South Australian Numbered Acts South Australian Numbered Acts23—Permits to acquire firearms
(1) An application for a permit to acquire a firearm—
(a) must be made to the Registrar in the manner and form approved by the Registrar; and
(b) must be accompanied by any documents required under this Act or by the Registrar; and
(c) must be accompanied by the application fee prescribed by the regulations.
(2) The Registrar may require an applicant to furnish any information the Registrar requires to determine the application.
(3) Subject to this section, the Registrar may only refuse an application for a permit to acquire a firearm if—
(a) the applicant has not made the application in accordance with this Act or has not met the requirements of the Registrar in connection with the application; or
(b) the applicant does not hold a firearms licence that authorises possession of the firearm; or
(c) the Registrar is not satisfied that the applicant is a fit and proper person to acquire the firearm; or
(d) the Registrar is not satisfied that the applicant has—
(i) a genuine reason to acquire the firearm; and
(ii) a genuine need to acquire the firearm that cannot be met by a firearm already in the possession of the applicant; or
(e) the Registrar is not satisfied that the applicant, being a licensee, could use the firearm for the purpose authorised by the licence; or
(f) the Registrar is not satisfied that the applicant, being a licensee, will comply with or satisfy a condition of the licence or a requirement of this Act relevant to the firearm; or
(g) the Registrar is of the opinion that the firearm is particularly dangerous, or is otherwise unsuitable for the purpose for which it is intended to be used, by reason of its design, construction or any other factor; or
(h) the Registrar is of the opinion that the firearm could easily be converted to an automatic firearm; or
(i) the Registrar is of the opinion that, by reason of the firearm's size or any other factor, the firearm could be more readily concealed than other firearms of the same category or would be particularly suited to unlawful use; or
(j) the applicant has in the past acquired a firearm that he or she failed to produce to the Registrar for registration in accordance with this Act or the repealed Act; or
(k) the applicant has been found guilty of an offence under this Act or the repealed Act; or
(l) the Registrar is not satisfied that the applicant meets a requirement prescribed by the regulations.
(4) A licence granted to a person in order that the person may possess a firearm for use as an employee in a business carried on by another is not sufficient for the purposes of subsection (3)(b)
to justify the granting of a permit to acquire a firearm.
(5) For the purposes of subsection (3)(d)(i)
, a person has a genuine reason to acquire a firearm if the person genuinely intends to possess or use the firearm for a purpose authorised by a licence held by the applicant.
(6) A person does not have a genuine reason to acquire a firearm if—
(a) the person intends possessing or using it for the purpose of personal protection or the protection of another; or
(b) the person intends possessing or using it for the purpose of the protection of property in circumstances in which that purpose is not authorised by the licence held by the person.
(7) Subsection (6)
does not limit the reasons which the Registrar may be satisfied are not genuine reasons for the purpose of justifying the acquisition of a firearm.
(8) Subsection (3)(d)(ii)
does not apply to—
(a) a category A firearm; or
(b) a firearm that has been rendered unusable in a manner stipulated in the regulations or by the Registrar; or
(c) a firearm, or a firearm of a kind, prescribed by the regulations.
(9) Subject to subsection (10)
, an application for a permit must not be granted until at least 28 days have elapsed from the date of the application.
(10) An application for a permit may be granted before 28 days have elapsed from the date of the application if—
(a) the applicant is the owner of a registered firearm of the same category as the firearm to which the application relates; or
(b) the Registrar is satisfied that it is safe to do so and that there are special reasons for doing so.
(11) The period for which a permit remains in force must be specified in the permit.