On Weapons
Text of the document
📑 Contents (54 articles)
Law of Georgia
On Weapons
Article 1. Scope of regulation of the Law🔗
This Law determines the types of weapons, regulates relations related to the circulation of weapons and the exercise of control over them, and the rights and obligations of participants in the circulation of weapons.
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No. 3378 - LHG I, No. 26, 14.07.2006, Art. 206
Article 2. Definition of terms🔗
The terms used in this Law have the following meaning:
a) weapon – a device or object structurally designed to injure and/or destroy a living or other object, or to give a signal, or to produce a sound (acoustic) effect;
b) firearm – a short or long firearm in which a projectile or shot pellets start directed movement as a result of the energy released during the combustion of gunpowder or another charge, and which is designed to mechanically injure and/or destroy an object from a distance;
c) main parts of a firearm – barrel, cylinder, bolt, frame, receiver;
d) hunting firearm – a long firearm with a mechanical or semi-automatic mechanism for bringing it into combat readiness, smooth-bore (shotgun), rifled-bore (carbine or rifle) or combined (rifled-bore and smooth-bore);
d¹) short weapon:
d1.a) a firearm, gas (air) or pneumatic pistol;
d1.b) a firearm, gas (air) or pneumatic revolver;
d1.c) a firearm or pneumatic weapon manufactured by a weapon manufacturer or producer, the total length of which does not exceed 55 cm;
d²) long weapon – a firearm or pneumatic weapon which does not belong to the short weapon provided for by subparagraphs “d1.a” and “d1.b” of this Article and the total length of which, as a result of manufacture by the weapon manufacturer or producer, exceeds 55 cm;
d³) total length of a weapon – the length of the weapon without a muzzle brake-compensator, flash suppressor and/or other device to be attached to the barrel, and:
d3.a) including the stock, if the stock is solid (stationary, the removal of which is impossible without the use of additional tools);
d3.b) without the stock, if the stock is folding or removable, the removal of which is possible without the use of additional tools;
d3.c) with the stock folded, if the stock is telescopic;
d⁴) civilian firearm – defence firearm, sporting firearm, hunting firearm;
e) (removed – 31 May 2023, No. 3100);
f) sporting firearm – a firearm provided for by a special list/list approved by a joint order of the Minister of Sport of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, in agreement with the State Security Service of Georgia;
g) shot weapon – a short firearm with a special stationary limiter that prevents the firing of a projectile in the barrel or cylinder, which, as a result of firing shot pellets for traumatic injury, does not cause penetrating injuries entering the body;
h) gas (air) weapon – a weapon (pistol or revolver) with a special stationary partition preventing the firing of a projectile or shot pellets in the barrel or cylinder, which is designed for temporarily incapacitating a living object with tear-inducing or irritant substances;
i) pneumatic weapon – a weapon in which the projectile starts directed movement by the action of compressed, liquefied or solidified gas and which is intended to injure an object from a distance;
i¹) hunting pneumatic weapon – a long pneumatic weapon that may be used for commercial, amateur, sport and/or scientific hunting;
i²) sport pneumatic weapon – a short or long pneumatic weapon that may be used to fulfil sport qualification standards and/or to participate in a sport competition;
j) (repealed - 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
k) gas aerosol device – a device intended to temporarily incapacitate a living object by tear-producing or irritant substances and which complies with the standards established by the legislation of Georgia;
l) ammunition – a device or item consisting of an initiating explosive substance and a projectile (projectiles) and structurally intended, as a result of its being fired from a weapon, to injure and/or destroy an object;
l¹) main elements of ammunition – initiating explosive substance, projectile, cartridge case, primer;
l²) blank cartridge − a device or item consisting only of a cartridge case, explosive substance, plug, primer and intended to produce a sound (acoustic) effect;
l³) cartridge – a device intended for a weapon that, by means of a cartridge case, combines a primer-igniter, an explosive substance and a projectile element;
m) electroshock device – a device intended to temporarily injure a living object by an electric charge and which complies with the norms established by the legislation of Georgia;
m¹) fish-attracting electroshock device − a device with an electric charge that is used only for scientific-research purposes for fishing and complies with the norms established by the legislation of Georgia. The technical parameters and the rules and conditions of use of a fish-attracting electroshock device shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia;
m²) electric fishing weapon − a factory-made or hand-made tool whose operating principle is attracting aquatic living organisms by electric current and/or reducing their viability or physical activity and/or killing them;
n) cold weapon – a weapon whose action is carried out by human physical force and which is intended to injure an object by direct contact;
o) cold throwing weapon – a weapon whose action is carried out by human physical force or a mechanical device and which is intended to injure an object from a distance;
p) collectible weapon – a weapon that has scientific, historical, artistic value and whose purpose is the creation and exhibition of a collection;
