Can I hunt in Cyprus?
Yes — but only with an annual hunting licence from the Game and Fauna Service. You must be 18+ for a hunting licence and gun permit (the exams can be sat from 17). Hunting is permitted only on Wednesdays and Sundays in the main seasons (daily in some coastal areas). The licence is annual and tied to a gun registered in your own name — using someone else's gun is forbidden. You must keep at least 200 m from isolated houses. Bag limits apply per outing. Spring hunting is entirely banned. In short: yes, with a Cyprus licence and a gun in your own name.
📋 The rules
- Hunting licence from the Game and Fauna Service, age 18+
- Hunting only Wed/Sun (coastal: daily)
- Gun registered in your own name
- At least 200 m from houses
- Spring hunting banned entirely
🔓 Exceptions
- In some coastal areas: daily hunting allowed
- Game reserves & wetlands: hunting prohibited
- Drug/violence conviction: gun rights lost, 10-year wait
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Hunting on an unrenewed licence carries a fine starting at €2,000, plus the cost of all licences not renewed. A drug, domestic-violence or explosives conviction strips your gun-permit right, with a 10-year wait before re-applying. The exact annual licence fee could not be confirmed from an official page. Beware a myth: "a foreign/EU hunting licence lets me hunt in Cyprus" is false — you need a Cyprus Game and Fauna Service licence tied to a gun in your own name; there's no tourist hunting. Tip: renew the licence in good time and observe the bag limits.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Do I need a licence to hunt?
Yes. An annual hunting licence from the Game and Fauna Service is required, tied to a permit for a gun registered in your own name. You must be at least 18, while the required exams can be sat from 17.
When is hunting allowed?
Hunting is mainly allowed on Wednesdays and Sundays during the official seasons, while in some coastal areas it's allowed daily. Spring hunting is entirely banned under the EU Birds Directive.
Where is it prohibited?
Hunting is prohibited in game reserves and all wetlands, so duck hunting is effectively banned. You must also keep at least 200 metres from isolated houses, which form a legally prohibited zone.
Does a foreign hunting licence count?
No. A hunting licence from another country doesn't let you hunt in Cyprus. You need a Cyprus Game and Fauna Service licence tied to a gun registered in your own name. There's no tourist hunting.
What's the fine for an unrenewed licence?
Hunting on an unrenewed licence carries a fine starting at €2,000, plus the cost of all licences not renewed since your last valid permit. Serious criminal convictions can strip the gun-permit right for ten years.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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