throw a wobbly because I didn't include the sellers FAL number on the form - just his name and address and the rifle serial etc.
Pissy bitch, told her that it wasn't required but she insisted on looking up the seller in their system and adding his FAL number.

Digit - its good to hear some people have some common sense. Its in short supply these days :)

I for one hope the police Kwik-e-mart on Vincent st has someone tomorrow who knows where the forms are kept

Mention has been made of "original" copy to be sent to the seller. There are a couple points here I would like to make. Original does not refer to a printed rather than a downloaded form. Original means specifically the piece of paper signed by the police representative and stamped. It is too easy to obtain an already fill out for, scan it, edit it and send it via email. They could change any detail and you would not know whether they had a license or not. The stamp the cops use can be seen to be different from a printed version hence the requirement of original. That way you can see as a seller that the details as they appear ARE the details that were signed off.

Second- sworn or non sworn- does not matter as long as they are police employees representing the police. 95% of the time at most stations it will be a sworn officer or an Arms officer. But bear in mind, it is my understanding the Arms officers are not always required to be sworn officers.

Scans of firearms license are also not acceptable. The only thing a scan of a license proves is that the computer that the email came from has a scan of someones license on it. How many of you have a scan of your (or someone elses from a sale) Firearms license stored on the hard drive? And how many computers are stolen? If the scumbag is happy to steal a computer, do you think he / she is honest enough to not use the image?

Finally: and this is probably the most important. As a seller YOU must be satisfied that you have sold and presented the firearm to a licensed person. If the person is not licensed and you gave them possession of a firearm then you face possible prosecution. You must take all reasonable steps to ensure the buyer has a valid license. If you accept a scan and you are happy with it then that is your call, but I know the police and the courts here in Christchurch do NOT consider a scan to be "reasonable steps" as the statement "that the original must be sent to the seller' is clearly written on the form. The Local AO assures me that in the instance of potential charges of supplying a firearm to a non licensed person, scans of the form or license are not going to stand up in court as "acceptable and reasonable steps".

Its your license at risk, your guns at risk so its your call. I will only accept a signed form for mail order sales, and the officers information and signature must be in pen and stamped in ink. If there is any doubt we are easily able to call the issuing officer and confirm these details are correct.

Just went to Auckland Central to get a form. Once the chick behind the counter had finished her text she got me the form, I filled it out, then said that I have to come back tomorrow because the AO wasn't in. I said 'you're kidding, I've had heaps of forms and it's only been the actual AO doing it the one time.' She conferred with some other woman who came over to me and told me she wasn't 'comfortable' with it as she couldn't 'check the firearm was the one on the form'.... WTF? I said that's not the point, you just sight my license, sign the form, and off I go. She said, no an arms officer has to do it. Rubbish I say, most of you can do it surely? Nope bugger off come back tomorrow. So I asked to speak to a police officer (ie not some fat bitch with an attitude) and was told there were only police downstairs in the watch house. So I said thanks for that, bye, trekked downstairs, said hallo to the seargent and he shook his head, chuckled, signed it and off I went.

What a fucking shambles. This isn't some rural one man outfit, it's Auckland Central FFS

I hope you got her name, if so send it to your AO so they can educate her-the last thing a AO wants or needs is the extra unnecessary workload she is trying to out on them.

Nah I didn't, but a certain Sgt Mike H needs a high five for sure

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Originally Posted by Tommy

Nah I didn't, but a certain Sgt Mike H needs a high five for sure

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Hope you sighted his warrant card to make sure he was a real cop :);)

Taupo is the same, no AO no signed form, thanks for the post @timattalon the only problem I really have is this just points out how quickley I can become a crim and doesn't focus on the real problem, the form means SFA to me really, but I go through the motions, because believe it or not I'm a law abiding citizen, therefore the shit is always with me:pissed off:

All these processes will not guarantee that it is a genuine licensed person at the other end. But if you follow the processes and something "bad" happens, then the fact that you have done what is expected and taken all reasonable steps then it is a matter of fraud or deception by the buyer and you are not at fault. These processes are not here to bother, or inconvenience you as a legitimate firearm owner. They actually to help protect you as well as everyone else.