Airsoft laws in Australia effectively ban the sport for civilian recreation. Every state and territory classifies airsoft devices as either firearms or prohibited weapons, and federal customs law treats them as restricted imports. You cannot legally buy, own, import, or play with one without a specific permit, and those permits are issued for purposes like film production and museum display, not weekend skirmishes.
Why Airsoft Is Treated Like a Real Gun
Australian weapons law does not care that airsoft pellets are plastic. It cares about two things: the firing mechanism (compressed gas or a spring propelling a projectile fits the statutory definition of a firearm in several states), and the appearance (a device that looks like an operable firearm is captured as an imitation firearm or a prohibited weapon in the rest). Either route lands you in the same place. Unauthorized possession is a criminal offense with prison time attached.
The label your state uses is largely academic for the average person. New South Wales and Queensland reach airsoft through their firearms Acts. Victoria and Western Australia reach it through prohibited weapons schedules. South Australia treats it as a Category A firearm. The Northern Territory captures it under both its firearms and weapons legislation at once. None of them give a hobbyist a way in.
State and Territory Rules
New South Wales
NSW classifies airsoft as a firearm under the Firearms Act 1996, which defines an air gun as any gun that propels a projectile by compressed gas, air, or a spring and is operated by a trigger.1AustLII. New South Wales Code – Firearms Act 1996 – Sect 4 Definitions Realistic devices that do not actually fire are captured separately as imitation firearms, and the Act applies to them the same way.2AustLII. New South Wales Code – Firearms Act 1996 – Special Provisions Relating to Imitation Firearms
Unauthorized possession carries up to five years in prison for most airsoft devices. If the device imitates a pistol or a prohibited firearm such as a military-style rifle, the maximum jumps to 14 years, because the Act treats an imitation of a prohibited firearm as if it were the real thing.3AustLII. New South Wales Code – Firearms Act 1996 – 7A Offence of Unauthorised Possession or Use of Firearms Generally The only civilian pathway is a Commissioner’s permit issued through the NSW Police Firearms Registry, and these go to film productions, theatrical use, and museum display rather than to recreational players.4NSW Police Force. Imitation Firearm
Victoria
Victoria lists imitation firearms and gel blasters as prohibited weapons.5Victoria Police. List of Prohibited Weapons Airsoft devices fall into one of those categories depending on specification, or can be captured by Victoria’s firearms legislation if they actually propel a projectile. Under the Control of Weapons Act 1990, possessing, using, or carrying a prohibited weapon without approval is a criminal offense.6AustLII. Victoria Code – Control of Weapons Act 1990 There is no recognized “genuine reason” for civilian recreational airsoft in Victoria. Exemptions cover collectors with Chief Commissioner approval, film and theatrical productions, and law enforcement.
Queensland
Queensland bans airsoft outright, regardless of muzzle velocity. There are no approved ranges, and the devices cannot be imported into the state. The Queensland Police Service classifies them by what they resemble: a standard airsoft device over 75 cm long is a Category A weapon, one replicating a military-style assault rifle is Category D, and one resembling a machine gun or submachine gun is Category R.7Queensland Police Service. Airsoft Firearms
Gel blasters are the exception in Queensland, and only for gel blasters. You can own and use them on private property or at licensed venues without a firearms license, but carrying or displaying one in public without lawful excuse is an offense, and transport requires keeping the device completely concealed.
South Australia
South Australia treats airsoft devices as Category A firearms under the Firearms Act 2015, the same category as paintball guns.8Australasian Legal Information Institute. South Australia Code – Firearms Act 2015 – Categories and Types of Firearms Gel blaster handguns fall into the higher Category H that applies to all handguns. Possession without a valid South Australian firearms license and registration is an offense. A licensed pathway theoretically exists through the standard genuine reason framework (recreational shooting at a licensed range, collecting, registered club participation), but the practical barriers are high.
Western Australia
WA lists airsoft guns and gel blasters as separate prohibited weapons under Schedule 1 of the Weapons Regulations 1999. An airsoft gun is defined as an article that looks like a firearm and discharges spherical projectiles using pneumatic, gas, electric, or spring mechanisms.9Australasian Legal Information Institute. Western Australia Code – Weapons Regulations 1999 – Schedule 1 Possession without lawful excuse carries up to five years imprisonment and a $60,000 fine on indictment, or up to three years and $36,000 on summary conviction. The lawful excuse defense does not extend to recreational use, and WA does not offer a standard licensing pathway for civilian airsoft.
Tasmania
Tasmania’s Firearms Act 1996 defines “firearm” to include imitation firearms, so any realistic-looking airsoft device requires a firearms license.10Tasmanian Legislation. Firearms Act 1996 Any device that substantially duplicates the appearance of a machine gun or submachine gun is a prohibited firearm under Schedule 1 and cannot be licensed at all.
