Professional statute overview
Enactment structure, operative effect and source provenance
01
Purpose and legislative effect
“This Act may be cited as the Firearms Act.”
This Act may be cited as the Firearms Act. This section says the Act does not apply to certain armed forces, police, government-service persons acting in duty, pyrotechnics used only for fireworks, or certain slaughtering instruments held by authorized abattoir operators or government veterinary officers. This section defines key terms used in the Act, including acquire, ammunition, firearm, transfer, and several licensing and officer terms. Importing or exporting firearms or ammunition needs the proper permit from the Registrar of Firearms, unless a stated exception applies. A person must not, in trade or business, make, sell, transfer, repair, test, prove, expose for sale or transfer, or possess firearms or ammunition unless licensed; an auctioneer may do so for auction sales with written police permission.
02
How the instrument operates
- 01
Start with the recorded version
Enacted 1967 · Source version 31 Dec 2014. The date shown identifies this source expression and should not be treated as proof that no later change exists.
- 02
Locate the controlling provision
Use the provision map, part headings and full-text filter to move from the broad subject to the exact legal language.
- 03
Read conditions and exceptions together
Keep subsections, definitions, provisos and cross-references in context before drawing a legal conclusion.
- 04
Verify currency and official wording
Confirm later legislation, commencement notices and corrections with the official publisher before advice, filing or reliance.
03
Research entry points
Selected provisions across the instrument. Open any row to continue with the exact stored text.
This Act may be cited as the Firearms Act.
Section 1
Licensed dealers must keep a transaction register, record required particulars, report twice yearly, allow inspection, and display their licence.
Section 7
People who possess firearms or ammunition must report loss, theft, or destruction to the nearest police station at once. People with a firearm or ammunition licence or permit must also report address changes at once.
Section 13
A person with a bag, sack, box, or other container holding a firearm or ammunition is treated as carrying or possessing that firearm or ammunition.
Section 18
This section says the Act works alongside, and does not override, provisions of the Preservation of Public Security Act about firearms and ammunition.
Section 24
04
Source and current-law status
Source record view
Source record from malawilii.org · Enacted 1967 · Source version 31 Dec 2014
The source record does not state a definitive current-law status. Check the official publisher and later amendments before relying on this text.