A junior firearm licence allows a child aged between 12 and 17 to carry or use Category A or B longarms, Category C longarms (being shotguns) or general category handguns for the purpose of:
- receiving instruction in the use of these firearms, or
- engaging in sport or target shooting competitions.
About junior firearm licences
Junior licences are slightly different from adult firearm licences.
Rather than holding a licence for a certain category of firearm with activities or genuine reasons endorsed on that licence, a junior licence is a supervised licence endorsed for different categories of firearms (category A or A and B, category C or handgun). A junior may have their licence endorsed for one or all of these categories.
A junior licence holder may only carry and use firearms under the immediate supervision of an adult with a current firearm licence for the same category of firearm.
Victoria Police recommends that adult licence holders supervising juniors remain within one metre of the junior and pay close attention to them in all instances where they are in possession and/or use of a firearm.
A junior firearm licence holder may not own or store firearms. However, a person with parental responsibility who also holds a firearm licence may own and store firearms on behalf of a junior licence holder.
Like adult licences, new junior licence applications are subject to a mandatory 28 waiting period and will not be finalised until that waiting period has been completed.
Who can apply for a junior licence
A child aged between 12 and 17 years of age can apply for a junior firearm licence in Victoria.
Juniors will also need to meet certain eligibility requirements.
Types of junior licences
The types of firearm licences juniors can apply for.
Moving from a junior licence to an adult licence
A junior licence will be considered valid beyond the 18th birthday of the licence holder if the junior licence holder submits an application for an adult licence in the same category before they turn 18.
Where an application is received by the Licensing and Regulation Division prior to them turning 18, the licence will remain valid until a determination on an adult licence application is made by the Chief Commissioner of Police.
Juniors who are awaiting a determination on their full licence must still abide by the conditions in their junior licence, including the requirements to carry and use firearms under supervision.
Failure to abide with the conditions may affect any pending licence applications.
To apply for an adult firearms licence please submit a new firearm licence application form through the eServices Portal.
More information on how to submit a new firearm application can be found on Apply for a new firearm licence.
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Apply for a new firearm licence
How to apply for a new firearm licence and what you need to do before you submit your application.
Firearms licensing
Learn about the Victoria Police Licensing and Regulation Division, including information about firearms and regulation and licence requirements.
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