Prohibited weapons, items and explosives

Prohibited weapons are a risk to public safety. You cannot possess a prohibited weapon without an exemption.

Prohibited weapons include:

NEW – from 1 July 2025

Machetes (a large knife designed or adapted for use as an agricultural slashing tool or weapon).

Swords (a thing designed or adapted for use as a weapon with a long blade and hilt or handle, or which is intended to be used with a hilt or handle, which has a sharp point or a cutting edge on one or more sides).

Knives

• Ballistic knife where the blade is fired by explosion, mechanics or percussion.
• Butterfly knife / Bali knife / Balisong knife.
• Fighting knives - a knife designed for hand to hand fighting, for example, a butterfly knife, dagger, flick-knife, push knife or trench knife.
• Knife belt that conceals or disguises the knife.
• Star knife / shuriken / ninja star / throwing star.
• Whole or part of a knife that cannot be detected by a metal detector or x-ray.
• Sword
• Bayonet (see other weapons)

Daggers

• Double-sided blade or spike-style blade daggers.
• Traditional Scottish daggers - Dirk and Sgian dhu.

Other weapons

• Nunchakus martial arts weapon.
• Bayonet.
• Brace catapult / slingshot.
• Concealed weapons.
• Extendable baton.
• Full-size or pistol cross-bow.
• Hand or foot claws / ninja claws.
• Knuckle duster including weighted or studded gloves.
• Laser pointer (hand held) of more than 1 milliwatt.
• Morning star, also known as English or medieval mace.
• Poniard, a Masonic ceremonial weapon.
• Tear gas where the chemical is CN, CS or DM tear gas.

Exemptions are provisions that enable a person to possess a prohibited weapon for a legitimate and lawful purpose. It is important to understand all the responsibilities that accompany an exemption in order to maintain the validity of the exemption.

Police may prosecute any person who does not comply with or meet the criteria of the exemption for possessing the prohibited weapon.

The legislation excludes some persons from claiming an exemption. Persons are not exempt for possession of prohibited weapons (other than Exemption Clauses 3, 4, 5 and 12) if -

• found guilty of an offence involving violence for which the maximum term of imprisonment is five or more years

OR

• found guilty of an equivalent offence involving violence under the law of another State or Territory of the Commonwealth or any other country

OR

• a person was exempt, but found guilty of using the weapon to threaten or injure another person, that person is no longer eligible for any Schedule 2 exemption

A person who ceased to be exempt in accordance with previous legislation (reg 7(4) Summary Offences (Dangerous Articles and Prohibited Weapons) Regulations 2000 is not to be exempt under any exemption provided by Schedule 2 of the Summary Offences Act 1953.

The full exemptions and exclusions are contained in Schedule 2 of the Summary Offences Act 1953.

Prohibited Weapons Exemption - Delivery to Police [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Business Purposes [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Religious Purposes [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Entertainment [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Sport and Recreation [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Ceremonies [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Museums and Art Galleries [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Executors [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Heirlooms [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Collectors [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Prescribed Service Organisations [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Security Agents [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Members of Scottish Associations [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Lodges of Freemasons [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions - Astronomical Purposes [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions – Food Preparation [PDF]

Prohibited Weapons Exemptions – Manufacture, Supply, Sale or Dealing [PDF]

You do not need to apply for an exemption if you fall within one of the specified legislated exemptions. Conditions and requirements may apply for each weapon.

For advice on these conditions and requirements, or if your situation is not captured by the exemptions listed in Schedule 2, we encourage you to contact the Firearms Branch via email at sapol.firearmsbranch@police.sa.gov.au or by phone on 7322 3407.

Dangerous articles are a risk to public safety. You cannot possess a dangerous article unless it is allowed under another Act.

Dangerous articles include:

• anti-theft case designed to give an electric shock
• blow gun or blow pipe
• commercially made catapult / slingshot without a brace
• dart projector designed to propel a dart by elastic material
• gas injector device designed to inject gas or other substance into an animal
• handheld electric, sound or electromagnetic self-protection device
• self-protecting offensive, noxious or irritant spray.

See Schedule 2 of the Summary Offences (weapons) Regulations 2012 on the South Australian Legislation website for descriptions of dangerous articles.

On 1 May 2018, the Statutes Amendments (Explosives) Act 2017 commenced, amending both the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 and Summary Offences Act 1953, to introduce a range of new offences and penalties for the possession and use of explosive devices, substances and equipment, as well as to provide additional authorities for police to investigate and manage explosive related incidents.

The following advice is also provided as required by legislation.

Manner of Property Analysis

The following guidelines in relation to ‘the manner in which seized property may be analysed’ are hereby published by the Commissioner of Police pursuant to Section 72E(2)(a) and (3) of the Summary Offences Act 1953:

“Pursuant to S72E (2) (a) and (3) Summary Offences Act 1953, analysis of any quantity of seized property may be undertaken by means of testing, physical examination, visual inspection, or through photographs or films of the property, having regard to the need to protect the safety of any persons or property. The seized property may be analysed by an appointed analyst, or under his or her supervision, using any one or more of the following methods:

• chemical testing
• electronic testing, including but not limited to- gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, Rahman and/ or Infrared Spectroscopy etc
• visual inspection
• flame testing, including but not limited to- gas chromatography, flame ionisation, flame sensitivity testing etc
• impact sensitivity testing
• photographic or video inspection and recording
• x-ray examination.

When determining the most suitable method of analysis, the safety of any person involved, (whether at the time of the analysis subsequently) will remain the highest priority.”

Keeping of records

The following guidelines in relation to ‘the keeping of records in relation to the analysis of seized property’ are hereby published by the Commissioner of Police pursuant to Section 72E(2)(b) of the Summary Offences Act 1953:

“Pursuant to S72E (2) (b) Summary Offences Act 1953, records in relation to the analysis of seized property may be kept via any electronic means, in paper form, or by photographic film or photograph and will be managed in accordance with the State Records Act 1997 and South Australia Police General Order: Records Management (as amended from time to time).”

See the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 and the Summary Offences Act 1953 for further information.

DO NOT TOUCH any suspected explosives, dangerous items or substances.

In the event that you find any explosives or suspicious items, DO NOT TOUCH or attempt to move the item. Ensure your own personal safety and that of any other persons in the vicinity and immediately report the matter to Police by calling the SAPOL Call Centre 131 444, or in the event of an emergency or immediate life threatening situation call Triple Zero (000).

People wishing to surrender explosives or any other related materials should contact the SAPOL Call Centre on 131 444 or their local police. Under no circumstances are explosives or dangerous items to be taken to a police station. Items should be left in place until police are advised and advice is provided in regard to the safe management of such items.

See the Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 and the Summary Offences Act 1953 for further information.

• Body Armour – is a protective jacket, vest or other article of apparel designed to resist the penetration of a projectile discharged from a firearm.
• The Summary Offences Act 1953 prohibits the manufacture, supply, possession and use of body armour, unless an exemption is provided by the Commissioner of Police.
• To obtain the exemption, complete an RF1662 (application for authority to possess body armour) and provide the required information as listed.