The ACT Government has temporarily relaxed the rules around the use of gun silencers after some of its staff were found to be using them illegally during a kangaroo cull.

Silencers, or firearm suppressors, allow shooters to muffle the noise made when firing weapons.

They are heavily regulated in Australia and until now have been completely banned in the ACT.

That became a problem for the Territory Government when it recently discovered its shooting contractors had been using them to quietly kill kangaroos during an annual cull.

The Government blamed the breach on an administrative oversight and as a result has now partially overturned the strict ban.

"In certain circumstances, the use of noise suppression devices fitted to firearms in strictly controlled circumstances is reasonable and necessary," the ACT Government explained.

Those circumstance are limited to government-authorised killing of animals on public land, or for a conservation officer to shoot native animals to alleviate their suffering.

Firearms dealers can now also apply to manufacture, repair and test silencers at their place of business.

But the Government said the move was not a permanent solution.

"We are taking a considered approach to the development of any future legislative amendments and the instrument provides an appropriate interim solution," the Government said in a statement.

"It should be noted that legislative amendments could not be made earlier because of the Assembly going into caretaker and a new government being formed."

New South Wales has similar exemptions in place but earlier this year controversially changed the permit application to make it easier for recreational hunters and sporting shooters to also apply to use a suppressor.