Are gel blasters still legal in Queensland in 2026?
Quick Answer: Yes. Gel blasters are still legal in Queensland in 2026, and you donโt need a licence. Queensland Police state itโs not an offence to possess one, as long as youโre 18 or older, store it in a locked container, and keep it out of sight in public. What changed on 22 January 2026 was federal import law. Gel blasters became "skirmish markers", and rifle-style blasters that look fully automatic moved to the strictest import category, so new M4s and AKs effectively stopped arriving. That doesnโt affect what you already own or can buy and sell within Queensland. A coroner recommended licensing in October 2025, but a recommendation isnโt law.
Iโve been playing since my mates dragged me to Blacksite on my birthday, and I run RedSpear, so I get this question every week, usually from someone whoโs just read a headline. For what itโs worth, in all that time Iโve never once been stopped or questioned by police about my blasters. The only questions I get are about how my MK18 is set up. But "itโs fine in my experience" isnโt a legal answer, so hereโs exactly what the law says, with the primary documents linked.
What Queensland Police actually say
From the Queensland Police Service gel blaster page, last updated 6 February 2026 (QPS):
Possession
Itโs not an offence to possess a gel blaster. No weapons licence is required.
Age
You must be 18 or older to purchase, possess or use one. Fields may add their own limits, and some run supervised junior sessions on their own gear, but under-18s canโt buy or own one.
Storage and carry
Store it in a locked container when not in use, and carry it out of public view.
Modifications
Itโs an offence to modify one so it can fire ammunition as defined in the Explosives Regulation 2017.
Two more details most guides miss. First, gel blasters that closely resemble a firearm have been treated as replica firearms since the framework that started on 1 February 2021, and QPS confirms replicas arenโt firearms, need no licence and arenโt registered. Second, since 1 September 2024 replica gel blasters are "controlled items" that retailers canโt sell to minors (National Retail Association). The day-to-day rules are on our QLD laws page and in public carry and storage.
What changed federally on 22 January 2026
Australian Customs Notice 2026/02 (ABF) made three changes:
1. A new import category. Gel blasters and airsoft are now grouped as "skirmish markers" under Item 14B of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations, along with their parts, magazines and ammunition.
2. A higher tier for military look-alikes. Skirmish markers that are "substantially the same in appearance as a fully automatic firearm", or have a firearm accessory attached, fall under the stricter Item 12. Thatโs why new M4- and AK-style rifles stopped arriving in stores.
3. Firearm-style import requirements. Skirmish markers can still be imported under the police certification test, but are now "subject to the same serial number and safety requirements as other conventional firearms" at the border.
None of that is about possession in Queensland. It controls what crosses the border. Our federal laws explainer goes item by item.
๐ฃ Why the word "firearm" in the new law doesnโt make yours illegal
The federal definition literally calls a gel blaster a firearm. Hereโs why thatโs not the panic it sounds like.
Read the 2026 customs notice and youโll find this definition: a skirmish marker "means a firearm that is designed to fire plastic, polymer or hydrated superabsorbent polymer balls โฆ and includes goods commonly known as โฆ gel blasters". Screenshots of that line did the rounds in Queensland groups for weeks.
The detail people missed is the instrument it sits in. That definition lives in the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations. It decides how goods are treated at the border, nothing more. What you may own and carry in Queensland is decided by Queenslandโs Weapons Act, and the Queensland Police position, updated after the federal change, still reads: "You do not need a weapons licence to possess a gel blaster" and "Replica firearms are not considered firearms".
So the same blaster can be a "firearm" to a customs officer at the wharf and a lawful, licence-free replica in your locked bag in Brisbane. Both statements are true at once, because they come from different laws doing different jobs. The practical effect isnโt on your ownership. Itโs on supply: no new commercial M4s or AKs means the existing ones in Queensland are the stock.
