A weapons permit may be acquired by a citizen of the Republic of Estonia and a foreign national who is a citizen of a Member State of the European Union or NATO and who holds an Estonian residence permit or who lives in Estonia based on a right of residence. A weapon may be acquired by a person who is at least 18 years old, or in the case of some types of weapons, at least 21 years old.
Here, you can see up to 3 of the most recent valid weapons permits issued to you
A natural person has the right to own a civilian weapon designed for hunting, engaging in corresponding sports, protecting themselves and their property, pursuing a profession, or collecting. A difference is made between weapons and ammunition in unrestricted and restricted commerce.
A legal person may acquire, own, or possess weapons for in-house guarding, engaging in corresponding sports or in hunting, studying subjects related to weapons, collecting, providing security services, staging a historic or cultural event, or for rental at a firing range or field firing range.
Weapons in restricted and unrestricted commerce
Weapons and ammunition thereof in unrestricted commerce shall not be acquired, owned, possessed, carried, stored, or transferred by persons under 18 years of age. Weapons and ammunition in unrestricted commerce are not entered to the register of service and civilian weapons.
Weapons in unrestricted commerce are:
- gas spray
- pneumatic weapons of a calibre of up to 4.5 mm (inclusive);
- warning and signal weapon with a gas charge contained in a gas cartridge
- hunting knives
- bayonet knife
- bayonet
- diving knives
- fencing weapons for sport (épée, sabre, foil, etc.)
- cut-and-thrust weapons related to historical tradition in culture, martial arts, or sports (sword, dagger, rapier, etc.), or replicas thereof
- crossbow
- sporting bow
- underwater weapon.
A child who is at least 10 years old and is engaged in a corresponding sport may carry, possess, and convey weapons specified in clauses 2 and 4–9.
Weapons in restricted commerce are:
- Gas weapons (except for the gas sprays)
- pneumatic weapons (except pneumatic weapons of a calibre of up to 4.5 mm (inclusive))
- cut-and-thrust weapons (except hunting knives; bayonets; diving knives; fencing weapons for sport (épée, sabre, foil, etc.); cut-and-thrust weapons related to historical tradition in culture, martial arts or sports (sword, dagger, rapier, etc.), or replicas thereof). The use of the following cut-and thrust weapons is prohibited for civilian purposes: brass knuckles, knuckle knives, telescopic truncheons, chain maces, and also other objects specifically intended to cause bodily injuries; cutting, thrusting and striking weapons which are disguised as other objects or hidden within other objects; knives with a blade which is ejected by the force of a spring or gravity and which is then locked, and with a blade length of over 8.5 cm or a double-edged blade.
- firearms
- acoustic weapon.
Acquiring a weapon
Weapons permits and acquisition permits are issued only digitally.
A self-service is open for natural persons where you can submit an application for both a weapons permit and acquisition permit along with the required additional documents, pay the state fee via a bank link, and monitor the progress of the processing stages of the application.
You can also apply for the permits at the service officesof the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.
You can find more information about applying for a weapon acquisition permit and applying for a weapons permit on the website of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board. There, you can also find information on applying for permits for a legal person.
The weapon acquisition permit is valid for 3 months. If you are unable to acquire the desired weapon within that time, you need submit an application for extending the weapon acquisition permit before the permit expires.
A weapons permit is valid for up to five years (the term of validity of a weapons permit may not exceed the term of validity of the medical certificate issued to you).
At the state portal, you can check what weapons have been registered in your name, and examine the information of an issued weapons permit.
More information of topics related to weapons is available on the homepage of the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board.