q) signal weapon – a weapon or device intended to give a light-sound and smoke signal;
q¹) Sound (acoustic) weapon – a weapon structurally manufactured (including converted) only for firing sound (blank) cartridges and used in a theatrical performance, film screening, television show, historical reenactment, parade and sporting event;
q²) Flintlock, matchlock, percussion firearm – a firearm that is loaded by placing gunpowder, wadding and a projectile separately into the barrel from the front end of the barrel and in which the gunpowder is ignited by a spark produced as a result of the friction of a flint stone, a match, or a percussion cap with metal;
r) Weapon received as an award – a weapon that, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, is transferred by an authorized official in the form of an incentive to a natural person for special merit before the state, as well as for service or combat merit and/or sporting achievements;
s) Circulation of weapons – trade in weapons, record-keeping of weapons, registration, manufacture, production, repair (including modernization and on-site servicing), acquisition, storage, carrying, use, movement and transportation, forwarding, export, import, re-export, transit, seizure, write-off, destruction, inward processing, outward processing, temporary import and/or export, collection and exhibition, import into Georgia and export from Georgia, ballistic examination, production of bullets and cartridge cases;
t) Weapon manufacturer – a person who holds a license provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 15 of this Law;
u) Weapon owner – a person who, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, has been granted the right to possess, dispose of and use weapons;
v) Weapon user – a person to whom a weapon has been transferred for temporary use, for the performance of official duties;
v¹) Temporary weapon user – a person to whom a firearm, pneumatic or signal weapon has been transferred for temporary use on the territory of a closed or semi-closed shooting range, a shooting range or a shooting-hunting stand, a hunting farm, or for practice in sport shooting, for the performance of qualification standards and/or for participation in a competition, for the purpose of shooting in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation;
w) Military equipment – for the purposes of this Law, equipment intended for the production of both main and non-main components of firearms and/or weapons;
x) Technical inspection of a weapon – in the presence of the circumstance defined by paragraph 10 of Article 19 of this Law, visual inspection by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia of a defense short firearm and/or sport short firearm in the ownership of the permit applicant and comparison of the data with registration records;
y) Certificate on a person's mental state – a certificate of the form approved by a normative act of the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia on a person's state of health, which confirms that the person is mentally healthy.
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No 3378 – LHG I, No 2614.07.2006, Art. 206
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No 3285 – LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 12 November 2010 No 3806 – LHG I, No 66, 03.12.2010, Art. 414
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2010 No 4138 – LHG I, No 76, 29.12.2010, Art. 511
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No 3702 – website, 30.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No 3117 – website, 11.07.2018
Law of Georgia of 12 July 2021 No 711 – website, 14.07.2021
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No 3876 – website, 15.12.2023
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No 4304 – website, 09.07.2024
Law of Georgia of 12 December 2024 No 85 – website, 28.12.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No 448 – website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No 1267 – website, 24.12.2025
Article 3. Types of weapons🔗
1. Weapons are divided, according to their purpose, into the following types:
a) civilian weapons;
b) service-and-staff weapons;
c) military-combat weapons.
2. The procedure for transferring civilian or service-and-staff weapons as an award shall be established by the Government of Georgia upon the submission of the Minister of Defence of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. A weapon shall be classified as a cold projectile weapon if it complies with the technical characteristics of cold projectile weapons approved by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the National Agency of Standards and Metrology of Georgia. A weapon shall be classified as a cold weapon if it complies with the main technical characteristics of cold weapons approved by the Government of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 – LHG I, No 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 9
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No 3285 – LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 May 2012 No 6162 – website, 25.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No 1267 – website, 24.12.2025
Article 4. Concept and types of civilian arms🔗
1. Civilian arms are arms permitted in civilian circulation and which a natural person uses for defence, hunting, sports, collection or exhibition purposes, in a theatrical performance, film screening, television broadcast or historical reconstruction, for giving a signal or obtaining a sound (acoustic) effect, or for scientific-research purposes of fishing.