Law change alerts
Know the day a gel blaster law changes, not a week later
We read the QPS, Customs and Queensland Parliament updates so you donโt have to. One plain-English email when something actually changes, with the source linked. No spam, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
The 2025 coronerโs licensing recommendation
On 8 October 2025, after the inquest into the death of Peter Owen Pilkington, who was fatally shot by police while holding a realistic gel blaster, the Queensland coroner recommended that "Queensland legislation be amended to require that persons seeking to possess a gel blaster, hold a valid Queensland weapons licence" (Coroners Court of Queensland findings).
A coronerโs recommendation isnโt law. It would need a bill passed by the Queensland Parliament. As of 1 November 2026, the QPS gel blaster page still states that no weapons licence is required. Two practical points:
The trigger was mistaken identity. The recommendation came from police being unable to tell a gel blaster from a real firearm. Thatโs exactly why the out-of-sight rule matters. Every blaster seen in public makes the case for licensing stronger.
Watch for a bill, not headlines. If licensing ever goes to Parliament, it will appear on the Queensland Legislation site and weโll email law-alert subscribers the same day.
What this means if youโre buying or selling
Buying a rifle-style blaster: the used Queensland market is now the main source for M4s and AKs. Inspect carefully, because spare parts and mags for those platforms also come mainly from the used market (inspection guide, pricing guide).
Selling: sell only to Queensland adults 18+, and never post interstate. In 2026 the AFP charged a Brisbane man with sending gel blasters and parts from Queensland to other states, an offence carrying up to 10 yearsโ imprisonment (AFP). Our guide to posting a gel blaster covers what sellers should learn from it. RedSpear verifies both sides are in Queensland and holds payment until the handover is confirmed (how it works).
Travelling: other states are far stricter. NSW, for example, treats gel blasters as firearms. Check every stateโs laws before you cross a border with one.
Frequently asked questions
Are gel blasters legal in Queensland in 2026?
Yes. QPS states itโs not an offence to possess one and no weapons licence is needed. You must be 18+, store it locked and keep it out of public view.
Did the January 2026 federal change ban gel blasters?
No. It changed import rules. Gel blasters became "skirmish markers" under Item 14B, and ones that look fully automatic moved to the stricter Item 12. It doesnโt affect possession in Queensland.
Do I need a licence for a gel blaster in Queensland?
No. A coroner recommended licensing in October 2025, but no law has changed, and QPS still states no licence is required.
Can I still buy and sell used M4 and AK gel blasters in Queensland?
Yes, between Queensland adults. The import change only stops new commercial stock arriving.
Can I take my gel blaster to another state?
Check that stateโs law first. QPS warns that other states may prohibit gel blasters and may prosecute you there.
Sources
- Queensland Police Service - Gel blasters (last updated 6 February 2026)
- Australian Border Force - Australian Customs Notice No. 2026/02
- Coroners Court of Queensland - Findings of inquest, Peter Owen Pilkington
- National Retail Association - Sale of knives and controlled items, QLD
- AFP - QLD man in court for alleged supply of gel blaster firearms interstate
Last checked: 1 November 2026. General information, not legal advice. Contact QPS Weapons Licensing for advice on your situation.
Buy and sell the legal way
RedSpear is Queensland-only and 18+, with verified sellers and payment held until handover. Browse used gel blasters or list yours free. RedSpear takes 5% only if it sells.
Read next: Federal laws 2026 explained ยท Public carry rules ยท Selling legally in QLD
Written by Patrick Amadeu
Founder of RedSpear Armory and a critical care paramedic since 1989. Iโve played indoor at Blacksite and the former GelSoft Yatala, and outdoor at Donnybrook, Kooralbyn and Bundaberg. RedSpear exists because my first rifleโs gearbox died four days after the shopโs warranty ran out. More about me
RedSpear Armory โ Queensland's dedicated marketplace for used gel blasters. Browse listings, sell your gear, and connect with the local QLD community at redspeararmory.com.au.