Can I own a firearm in Czechia?
Yes — a law-abiding resident can legally own a pistol in Czechia, under the new Firearms Act (90/2024) effective 1 January 2026. Permit cards are gone: everything lives in the Central Weapons Register. Five groups became two authorisations — general (possession, sport, hunting) and extended (concealed carry). Existing holders converted automatically (A–C → general, D–E → extended). The conditions stay: exam, medical certificate, clean record and reliability, the general authorisation running from age 21 (15/16/18 for sport shooters and hunters). The common mistake: the general authorisation does not allow carrying — only possession and transport. Air rifles ≤6.35 mm and flobert guns ≤50 J are permit-free from 18.
📋 The rules
- From 1 Jan 2026: electronic authorisations in the register, no cards
- General: acquire/possess, sport, hunting; extended: concealed carry
- Conditions: age, exam, medical fitness, clean record, reliability
- Old permits converted automatically (A/B/C→general, D/E→extended)
- Category NO (air rifles ≤6.35 mm etc.): free from 18, no registration
🔓 Exceptions
- Sport-club shooters and hunters: exam access and authorisations from lower ages under special rules
- Museums and collectors: special (now electronic) licensing regime
- Category NO (air rifles ≤6.35 mm, flobert guns ≤50 J by classification): free from 18, no authorisation or registration
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Possessing a licence-required firearm without an authorisation is the crime of unlawful arming: up to 2 years in prison, more at larger scale. Registry and transport breaches draw administrative fines, and since 1 January 2026 every gun sits in the Central Weapons Register, so a missing entry surfaces at the first check. What people underestimate: concealed carry on a general authorisation is outside its scope (that covers possession and transport only), and over-capacity magazines and certain modifications run under their own regime.
📎 Official sources
- Interior Ministry · Main changes from 1 Jan 2026 (CS) →
- Interior Ministry · Firearm permits after 1 Jan 2026 (CS, PDF) →
- Svět zbraní · The new Firearms Act 2026 (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
Is my old permit still valid?
Your authorisation converted automatically in the Central Weapons Register: groups A–C into general, D–E into extended. The plastic card proves nothing any more — after 1 January 2026 the electronic entry is what counts.
What do I need for a first gun?
The authorisation: a proficiency exam, a medical certificate and proof of a clean record and reliability. Only then can you buy — and the purchase is registered electronically, with no paper permit issued any more.
Can I carry concealed?
Only with the extended authorisation, which replaced the old group E. The general one covers acquisition, possession, sport and hunting including transport, but concealed carry for self-defence falls outside its scope.
How many guns may I own?
The law sets no numeric limit for common categories and each gun is simply entered in the register. Over-capacity magazines and certain modifications, however, have their own regime that your authorisation does not automatically cover.
From what age?
The general authorisation is issued from 21. Sport shooters and hunters have reduced age limits (15/16/18 depending on the activity and supervision) — special rules open the exam and the authorisation to them earlier.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “gun ownership czech republic”
- “czech firearms act 2026”
- “gun licence prague foreigner”
- “concealed carry czechia”
- “czech central weapons register”
- “gun licence age limit czech”