Tasmania also specifically bans “war games” (simulated military exercises in which a firearm is used or carried). Taking part, hosting them on your property, organizing them, or advertising them can attract up to 10 penalty units or six months imprisonment.11AustLII. Tasmania Code – Firearms Act 1996 – Section 119 War Games The Commissioner can grant exceptions for historical re-enactments, dramatic presentations, and film or television work. Organized airsoft skirmishes sit squarely inside the prohibition.
Northern Territory
The NT prohibits airsoft under both its firearms and weapons statutes. The Australian Border Force has confirmed that under the NT Firearms Act, possessing imitation firearms such as gel blasters and airsoft devices is illegal, and non-firing imitation firearms are separately prohibited under the NT Weapons Control Act.12Australian Border Force. Imitation Firearms and Trip Alarms Seized From NT Property Whether the device actually fires or is purely cosmetic, it is unlawful to possess without authorization.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT classifies airsoft as a firearm under its Firearms Act 1996. Possession or sale without a license is illegal, and unauthorized possession of a prohibited firearm attracts substantially higher maximum penalties than other firearm offenses. Most airsoft devices that replicate military-style rifles would fall into the prohibited category, which closes off any realistic civilian pathway.
Importing an Airsoft Device From Overseas
Federal customs law is a separate hurdle that sits on top of state law. The Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 classify airsoft devices as “skirmish markers,” a category that expressly includes airsoft handguns, rifles, and shotguns.13AustLII. Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 – Reg 4F Importing one without permission is a criminal offense and the goods will be seized.
The rules changed on 22 January 2026. Skirmish markers now sit under Item 14B of Schedule 6 (Part 2), and each import requires an individual police certification on the B709A form. The old B709DA form dealers previously used for bulk ongoing imports is no longer valid. Any skirmish marker that resembles a fully automatic firearm or has a firearm accessory attached moves up to Item 12 and needs a separate Department of Home Affairs import permission.14Australian Border Force. Customs Notice 2026/02 – Firearms and Weapons Regulatory Amendments
To get a B709A signed, you need a valid firearms license in your state or territory and must apply through your local police firearms registry, then present the form to the Australian Border Force at importation. The device must also meet serial number and safety testing requirements applied to conventional firearms.15Australian Border Force. Firearms Because almost no state issues the underlying license for airsoft, the import route is closed to most people in practice.
Airsoft vs Gel Blasters
People researching Australian law often confuse the two. Airsoft guns fire hard 6mm plastic BBs at relatively high velocities. Gel blasters fire soft, water-filled polymer beads that are larger, lighter, and lower energy. Several states treat them very differently.
Queensland is the sharpest split: gel blasters are legal without a license, airsoft is completely banned. Western Australia lists them as separate prohibited weapons.9Australasian Legal Information Institute. Western Australia Code – Weapons Regulations 1999 – Schedule 1 South Australia treats both as Category A firearms but pushes gel blaster handguns into Category H. At the border, though, the 2026 customs definition of “skirmish marker” pulls them all together: airsoft handguns, rifles, shotguns, gel blasters, and gel ball blasters.13AustLII. Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 – Reg 4F If you are considering a gel blaster as a workaround, check your specific state’s rules first.
The Narrow Exceptions
Every state has some form of exemption, and every state keeps them narrow:
- Film and television production. Most jurisdictions allow permits for professional productions; Tasmania’s Commissioner can specifically authorize use for film, video, and television work.11AustLII. Tasmania Code – Firearms Act 1996 – Section 119 War Games
- Historical re-enactments and theatrical performances, on case-by-case approval.
- Law enforcement and military training, which sit outside civilian weapons restrictions.
- Licensed dealers and museums. In NSW, the Commissioner can issue a permit to a firearms dealer for imitation firearms, and museums may hold items for display.2AustLII. New South Wales Code – Firearms Act 1996 – Special Provisions Relating to Imitation Firearms
Recreational airsoft skirmishes of the kind common in the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia have no legal pathway in any Australian jurisdiction. No licensed fields, no civilian sporting exemption, no hobbyist permit. Advocacy groups have pushed for change in several states over the years, but as of 2026 no jurisdiction has built a recreational framework.
What Happens If You Get Caught
Police seize airsoft devices during border inspections, domestic searches, and traffic stops. A weapons charge for unauthorized possession creates a criminal record that affects employment, travel, and any future firearms license application. Financial penalties reach $60,000 in Western Australia, and because airsoft is classified alongside real firearms, the charges carry the same weight as being caught with an unregistered gun.
Ordering equipment from overseas is one of the most common ways people run into trouble. The Australian Border Force screens incoming parcels, and anything identified as a skirmish marker or imitation firearm without proper B709A certification will be seized.16Australian Border Force. List of Prohibited Items Federal importation charges can stack on top of any state-level weapons offense. “I thought it was just a toy” does not stand up when the device is designed to look exactly like a real firearm.