Can I own an air gun without a permit in Lithuania?
It depends on the projectile's energy — some air guns need no formalities at all, others require a permit, and the myth that "an air gun is just a toy" can prove costly. Under the Law on the Control of Weapons and Ammunition, the law does not apply at all to guns whose projectile kinetic energy is up to 2.5 J — which covers most airsoft and weak air guns. To buy an air gun of 2.5–7.5 J it is enough to show an identity and age document (from age 18); no permit is needed. But a gun whose energy exceeds 7.5 J already needs a category C permit and must be registered with the police within 10 days. The key point people miss: even a more powerful air gun may not be carried in public — it is transported cased to a shooting range or hunting ground, not carried in the street for self-defence.
📋 The rules
- Projectile energy up to 2.5 J — the law does not apply (airsoft, weak air guns)
- 2.5–7.5 J — bought from 18 with an ID document, no permit
- Over 7.5 J — category C: a permit to acquire and keep (carry) is required
- A category C gun must be registered with the police within 10 days
- An air gun may not be carried in public — it is transported cased
🔓 Exceptions
- Sports ranges and collectors have separate use and storage conditions
- A gun under 2.5 J needs no registration, but it is still not a toy and is not given to children
- Shooting an air gun is allowed only in designated or safe places, not in a residential area or in public
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The biggest mistake is to keep a more powerful air gun as if it were a toy. If a gun's energy exceeds 7.5 J and it is unregistered or kept without a permit, that is already a breach of the weapon-keeping rules: under Article 229 of the Code of Administrative Offences the fine is €20 to €60, on repeat up to €180, and the gun may be confiscated. What people miss: shooting an air gun in a residential area, a yard or another unsuitable place brings separate liability for unlawful shooting, while carrying a weapon while intoxicated (over 0.4 per mille) is banned by Article 227. If a pellet injures a person or damages someone else's property, civil liability for the damage follows, and in more serious cases criminal liability too. An airsoft or weak air gun, though unregulated, if pointed at people or displayed in public may be taken for a threat and trigger a police response.
📎 Official sources
- e-seimas · Law on Control of Weapons and Ammunition, Art. 1 (2.5 J limit) →
- Lithuanian Police · registration of air guns →
- e-tar · Law on Control of Weapons and Ammunition, consolidated →
❓ Frequently asked
Does an airsoft gun need a permit?
Airsoft and other guns whose projectile energy does not exceed 2.5 J fall outside the Law on the Control of Weapons and Ammunition, so no permit is needed. Even so it is not a toy — pointed at people or displayed in public it can trigger a police response and liability.
From what power does an air gun need a permit?
A permit is required for an air gun whose projectile kinetic energy exceeds 7.5 J — such guns fall into category C. A gun of 2.5 to 7.5 J can be bought from age 18 with only an ID document, without a permit.
Do I have to register an air gun?
A category C air gun (over 7.5 J) must be registered at a police office no later than 10 days after the purchase, and a keeping or carrying permit is then issued. Weaker guns and airsoft devices are not subject to this registration requirement at all.
Can I carry an air gun in the street?
No, an air gun may not be carried in public — it is transported unloaded and cased to a shooting range or hunting ground. Carried or displayed in the street it may be mistaken for a real firearm and bring a police response and liability.
From what age can I buy an air gun?
An air gun of 2.5 to 7.5 J can be bought at age 18 on presenting an identity and age document. A gun more powerful than 7.5 J requires, besides meeting the age condition, a police-issued permit to acquire and keep it as well.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “air gun without permit lithuania”
- “air gun registration lithuania”
- “airsoft gun law lithuania”
- “how many joules air gun no permit”
- “air gun minimum age lithuania”
- “category c weapon permit”