South Australia Police (SAPOL) is transforming firearms services with the introduction of the South Australia Firearms Register (SAFR).
The new system will enhance efficiency, security and accessibility, improving the experience for firearm owners, businesses and law enforcement.
Officer in Charge of Firearms Branch, Superintendent Lauren Leverington said the system is anticipated to be operational mid-2026.
"As we develop the new digital system, SAPOL is asking firearm licensees to provide us with feedback on their current user experience," Superintendent Leverington said.
Licensees who have registered their email address with SAPOL's Firearms Branch will receive an email invitation to complete a survey. For those who haven't registered, a participation link is available on the SAFR page on SAPOL's website or is available here.
"We encourage all licensees to participate and share their insights to help us improve our services," Superintendent Leverington said.
Plans for SAFR include offering 24-hour online access for 15 digitised firearm services for dealers and licence holders. This will expediate application processing and reduce wait times. Users will also benefit from improved visibility and tracking of their applications.
"SAPOL recognises the community's frustration with the current application processing times," Superintendent Leverington said.
"To address this in the short term, additional staff have been employed to manage the workload more efficiently."
Key benefits of SAFR include:
- Faster processing - digital applications will be reviewed and processed more quickly, reducing wait times for both applicants and administrators.
- Secure online payments - offering a more convenient way to pay.
- Secure and centralised storage of all digital submissions and enhanced reporting and workload tracking for Firearms Branch
- Built in validation to reduce errors through the use of mandatory fields to prevent incomplete or incorrect submissions.
- Environmentally friendly through minimised use of paper, supporting sustainability goals.
The SAFR initiative also forms part of the broader National Firearms Register (NFR) program. SAPOL is partnering with the Commonwealth and other states and territories to deliver unified and efficient firearms information in near real time across Australia.
"SAFR is shaping the future of firearms services in South Australia by delivering a new system. Together with our Commonwealth partners, SAPOL aims to elevate safety standards and improve service across the firearms community," Superintendent Leverington added.
