If the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police cancels your firearms licence, refuses your application for a firearms licence, imposes licence conditions or refuses to issue a permit to acquire, you may have a right to have this decision reviewed by the Firearms Appeals Committee.

The Firearms Appeals Committee is an independent statutory appeals body established under the Firearms Act 1996 (External link). It is entirely independent of both the Victorian Government and Victoria Police. The Department of Justice and Community Safety provides secretariat support to the Committee.

The Committee only deals with the review of certain firearms licensing decisions made by the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police. For all other queries relating to firearms and firearms licensing information, contact the Victoria Police Licensing and Regulation Division (External link)

How to make an appeal application

The Firearms Act 1996 must give you a right to apply to the Committee to review a decision made by the Chief Commissioner.

You may wish to seek legal advice about whether you are eligible to apply to the Committee.

You can't make an application before the Committee if:

  • you are a prohibited person
  • you are subject to a firearm prohibition order
  • your firearms licence was cancelled, not renewed or your application refused on the basis of your criminal activities.

Applicants may wish to seek legal advice about whether they are eligible to apply to the Committee for a review of a decision.

To commence a proceeding before the Committee:

1. Complete and send the Firearms Appeals Application Form

Send the form to the Committee within 28 days of receiving notification of the Chief Commissioner's decision (e.g. to cancel your firearms licence or refuse your application for a firearms licence).

2. Attach a copy of the Firearms Licence Cancellation/Refusal Notice

This notice was sent to you by Victoria Police, Licensing and Regulation.

3. Pay the prescribed fee

Pay the prescribed fee of $49.00 (this fee, which is current until June 2025, is non-refundable).

There are three options to make payment of the application fee:

  1. Payment by Credit Card.
  2. Payment by Money Order.
  3. Payment by Bank Cheque.

Please note that the Committee cannot accept cash or personal cheques.

4. Send the documents to the Firearms Appeals Committee

If paying by Credit card

Send the documents via email to: firearmsappeals@justice.vic.gov.au (External link). Once received the Secretariat will contact you to take payment of the fee.

If paying by money order or bank cheque

Send the documents via mail to:

The Secretariat
Firearms Appeals Committee
GPO Box 4356
Melbourne VIC 3001

5. Give notice of your application to the Chief Commissioner of Licensing and Regulation

When you apply to the Committee you must also give notice of your application to the Chief Commissioner, setting out the nature and grounds of the appeal application.

The Committee recommends that you send a copy of the Firearms Appeal Application Form and any supporting documents to:

The Chief Commissioner
Licensing and Regulation
GPO Box 2807
Melbourne VIC 3001