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New Zealand firearms licence photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand for the New Zealand firearms licence, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 8 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the New Zealand firearms licence photo?

A New Zealand firearms licence application through MyFirearms needs a digital colour photo: a portrait JPG or JPEG, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, between 25 KB and 10 MB, taken within the last 12 months. Show your head and shoulders against a plain, light-coloured background with a neutral expression. Scanned photos are refused. The paper form takes one colour print instead, drawn on the form at 35 x 45 mm.

Since 23 September 2026, firearms licences in New Zealand have been handled by Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE), the regulator set up under the Arms Act 2026. NZ Police hosts FSE and provides its corporate support, but keeps law enforcement for itself. Anyone aged 16 or over who wants to possess and use standard firearms without supervision needs a licence, and your photo is displayed on the licence card.

The fastest route is online through MyFirearms, FSE's portal, which needs a RealMe login and a mobile phone. There the photo is a digital file that has to meet FSE's format, pixel and file-size limits. If you cannot apply online, a paper form is sent by courier from an NZ Post shop, and it takes a single printed colour photo.

FSE says that passport photos from commercial outlets will typically meet its requirements, and that it will not accept photographs that do not. Applications lodged before 23 September 2026 and not yet decided continue under the new Act without a new form, although FSE may ask for more information.

New Zealand firearms licence photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand:[1]

Print sizeMyFirearms: digital only, no print size. Paper form: 1 colour print, 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) as drawn on the form
Digital sizeMyFirearms: 900 x 1200 to 4500 x 6000 pixels, portrait
BackgroundPlain, light-coloured
ColourColour, in focus
Photo ageTaken within the last 12 months
File sizeMyFirearms: 25 KB to 10 MB
File formatMyFirearms: JPG or JPEG
Print qualityPaper form: printed from a high-quality digital photo; scanned copies are not accepted
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale. Background: plain.

Key requirements

  • Digital file for MyFirearms

    Supply a colour JPG or JPEG in portrait format, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, with a file size between 25 KB and 10 MB. FSE calls the shape a 4:3 aspect ratio, meaning the height is a third longer than the width.

  • No scanned prints

    FSE will not accept a scanned copy of a photograph. Use the original digital image from the camera or photographer; it can be cropped and resized to fit the pixel range.

  • Head and shoulders, front on

    The picture shows your head and shoulders, and your head should take up most of it. It must be a full front view of your face, from chin to forehead, with both sides of the face visible.

  • Neutral, sharp and recent

    Keep a neutral facial expression. The image must be in colour, in focus, of good quality and a good likeness of you, and it must have been taken within the last 12 months.

  • Plain, light background

    FSE asks only for a plain, light-coloured background. Its rules name no particular colour and say nothing about shadows, glasses or editing.

  • One print on the paper form

    The paper form asks for one colour photograph, similar to a passport photo, for your licence card. Its example photo is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, and the form tells you to print high quality digital photos.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Check the file is a JPG or JPEG between 25 KB and 10 MB.
  • Keep the image within 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 high.
  • Frame your head and shoulders, with your head filling most of the picture.
  • Stand in front of a plain, light-coloured background.
  • Face the camera straight on with a neutral expression.
  • Include one colour print with a paper application.

Don't

  • Do not upload a scan of a printed photo.
  • Do not wear a hat or head covering unless your religion requires it.
  • Do not use a photo taken more than 12 months ago.
  • Do not turn your head so that one side of your face is hidden.
  • Do not send a black and white or blurred photo.
  • Do not staple documents together on a paper application.

Sample photos

How a New Zealand firearms licence photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Headwear and religious dress

Take off hats and head coverings. The only exception FSE gives is a hat or head covering that your religion requires you to wear, and the paper form uses the same wording. FSE's wording mentions religion only; it does not list medical reasons.

Babies and children

You must be 16 or over to apply, so there is no licence for younger children. Applicants aged 16 or 17 follow the same photo rules as adults. If they have no spouse or partner, a parent or legal guardian must be their next-of-kin referee.

Online through MyFirearms, the photo is a digital file only: a JPG or JPEG of 25 KB to 10 MB, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, in portrait. A scan of a print is refused, so keep the original image from the camera or photographer.

The paper form asks for one colour photograph, similar to a passport photo, and its example shows 35 x 45 mm. It says to print high quality digital photos, refuses scanned copies, and suggests checking the photo with the New Zealand Passport Office's online photo checker first. A digital photo can be printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter.

Where to submit the photo

Online, log in to MyFirearms with RealMe, create your profile, then complete the New Zealand Firearms Licence form with your photo, identity documents and other details, and pay the fee in MyFirearms. FSE emails you to confirm it has received the application.

On paper, use form FRM23FLA. Pay at an NZ Post shop and send the form, the photo and copies of your identity documents by courier to FSE's National Support Team in Auckland; courier applications may take longer. FSE then arranges an interview with you, talks to your referees and inspects your firearms storage before deciding.

How to get your New Zealand firearms licence photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the New Zealand firearms licence: 35 × 45 mm print, 4500 × 6000 px digital file, plain background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: digital file for MyFirearms; no scanned prints; head and shoulders, front on; neutral, sharp and recent.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Online through MyFirearms, the photo is a digital file only: a JPG or JPEG of 25 KB to 10 MB, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, in portrait. A scan of a print is refused, so keep the original image from the camera or photographer.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Online, log in to MyFirearms with RealMe, create your profile, then complete the New Zealand Firearms Licence form with your photo, identity documents and other details, and pay the fee in MyFirearms. FSE emails you to confirm it has received the application.

Make this photo online

New Zealand firearms licence photo FAQ

Online there is no print size: FSE asks for a portrait JPG or JPEG, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, between 25 KB and 10 MB. The paper application form asks for one colour print, and its example photo measures 35 mm wide by 45 mm high.

Usually, yes. FSE says passport photos from commercial outlets will typically meet its requirements, and the paper form describes the photo as similar to a passport photo. It must still be under 12 months old, and for MyFirearms it has to be the digital file, not a scan of the print.

No. FSE says a scanned copy of a photograph will not be accepted. Use the original digital image instead, sized to fit the pixel limits and saved as a JPG or JPEG of 25 KB to 10 MB.

It must have been taken within the last 12 months. The paper form counts the 12 months back from the day you submit the application, so check the date before you send it.

Yes, if your religion requires you to wear it. Any other hat or head covering must come off. Your face still has to be in full front view, from chin to forehead, with both sides visible.

Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE), the regulator under the Arms Act 2026, has handled licensing since 23 September 2026. NZ Police hosts FSE and keeps responsibility for enforcement and prosecutions, and the old Police firearms pages now point to FSE.

Yes, if you cannot use MyFirearms. Download form FRM23FLA, complete every section, include one colour photo and copies of your ID, pay at an NZ Post shop and courier the application to FSE in Auckland. Paper applications may take longer to process.

Yes. The paper form says the photograph is displayed on your licence card, which is mailed to you once FSE approves the application.

Related photo specifications

Other New Zealand documents

Licences and permit cards nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Before you apply (firearms licence) firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Application process firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Apply or reapply for a firearms licence firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. New Zealand Firearms Licence Application Form (FRM23FLA, 202609) firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. New Zealand Police. Firearms Safety and Education (FSE) police.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Previous FRM23FLA form, October 2025 (PDF) firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Who we are firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Apply for a visitor licence firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"New Zealand firearms licence photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/new-zealand/firearms-licence-photo

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