2. The types of civilian arms are:
a) defence arms;
b) sports arms;
c) hunting arms;
c¹) fish-attracting electric shock device;
d) collection arms;
e) signal arms;
f) sound (acoustic) arms;
g) flintlock, matchlock, percussion-cap firearms.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 – LHG I, No. 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 – LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 12 July 2021 No. 711 – website, 14.07.2021
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4304 – website, 09.07.2024
Article 4¹. (removed)🔗
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 – website, 30.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Article 5. Defence arms🔗
Defence arms are those permitted in civilian circulation:
a) short firearms (except sports short firearms);
b) gas (air) arms;
c) gas aerosol device;
d) electric shock device.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 – LHG I, No. 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 – LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Article 6. Sports weapons🔗
1. Sports weapons permitted in civil circulation are:
a) sports firearms:
a.a) sports short-barrelled firearms;
a.b) sports long-barrelled firearms;
b) sports cold and cold missile weapons;
c) sports pneumatic weapons:
c.a) sports short pneumatic weapons;
c.b) sports long pneumatic weapons.
2. The list of sports firearms shall be approved by a joint order of the Minister of Sports of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, in agreement with the State Security Service of Georgia.
3. The list of sports pneumatic weapons may be approved by a joint order of the Minister of Sports of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, in agreement with the State Security Service of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No 3285 - LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No 3876 – website, 15.12.2023
Law of Georgia of 12 December 2024 No 85 - website, 28.12.2024
Article 7. Hunting weapons🔗
Hunting weapons permitted in civil circulation are:
a) hunting smooth-bore firearms (shotgun);
b) hunting rifled firearms (carbine or rifle);
c) hunting combined firearms (rifled and smooth-bore shotgun);
d) hunting cold weapons;
e) hunting cold missile weapons;
f) hunting pneumatic weapons.
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No 3285 - LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Article 8. Collectible weapons🔗
The procedure for considering a weapon a collectible weapon and for the acquisition, storage and exhibiting of collectible weapons shall be determined by a joint order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Minister of Culture of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 25 November 2015 No 4551 - website, 08.12.2015
Law of Georgia of 7 December 2017 No 1703 – website, 14.12.2017
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No 3117 – website, 11.07.2018
Law of Georgia of 16 March 2021 No 389 – website, 18.03.2021
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No 3876 – website, 15.12.2023
Law of Georgia of 12 December 2024 No 85 - website, 28.12.2024
Article 9. Service-staff weapon🔗
1. A service-staff weapon is a weapon which the persons defined by this Article have the right to carry for the exercise by them of the powers provided for by the legislation of Georgia.
2. The right to carry a service-staff weapon is held by:
a) authorised civil servants of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;
b) authorised civil servants of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
b¹) authorised persons of the system of the State Security Service of Georgia;
b²) (removed – 24.06.2025, No. 701);
c) authorised civil servants of the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia;
d) authorised persons of the system of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia;
d¹) authorised civil servants of the Special Penitentiary Service — a state sub-agency institution within the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia;
e) (removed – 26.06.2025, No. 768);
f) authorised civil servants of the Special State Protection Service of Georgia;
g) a prosecutor, an investigator of the prosecution service and a professional public civil servant of the Prosecution Service of Georgia designated by the Prosecutor General of Georgia;
h) judges;
i) court bailiffs;
j) authorised employees of institutions within the system of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia;
j¹) (removed – 25.03.2013, No. 487);
j²) (removed – 22.12.2018, No. 4076);
k) collectors and cashiers of the National Bank of Georgia and of banking institutions – in the performance of official duties;
k¹) authorised persons of the limited liability company "Georgian Post" – in order to ensure the security of the carrying/transportation of postal items containing state secrets, of special importance, monetary and/or other valuable postal items, in the performance of official duties;
l) employees of the structural subdivision of aviation security of civil aviation – in the performance of official duties, in accordance with the procedure determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia;
m) members of the Presidium of the State Audit Office;
m¹) a current member of the Central Election Commission of Georgia;
m²) a current member of the Supreme Election Commission elected by the supreme representative body of the Autonomous Republic;
n) the President of Georgia, a member of the Parliament of Georgia, the Prime Minister of Georgia, another member of the Government of Georgia, members of the supreme representative bodies of the Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara, the heads of the governments of the Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara;
o) (removed – 31.10.2018, No. 3591);
o¹) (removed – 26.06.2025, No. 806);
p) (removed – 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
q) (removed – 07.12.2017, No. 1703).
