May I own an air rifle or airsoft gun without a permit?
An adult may acquire and own an air rifle or pistol with a projectile energy below 25 J without a permit, while above that threshold a notification certificate is required. The key myth is the old 20 J limit – it was raised to 25 J of projectile kinetic energy at the muzzle by an amendment to the Weapons Act (ZOro-1). An air weapon with energy below 25 J is a category D weapon that an adult (18) acquires and possesses without a weapons document. If the energy is 25 J or more, a notification certificate is needed to acquire and possess it, and a permit is needed to bring it in or import it. Automatic air weapons are not counted as air weapons. Airsoft and similar replicas usually have very low energy and fall among the freely available category D weapons, but they are not toys – shooting at people, animals or someone else's property brings liability, and because of their appearance they can also trigger a police response.
📋 The rules
- An air weapon with a projectile energy below 25 J at the muzzle is a category D weapon that an adult acquires and possesses without a weapons document.
- At an energy of 25 J or more, a notification certificate is required, and a permit from the competent authority to bring in or import such a weapon.
- The old 20 J limit no longer applies; after the latest ZOro-1 amendment the dividing line is 25 J of projectile kinetic energy.
- Automatic air weapons are not counted as air weapons and do not enjoy this free availability; they are treated more strictly.
- Even a freely available air weapon or airsoft gun may not be carried in a way that alarms people, nor used to shoot at people, animals or someone else's property.
🔓 Exceptions
- Children and minors may not acquire an air weapon; selling to a minor is not allowed, and supervised use is tied to shooting ranges and mentoring.
- Shooting clubs and ranges have their own rules; organised sport shooting with air weapons takes place under supervision and in line with safety rules.
- An air weapon with an energy of 25 J or more is subject to the notification regime (a notification certificate) and does not enjoy the free-possession exemption that applies to weaker devices.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Acquiring and owning an air rifle below 25 J is not an offence for an adult, as it is a freely available category D weapon. Problems arise from wrong classification and use. Anyone who owns or brings in an air weapon with an energy of 25 J or more without a notification certificate or permit commits an offence under the Weapons Act, and the weapon can be seized. If you shoot at people or animals with an air rifle or airsoft gun and injure someone, you are liable for bodily harm or damage to another's property, and for deliberate endangerment, for an offence against public order. Because the replicas look identical to real weapons, displaying one in public often triggers a call and a police response, and pointing one at a person can be treated as a threat. For damage caused by a minor, the parents are liable in damages. Beyond the penalty you risk seizure of the weapon and a record that makes it harder to obtain weapons documents later.
📎 Official sources
- PISRS · register of legislation (Weapons Act, ZOro-1, air weapons) →
- e-uprava · registering a weapon (notification certificate) →
- Police · weapons and weapons documents →
❓ Frequently asked
Up to what power is an air rifle permit-free?
An air weapon with a projectile energy below 25 J at the muzzle may be owned by an adult without a weapons document. At 25 J or more a notification certificate is required, and a permit from the competent authority to bring it in or import it.
Does the 20 J limit still apply?
No, the old 20 J limit no longer applies, as it was raised to 25 J of projectile kinetic energy by an amendment to the Weapons Act. Many websites still quote 20 J, but the dividing line for free possession today is 25 J at the muzzle.
Do I need a permit for airsoft?
Airsoft devices usually have very low energy and fall among the freely available category D air weapons, so a permit is usually not needed. Even so, they may not be sold to a minor, nor used to shoot at people or someone else's property.
May a minor own an air rifle?
Acquiring an air weapon is tied to adulthood, so a minor may not buy one, and selling to a minor is not allowed. A minor's use makes sense only under supervision at a shooting range, and the parents are liable in damages for any harm caused.
What do I risk if I shoot an air rifle in a residential area?
Shooting at people, animals or someone else's property brings liability for bodily harm or damage to property, and for endangerment, an offence against public order. Because an air weapon looks identical to a real one, displaying or pointing it at a person often also triggers a police response.
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