Statute Details
- Title: Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025
- Act Code: GEWCA2021-S379-2025
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021
- Enacting authority: Minister for Home Affairs (pursuant to section 56 of the Act)
- Commencement: 1 July 2025
- Legislation number: SL 379/2025
- Current version status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key provisions (from extract): Sections 1–4 (Citation and commencement; Definitions; Class licensee; Conditions of class licence)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025 (“the Order”) creates a regulatory pathway for certain weapons to be possessed for ornamental, curio, or collection purposes—provided the weapons are “blunted” and the holder complies with strict conditions. In practical terms, it recognises that some people may lawfully keep replica-like or deactivated-edged items for display or historical/collecting value, but it does so within a controlled legal framework designed to reduce the risk of serious harm.
The Order operates under the broader Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (“the Act”). It does not “legalise weapons” in general; rather, it defines a narrow category of “defined weapons” and then permits possession only where those weapons are modified (“blunted”) and used only for specified purposes. The mechanism is a “class licence”, meaning that instead of each person applying for an individual licence, qualifying persons fall within the licence automatically—subject to compliance with the conditions.
For lawyers advising collectors, museums, exhibition organisers, or private individuals, the key point is that the Order is purpose- and condition-driven. A person may possess blunted defined weapons for ornamental or curio/collection value, but only if the statutory definitions are met and the holder takes reasonable steps to prevent loss, theft, unauthorised access, and public alarm.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and commencement (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal name of the Order and states that it comes into operation on 1 July 2025. This matters for compliance timing: activities involving possession for ornamental/collection purposes must align with the Order’s commencement date (unless another exemption or licence regime applies under the Act).
2. Definitions (Section 2)
Section 2 is central because the Order’s permission hinges on whether an item falls within the defined categories and whether it has been “blunted”. The definitions include:
(a) “Bayonet”—a thrusting, striking or cutting weapon designed to be attached to or at the muzzle of a gun.
(b) “Blunted”—in relation to a defined weapon, the cutting edges and points are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death. This is a functional safety test, not merely a cosmetic one. Practitioners should note that “blunted” must be achieved in a way that removes the weapon’s capacity to cause serious harm.
(c) “Defined weapon”—a defined weapon includes:
- a bayonet;
- a sword or dirk;
- a sharp pointed stabbing instrument meeting specific blade geometry and design criteria, and designed for hand-to-hand combat (with examples such as push knives/daggers, throwing knives, and trench knives/knuckleduster-style weapons), but excluding a karambit;
- a spear; or
- a spearhead.
(d) “Display to the general public”—display as part of an exhibition open to any member of the public as of right or by express or implied permission, whether or not a fee is charged. This definition is relevant to the ornamental purpose in Section 3.
(e) “Spear”—a thrusting, throwing, striking or cutting weapon propelled by human power without any device, including halberd, glaive, and martial arts weapons such as “Guandao” or “Yanyuedao”.
(f) “Sword”—a thrusting, striking or cutting weapon with a long blade having one or two cutting edges and a hilt, including bolo, kukri or hooked swords, but excluding a machete and a parang. This exclusion is important for classification disputes: not every long-bladed cutting implement is captured.
3. Class licensee (Section 3)
Section 3 sets out who is covered by the class licence. In summary, unless exempt by or under sections 87 or 88 of the Act and subject to section 66(1) and (2)(c) of the Act, every person who possesses one or more blunted defined weapons for specified purposes is subject to a class licence authorising possession for that purpose (and no other purpose).
The permitted purposes are:
- (a) as an ornament for display to the general public or otherwise; and
- (b) as a curio or as part of a collection due to commemorative, historical, thematic or heirloom value.
Two practical limitations flow from Section 3:
- Purpose limitation: possession is authorised only for the listed purposes. If the weapon is held for a different purpose (even if still “blunted”), the class licence may not apply.
- Disposal limitation: the class licensee may dispose of the blunted defined weapons if they are no longer required for that purpose. This provides a lawful off-ramp, but it is still tethered to the ornamental/collection purpose.
