Am I allowed to hunt in Sweden?
Only if you have everything in place — the right of public access does not include hunting. You need four things: a hunting exam, a paid annual wildlife management fee (hunting card) of 400 kr, hunting rights (the landowner's permission or a lease) and a weapon licence from the police for your firearms. The trap is that three out of four is not enough: without the hunting rights it is a hunting offence even if you hold the exam, the card and the licence. The hunting year runs 1 July–30 June and the card must be renewed annually. The minimum age for a weapon licence is 18 (15 only with special reasons), and hunting seasons are set by the EPA. Even the landowner needs exam, card and licence on their own land.
📋 The rules
- The right of public access gives no right to hunt
- Required: hunting exam + wildlife fee + hunting rights + weapon licence
- Wildlife fee (hunting card): 400 kr/year
- Weapon licence: minimum age 18
- Hunting seasons are set by the EPA
🔓 Exceptions
- Protective hunting can occur outside the regular season by decision
- A landowner hunts their own land without a lease (but still needs exam, card and licence)
- A weapon licence from age 15 in special cases
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A hunting offence (Hunting Act §43) brings fines or up to 1 year prison, and a gross hunting offence (§44) 6 months–4 years prison. What makes it expensive is the forfeiture: weapons, vehicles and game can be taken from you — the rifle and the car you drove there in — and hunting rights can be revoked, which hits all your hunting going forward, not just the occasion in question. The requirements are also cumulative: hunting exam, paid 400 kr wildlife fee, hunting rights and weapon licence must all be in place, or the hunt is illegal.
📎 Official sources
- EPA · Wildlife management fee →
- Swedish Police · Hunting firearms →
- Hunting Act (1987:259) · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I hunt under the right of public access?
No. The right of public access lets you be out in nature, but it does not cover hunting. You need a hunting exam, a paid hunting card, hunting rights from the landowner and a weapon licence — all four, or the hunt is illegal.
What does the hunting card cost?
The wildlife management fee is 400 kr per year, paid to the state before you may hunt. The hunting year runs 1 July–30 June, so the card must be renewed every year — last season's card will not do.
How old must I be for a weapon licence?
18 is the main rule, and you apply to the police for the firearms you intend to use. In special cases a licence can be granted from age 15, but that is an exception and not something to count on.
Do I need the landowner's permission?
Yes, you must have hunting rights — as the landowner, through a lease, or through the landowner's permission. A landowner hunts their own land without a lease, but still needs the exam, the hunting card and a weapon licence.
What is the penalty for illegal hunting?
A hunting offence brings fines or up to 1 year prison, and a gross offence 6 months to 4 years. Weapons, vehicles and game can also be forfeited and hunting rights revoked, which is often the heaviest consequence.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “am I allowed to hunt sweden”
- “hunting exam requirement sweden”
- “wildlife fee hunting card 400”
- “weapon licence age 18 sweden”
- “hunting rights landowner sweden”
- “penalty illegal hunting sweden”