Can I carry pepper spray for self-defence in Lithuania?
Yes — you may own and carry a gas (pepper) spray for self-defence, and it is one of the few self-defence devices you are actually allowed to carry on you in public. Under the Law on the Control of Weapons and Ammunition, self-defence gas sprays fall into category D — any person aged 18 or over may buy one without a permit, without an exam and without a medical certificate. Unlike air guns or throwing knives, a gas canister and a contact stun device may be carried in public. The key point people miss: a pepper spray (an aerosol) and a gas pistol (which fires gas cartridges) are not the same thing. A gas pistol is already a firearm that requires a permit and a higher age, so it is exactly this confusion that gives rise to the myth that a self-defence spray is somehow unlawful.
📋 The rules
- Self-defence gas sprays — category D devices
- May be bought by anyone aged 18+, without a permit or medical certificate
- A gas canister may be carried in public (one of the few exceptions)
- It may be used only for self-defence — against a real or imminent attack
- A gas pistol (firing cartridges) is already a firearm and needs a permit
🔓 Exceptions
- Using the spray not for defence but to attack or frighten brings liability as an intentional act
- Carrying any weapon, including a spray, while intoxicated (over 0.4 per mille) is banned
- In some countries the same device is banned — check local rules before travelling abroad
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The device itself is legal, so liability arises not from owning it but from misusing it. If the spray is used not to defend against an attack but to attack, take revenge or simply frighten people, this is treated as an intentional act — depending on the consequences it can bring administrative liability for a breach of public order or criminal liability for impairing health under the Criminal Code. What people miss: carrying a spray, like any weapon, while intoxicated (over 0.4 per mille) is banned by Article 227 of the Code of Administrative Offences, and selling one to a minor makes the seller liable. Necessary defence justifies only proportionate force: if the attacker is already neutralised and the danger has passed, continuing to spray may be found to exceed the limits of defence. When travelling abroad it is important to know that in many countries pepper spray is restricted or banned, so carried across a border it may be confiscated.
📎 Official sources
- e-seimas · Law on Control of Weapons and Ammunition (category D) →
- Lithuanian Police · weapons and devices for self-defence →
- e-seimas · Code of Administrative Offences, Art. 227 →
❓ Frequently asked
From what age can I buy pepper spray?
A self-defence gas spray, as a category D device, may be bought by anyone aged 18 or over. No permit, exam or medical certificate is needed, so it can be bought freely in a weapons shop or online.
Do I need a permit for pepper spray?
No, a self-defence gas spray needs no permit because it belongs to category D. This sets it apart from a gas pistol or category B and C weapons, which require a police permit and a passed exam.
Can I carry the spray in the street?
Yes, a gas canister is one of the few self-defence devices you are allowed to carry on you in public. Even so, it may be used only to defend against an attack, not to threaten, take revenge or frighten those around you.
What is the difference between pepper spray and a gas pistol?
The spray is an aerosol canister that releases an irritant substance and belongs to category D. A gas pistol fires gas cartridges and is treated as a firearm requiring a permit and a higher age.
What happens if the spray is used other than for self-defence?
Using the spray to attack, take revenge or frighten is treated as an intentional act and can bring administrative or criminal liability. Necessary defence justifies only proportionate force, so spraying a person who is already neutralised is not allowed.
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