Certification includes:

• an inspection of range structures (man-made and natural features) 
• a review of the Range Standing Orders (RSOs). 

Certificates are valid for 5 years from the date of issue.

A shooting range is: 

• an outdoor or indoor facility, or a designated area of land
• used by a shooting club or members of the public for the primary purpose of carrying out shooting activities.

Shooting activities means using a firearm or airgun to shoot at targets that aren't living, whether those targets are fixed or moving. Paintball shooting and airsoft shooting are not included in shooting activities.  

Any defence area that is used by a shooting club for shooting activities is also a shooting range that must be certified. 

Primary purpose is interpreted in the context of Part 6 of the Arms Act and against the purposes of section 1A of the Act.  Police will assess it against:

• the area of the facility or the designated area of land that is used for carrying out shooting activities. 
  In some cases, the designated facility or area of land that is used for shooting activities will form part of a larger area of land that is owned or controlled by the range operator (for example, the range may form only a small proportion of the overall land area, the rest being a farm or forest).  That does not mean that the primary purpose of the range facility or area is not shooting activities.

  and

• the times when shooting activities are being carried out.  
  Many range areas or facilities are used for other purposes at other times when the shooting activities are not being carried out (e.g. grazing).  This does not diminish the need for the range operator to have the range certified. 

Members of the public includes situations where members of the public may, on payment of a charge or by making a booking, use the facilities, even if the occupier is entitled to exclude or eject any person. 

In the farming context, people responding to an invitation to an open day shoot (e.g. a fundraising activity) would be members of the public, whereas family members of the farmer or one or two personally invited friends would not be.  

Any shooting range that is used by members of the public (even if casually or irregularly or on private land) will need to be certified for the period of use. 

Use the videos and other resources to help you prepare for certification.

Range certification guidance

Arrange an inspection

You must contact an approved Shooting Range Inspector (SRI) from the list and arrange an inspection.

The SRI will review all your documentation and prepare an inspection report.  

More about the SRIs role:

• Information for Shooting Range Inspectors 

Collect your supporting documents

You will need:  

• a copy of the Range Standing Orders – including Ammunition Danger Area information  
• a copy of the inspection report prepared by the Shooting Range Inspector  
• if the proposed range operator is not an individual, evidence that:
  • you are authorised to make the application for the body corporate (where a body corporate is the proposed range operator), such as a letter or a copy of the minutes from the meeting that authorised you.  
  • you are the proposed range operator’s representative and authorised to make the application (where the proposed range operator isn’t either a body corporate or an individual.  For example, the proposed range operator may be an unincorporated club).

Application fees

The fee depends on the type and number of ranges on the site:

• single shooting range on a site: $400  
• multiple shooting ranges on the same site operated by the same range operator: $400 plus $45 for each additional range up to 6 ranges ($625). No additional fee for more than 6 ranges.  
• clay target shooting range (skeet, trap, sporting): $400  
• one-time-use range: $250  

All fees include GST of 15%.  

Renewal fees

Range certification must be renewed every 5 years.  

If there has been no significant change to design, construction or operation: $200.  

If there has been a significant change, the renewal fee is the same as an application fee and will depend on the number of ranges on the site.  

All fees include GST of 15%.  

Invoicing

You will be invoiced when Te Tari Pūreke receives your application. Your certificate will not be issued until payment is made.  

The invoice includes instructions on how and where to pay.  

About the fees

 Fees help to pay for about half the cost of regulating clubs and ranges.