3. After the expiry of the term of official powers, the right to carry defence and short-barrelled rifled sporting firearms shall, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, be retained by the persons provided for by subparagraph „n“ of paragraph 2 of this Article, judges, judges of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, members of the Central Election Commission of Georgia who exercised the powers of a member of the Central Election Commission of Georgia continuously during the last 4 years of the term of powers (except for those members of the Central Election Commission of Georgia whose violation of the electoral legislation of Georgia has been confirmed by a court judgment that has entered into legal force), members of the Supreme Election Commission elected by the supreme representative body of the autonomous republic, who exercised the powers of a member of the Supreme Election Commission continuously during the last 4 years of the term of powers (except for those members of the Supreme Election Commission whose violation of the electoral legislation of Georgia has been confirmed by a court judgment that has entered into legal force), as well as employees of the system of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia, the Special Investigation Service, the Intelligence Service of Georgia, the Special State Protection Service and the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, who have been conferred, under the legislation of Georgia, senior and supreme special ranks or the military ranks of senior officer and supreme officer and who had the right to carry a service-staff weapon, and persons who have been conferred, in the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the military rank of chief sergeant and who had the right to carry a service-staff weapon, except for cases where they renounce Georgian citizenship, enter the military service of another country or the police or security service, carry out private security activity (only during the period of carrying out the said activity) and/or have been dismissed from service due to the imposition of disciplinary liability and/or criminal liability.
4. A person employed under an employment contract shall not have the right to carry a service-staff weapon.
5. The list of those officials (except for the persons defined by subparagraph „n“ of paragraph 2 of this Article) who have the right to carry a service-staff weapon shall be approved by the Government of Georgia upon the joint submission of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia. Amendments and additions to be made to this list shall be submitted to the Government of Georgia by the interested agency in agreement with the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia.
[ 6. Before granting the right to carry a service-staff weapon, the state institution provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article, which confirms the right to carry a service-staff weapon by issuing the relevant certificate or by making a special note in the service certificate, shall be obliged to obtain the data necessary to determine the compliance of the person's state of health with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia from the unified information database of persons with mental health problems and persons suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction and/or toxicomania (hereinafter – the unified information database). The state institution defined by this paragraph shall be entitled to verify, through the unified information database, the compliance of the state of health of a person holding the right to carry a service-staff weapon with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia.
7. If the right to carry a service-staff weapon is confirmed by a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia by issuing the relevant permit, it shall be obliged to obtain the data necessary to determine the compliance of the person's state of health with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia from the unified information database. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be entitled to verify, through the unified information database, the compliance of the state of health of a person holding the right to carry a service-staff weapon with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia.
8. If the right to carry a service-staff weapon is confirmed by the relevant state institution defined by paragraph 6 of this Article by issuing an appropriate certificate or by making a special note in the service certificate, the procedure for responding to the data obtained from the unified information database, including the procedure for notifying a person holding the right to carry a service-staff weapon of the data obtained from the unified information database, the procedure for seizing the weapon and/or returning the weapon, shall be established by a legal act of this state institution.
9. If the right to carry a service-staff weapon is confirmed by a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia by issuing the relevant permit, the procedure for responding to the data obtained from the unified information database, including the procedure for notifying a person holding the right to carry a service-staff weapon of the data obtained from the unified information database, the procedure for seizing the weapon and/or returning the weapon, shall be established by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2005 No. 1745 - LHG I, No. 3611.07.2005, Art. 231
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2005 No. 1769 - LHG I, No. 3611.07.2005, Art. 238
Law of Georgia of 30 June 2005 No. 1848 - LHG I, No. 4119.07.2005, Art. 290
Law of Georgia of 25 November 2005 No. 2132 - LHG I, No. 5319.12.2005, Art. 353
Law of Georgia of 25 May 2006 No 3166 - LHG I, No 1901.06.2006, