A Firearms Prohibition Order or ‘FPO’ is an order that NSW Police can make against a person. It gives police extra search powers and means extra fines or jail time apply if that person gets a firearm, or does certain other things related to firearms.
Our factsheet is a guide for people who have an FPO made against them, and their families and support networks. It gives plain-English information about FPOs, covering:
- what an FPO is,
- when police can make an FPO,
- the powers police have under an FPO,
- how long an FPO lasts,
- what happens if a person breaches an FPO,
- how an FPO is different to a Weapons Prohibition Order (WPO),
- whether an FPO shows up on a criminal record, National Police Check or Working With Children Check,
- how to confirm whether you have an FPO in place against you, and
- what steps can be taken to try and remove an FPO.
In 2026, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is running a ‘preliminary’ investigation into how police use FPOs on young people. You can read more about the investigation and how to make a complaint about an FPO on you or someone in your family or community on our FPO complaint form page.
This factsheet contains general information that can help people understand their legal rights. It is not intended as legal advice and is not a substitute for legal advice from a qualified professional.
