Can I go hunting?
Conditional: you can hunt only with a qualification, a gun permit and a valid hunting card. The basis is Law 157/1992. First you need the hunting qualification: an exam before a regional commission (law, zoology and species recognition, weapons and ammunition, nature protection, first aid). Then the hunting gun permit (porto di fucile per uso caccia), issued by the Questura on a medical certificate, valid 5 years. You need the annual, regional hunting card (tesserino), recording every catch. The minimum age is 18. You hunt only in the periods of the regional hunting calendar (generally from the third Sunday of September to 31 January). Third-party hunting insurance is mandatory. In short: yes, with all these requirements.
📋 The rules
- Hunting qualification: exam before a regional commission
- Hunting gun permit (valid 5 years)
- Annual hunting card mandatory
- Minimum age 18
- Only within the regional calendar; insurance mandatory
🔓 Exceptions
- Calendars and species vary by region (including TAR closures)
- Some regions: youth card from 16 with limits
- Renewal can be denied on psycho-physical or criminal grounds
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The main costs (2026): the state firearms concession tax at issue is €173.16, plus the regional tax/card of about €60–€100/year, the booklet (€1.27) and the European firearms card (€0.83); add the medical certificate and the insurance. Hunting without a permit, out of season or without the card brings sanctions and seizure of the weapon and game; serious poaching is a crime. Beware a myth: "the hunting gun permit also lets me carry a gun for self-defence" is false — the hunting permit only authorises carrying for hunting; personal defence requires a different, rare defence gun permit. To hunt: get the qualification, the permit, the card and the insurance, and respect the calendar.
📎 Official sources
- Law 157/1992 — art. 22 (licence) →
- Polizia di Stato — gun permit →
- Federcaccia — hunting qualification →
❓ Frequently asked
What do I need to go hunting?
You need, in order, the hunting qualification obtained by passing an exam before a regional commission, the hunting gun permit issued by the Questura on a medical certificate, and the annual regional hunting card. Third-party hunting insurance is also mandatory.
Does the hunting licence let me carry a gun for defence?
No. The hunting gun permit authorises carrying the weapon only for hunting. To carry a weapon for personal defence you need a different permit, the defence gun permit, issued in far more limited cases. It's a myth to confuse the two permits.
How much does the hunting licence cost?
At issue you pay the state firearms concession tax of €173.16, plus the regional tax and card, generally between €60 and €100 a year, as well as the booklet and the European firearms card. The medical certificate and the mandatory third-party insurance must also be considered.
When can you hunt?
You can hunt only in the periods set by the regional hunting calendar, generally from the third Sunday of September to 31 January, with specific dates for each species. Calendars vary by region and can be changed or suspended by TAR rulings. Hunting out of season is sanctioned.
What's the minimum age to hunt?
The minimum age to obtain the hunting gun permit is 18. Some regions, however, provide a youth card from age 16, with limitations and under the guidance of an experienced hunter. The permit is valid 5 years and is renewed with a fresh medical certificate.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
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