4. Conditions of class licence (Section 4)
Section 4 imposes ongoing compliance obligations. A class licensee may possess a blunted defined weapon only if all conditions are met.
(a) Weapon must remain blunted at all times (Section 4(1)(a))
This is a continuing condition. It implies that the holder must prevent re-sharpening, restoration, or any alteration that would reinstate cutting edges or points capable of serious injury or death.
(b) Prevent loss, theft, and unauthorised access (Section 4(1)(b))
The class licensee must take all reasonable steps to ensure the weapon is not lost or stolen and is not accessible or transferred to anyone else who is not authorised by or under the Act to possess it.
The illustration clarifies the standard of care. If the weapon is kept in a container with a keyed lock or keyed padlock, the licensee must take reasonable precautions to ensure the keys are not lost or stolen and are not accessible to unauthorised persons. This is a concrete compliance example that practitioners can translate into advice on storage protocols, key management, and access control.
(c) Protect others from alarm (Section 4(1)(c))
The licensee must take all reasonable steps necessary to protect other people from alarm relating to the class licensee’s possession of the blunted defined weapon for the permitted purposes. This condition is often overlooked but is legally significant: it addresses public perception and safety concerns. For example, displaying a weapon in a way that causes panic, misunderstanding, or public disturbance could be argued to breach this obligation.
(d) Meaning of “authorised by or under the Act” (Section 4(2))
For Section 4(1)(b), “authorised by or under the Act” means authorised to possess the blunted defined weapon without committing an offence, because of:
- a provision in the Act;
- a licence or class licence; or
- an exemption by or under sections 87, 88 or 89 of the Act.
This definition matters for transfer scenarios. It clarifies that the test is not merely whether the recipient claims permission, but whether the recipient’s possession is legally authorised under the Act framework without committing an offence.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is concise and structured around four operative provisions:
- Section 1 sets out the citation and commencement date.
- Section 2 provides definitions that determine the scope of items captured (including what counts as a “defined weapon” and what “blunted” means).
- Section 3 identifies the class of persons who are “class licensees” and the permitted purposes for which possession is authorised.
- Section 4 lists the conditions that must be satisfied for lawful possession under the class licence, including storage/security, maintaining the blunted state, and preventing public alarm.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to every person who possesses one or more blunted defined weapons for the specified ornamental, curio, or collection purposes—subject to the stated exclusions and cross-references to the Act. It is not limited to businesses; it can apply to private collectors, individuals, and organisations, provided the statutory conditions are met.
However, the class licence is not universal. Section 3 expressly carves out persons who are exempt by or under sections 87 or 88 of the Act, and it is also subject to section 66(1) and (2)(c) of the Act. Practitioners should therefore treat the Order as one part of a wider compliance matrix: a person’s lawful status may depend on whether they are exempt, licensed, or otherwise authorised under the Act.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it provides a legally workable route for ornamental and collecting activities involving certain weapon categories—while still imposing safety and control measures. For practitioners, it reduces uncertainty by specifying (i) which weapon types are “defined weapons”, (ii) what “blunted” means in functional terms, and (iii) the compliance conditions that must be maintained.
From an enforcement and risk perspective, the conditions in Section 4 create clear compliance duties that can be operationalised: secure storage, key control, preventing unauthorised access, maintaining the blunted condition, and managing public-facing behaviour to avoid alarm. These are not merely aspirational; they are legal conditions attached to the class licence.
In practice, the Order will be most relevant in scenarios such as: private sword/dirk collections; historical reenactment displays (where weapons are blunted and displayed appropriately); curated exhibitions; and heirloom or thematic collections. Lawyers advising clients should focus on evidence and documentation—particularly around how the weapon was blunted, how it is stored, who has access, and how the display is conducted to minimise public alarm.
Related Legislation
- Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (authorising Act; key cross-references include sections 56, 66, 87, 88, and 89)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.