🦌 Can I hunt in Albania now that the moratorium is over?

With conditions

Quick answer

Not automatically — the moratorium is over, but hunting stays restricted. For more than a decade Albania had a moratorium that banned hunting (Law no. 7/2014, extended by Law no. 61/2016 and later), and that is what most people remember: “hunting is banned”. This is exactly the stale trap. In 2025 the moratorium ended and Parliament passed a new hunting law that brings hunting back only in approved, leased zones, with a 5-year hunter’s licence after a test, only with firearms and in defined seasons. In practice this means the zones must be leased and the licences issued, so until the whole system is set up you cannot simply go out and hunt. Hunting outside the approved zones stays banned and is heavily fined. So do not confuse “the moratorium is over” with “hunting is allowed for everyone” — they are two different things.

📋 The rules

The moratorium that banned hunting (Law no. 7/2014, extended by Law no. 61/2016 and later) ended in 2025.
The new law passed in 2025 allows hunting only in approved and leased zones, not across the whole territory.
A hunter must meet strict criteria: Albanian citizen over 25, a licensed hunting weapon, no record for crimes against life, and passing a test for the 5-year licence.
Hunting is done only with firearms and in defined seasons following the breeding periods; other methods are not allowed.
Hunting zones (no smaller than 500 ha) are leased for 10 years and approved by government decision.

🔓 Exceptions

Until the zones are leased and the licences issued, hunting practically cannot be exercised, even though the moratorium has ended.
Once the allowed zones are approved, hunting is automatically excluded across the rest of Albania’s territory.
Pest control or wildlife management by the authorities is a different regime and is not the same as individual sport hunting.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

This is one of those places where the old figure misleads you: the belief that “hunting is simply banned” went stale when the moratorium ended, but anyone who draws a weapon outside the new framework pays dearly. Under the new law, hunting in prohibited zones is reported to be punished with a fine of 200,000 to 650,000 lek, while hunting species not on the permitted list runs up to 1,300,000 lek. Watch the numbers in conversation: “1.3 million” new lek is heard as “13 million” old lek — the same sum. On top of the fine you risk seizure of the weapon and the game, loss or refusal of the licence, and — if you hunt without a firearms permit or in a protected area — heavier liability. Because the new system is only being rolled out, always verify the status of the zone and the licence before going out: “I heard it was allowed” is not a legal defence.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Is hunting allowed now that the moratorium is over?

Not freely. The moratorium ended in 2025 and a new law was passed, but it allows hunting only in approved, leased zones with a hunter’s licence. Until the zones and licences are in place, hunting is practically impossible.

What do I need to get a hunting licence?

You must be an Albanian citizen over 25, hold a licensed hunting weapon, have no record for crimes against life, and pass a test. The licence obtained is valid for five years and hunting is done only with firearms.

How big is the fine if I hunt outside the allowed zones?

Under the new law, hunting in prohibited zones is reported to be punished with 200,000 to 650,000 lek, while hunting species outside the permitted list runs up to 1,300,000 lek. You also risk seizure of the weapon and the game.

Is it true that hunting was banned forever?

No, that is a misunderstanding left over from the moratorium. The multi-year ban ended in 2025 and was replaced by a new regime with licences and zones; it is no longer a total ban, but nor is it a free permit for everyone.

Where can I hunt legally?

Only in the hunting zones approved by government decision and leased out, no smaller than 500 hectares. Once these zones are approved, hunting is excluded across the whole rest of the country’s territory.

🔎 Common searches

What people search to land here:

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