The National Gun Buyback Scheme has officially begun in New South Wales, with eligible firearm owners able to surrender affected weapons from 2 November 2026 and receive compensation under the first phase of the program.
Appointments opened last week, with 331 bookings already made covering 2,430 firearms, as well as 194 ammunition items weighing one kilogram or more, before the first surrender appointments began.
The NSW scheme is expected to operate for 12 months and forms part of wider changes to the state’s firearms laws, including new ownership limits and the reclassification of some firearms.
Who Can Participate?
Phase 1 is available to eligible licence and permit holders whose firearms are affected by recent legislative changes.
This includes people who:
- hold firearms that have been prohibited or reclassified
- own more firearms than permitted under the new four- or 10-firearm limits
- no longer meet new Australian citizenship requirements, subject to limited exemptions.
The NSW Government estimates that around 18 per cent of firearm licence holders are affected by the new limits and classifications, with as many as 274,000 registered firearms potentially eligible for surrender.
Unregistered firearms are not eligible for compensation through the scheme and must instead be surrendered through the National Firearms Amnesty.
Compensation From $450 to $1,000
Under Phase 1, eligible firearms are compensated according to a fixed payment schedule, generally ranging from $450 to $1,000 per firearm, depending on the type.
Eligible ammunition weighing at least one kilogram attracts a $150 flat payment.
Firearm owners must first submit an application through the Gun Safe portal and book a surrender appointment at a participating police station.
Walk-ins carrying firearms will not be accepted.
The government says compensation payments are expected to be made within up to 10 days after surrender.
Six Police Stations Accepting Firearms From Today
The first stage begins at six police stations:
- Sutherland
- Penrith
- Narellan
- Grafton
- Griffith
- Dubbo.
Another 34 police stations are scheduled to begin accepting surrenders from 1 December, including locations across metropolitan Sydney and regional NSW.
Further stages will follow in January and February 2027, with 146 police stations ultimately expected to participate.
Higher-Value Firearms Covered in Phase 2
A second phase is scheduled to begin in early 2027 for eligible firearms with an indicative market value above $3,000.
Owners will be able to apply for an independent valuation, for a fee, rather than accepting the standard fixed payment.
Compensation under this pathway will be capped at $10,000 per firearm. Owners considering the valuation pathway are being advised not to surrender those firearms through the standard Phase 1 process.
Up to $25,000 Support for Firearms Dealers
An industry support package has also opened alongside the buyback.
Eligible licensed firearms dealers whose firearm sales declined by 30 per cent or more during 2026 can apply for a one-off business support payment of up to $25,000.
Eligible dealers can also access up to $500 in one-off licence fee relief, equivalent to two years of licence fees, as well as advisory support through the Service NSW Business Bureau.
Applications for the business support grant are scheduled to close at 4pm on 25 February 2027. Further industry assistance is expected to be announced as part of Phase 2 next year.
Industry representatives have raised concerns about uncertainty surrounding the later stages of financial support, with the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia saying further details about Phase 2 remain limited.
The NSW buyback will continue progressively across the state over the coming year as additional surrender locations become available.
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