A licence to sell explosives allows you to buy and sell nominated explosives and to store a limited quantity at a designated location.

Application requirements

Check the application form for a list of requirements, including requirements for security clearances and a safety and security management system.

Publicly listed corporations must appoint a responsible person for explosives matters if they have not already done so.

How to apply

Your application should include:

• Form E206 – Application for a licence to sell explosives
• licence fee (see below)
• supporting documents (according to the required documentation on the application form).

Fees and payment options

Licence fees can only be paid via credit card (BPOINT) following submission of the online form. Read more about payment of licence fees.

Fees for licences to sell explosives

Obligations of licence holders

If you have a licence to sell explosives in Queensland, you must:

• sell only to people who have a licence to sell, store or use the explosive (not fireworks), or are authorised under the Explosives Regulation 2017 for the explosives endorsed on the licence
• for sale of security sensitive explosives, validate the licence of new and existing clients before the sale takes place
• not sell an explosive in a public place
• stop buying, possessing, storing and selling small arms ammunition if you cancel a licence to sell small arms ammunition, unless you're a licensed firearms dealer under the Weapons Act 1990
• keep records of explosives you buy and sell
• have a safety and security management system and security plan if the explosives are security-sensitive explosives.

You must provide a copy of your security plan when you apply for a licence to sell explosives.

What goes in the plan

The security plan must identify all security-related risks to the explosives that may affect an individual, property and information kept by you about the explosives.

Your security plan should outline how you'll ensure that:

• explosives are secure
• theft or break-ins can be stopped, delayed and/or easily detected
• you have accurate record keeping and accounting
• the explosives are delivered to the appropriate purchaser
• the chain of possession of all explosives can be traced from you to the buyer's delivery point (including the seller, transporter and magazine keeper of the receiving store as appropriate)
• information about explosives and their location, quantities, performance, transport routes and delivery arrangements is available only to authorised and appropriate personnel
• suspicious incidents are reported to you, the police and the Explosives Inspectorate
• all personnel in the chain of possession who have unsupervised access to the security-sensitive explosives are cleared for this and for the explosives associated with the purchase order and delivery.

Review requirements

You must review your security plan every year, and whenever there is a change in the national counter-terrorism alert level or level of risk.

You must also review your security plan whenever you experience any of the following:

• loss of explosives or a stock discrepancy that cannot be accounted for
• unauthorised entry or attempted break-in to your explosives storage place
• theft of explosives
• explosives obtained fraudulently
• intentional damage to one of your explosives facility
• loss or theft of information about explosives
• failure to deliver a shipment by the expected delivery time.

Other licence holders in the chain of possession

All licence holders in the chain of possession of security-sensitive explosives must have security plans that complement your security plan. This includes people who:

• buy security-sensitive explosives (e.g. shotfirer, fireworks contractor)
• sell or store explosives
• are third parties in the process, such as transporters and other handlers.

If you sell security-sensitive explosives, you must validate the identity and licence of any individual, partnership or corporation that wants to buy the explosives.

• Use the E120 - Request for validation of explosives licence (PDF, 385KB) to ask the Chief Inspector to validate the identity and licence of a new client or new licence of an existing client.
• Read the validation process outlined in our flow chart (PDF, 42KB).

This request applies to licences issued under the Explosives Act 1999, not the Weapons Act 1990.

Reporting suspect or unusual buyer requests

If you sell explosives and receive a suspicious request to buy a security-sensitive explosive, you must not proceed with the sale. Immediately give the Chief Inspector of Explosives details of the buyer.

You must do this even when the buyer has identified themselves, but you're still suspicious of the request. This might occur where:

• the buyer requests a cash sale
• the amount of explosives they request is unusual compared with normal industry standards
• the proposed use of the explosive is unusual, such as using blasting explosives for special effects like blowing up a car
• the proposed location of the proposed use is unusual
• the buyer holds a particular licence type but wishes to buy a security-sensitive explosive for a purpose and use not allowed under that licence
• the buyer lacks detailed knowledge of security-sensitive explosives or use of particular security-sensitive explosives.

Restrictions on selling to a new client

Before you sell explosives to a new buyer, you must obtain and record:

• the buyer's name, address, phone number and any other electronic contact details
• the buyer's signature, signed in your presence, or a certified copy of a document showing their signature
• the proposed use of the explosives, signed by the buyer
• if the buyer claims to be an employee of a licensee
  • written evidence from the licensee that the buyer is an employee of, and is acting for, the licensee
  • the licensee's phone number or other electronic contact details
• a copy of the original, or a certified copy of, the licence under the Explosives Act or Weapons Act that authorises the buyer to buy the requested explosives
• a copy of the original, or a certified copy of, documentary evidence confirming the buyer's name and address, (e.g. current driver licence). (This documentary evidence must not appear to have been forged or tampered with, and must include the name, address, signature and photo matching the buyer.)

Once you've obtained this information, make a request to the Chief Inspector of Explosives to validate the buyer's identity and licence under the Explosives Act. Use the approved form, E120 - Request for validation of explosive licence (PDF, 385KB) and include copies of the documents obtained above.

You'll need to wait for written notice that the Chief Inspector of Explosives has satisfactorily validated the buyer's identity and licence before you can supply any explosive to them.

Note: You don't have to make this request to the Chief Inspector for sales of propellant powders to buyers licensed under the Weapons Act to use firearms. The Chief Inspector will validate only licences issued under the Explosives Act 1999. However, you'll still need to obtain and record the information in the list above.

Before selling explosives to an existing buyer or client

Before you sell explosives to an existing buyer or client, ensure that you've previously validated their identity and licence with the Chief Inspector of Explosives under the Explosives Act. This doesn't apply to buyers with licences to use firearms under the Weapons Act.

If a licence under the Explosives Act expires or the Chief Inspector tells you that a licence has been cancelled or suspended, you must not sell explosives to the buyer until their new licence has been validated and records updated.

Selling to employees of licensees

If the buyer claims to be an employee of the licensee, and the licensee is an existing client, you must obtain written evidence that they're an employee of, and acting for, the licensee. You'll need this evidence for every employee attempting to buy explosives.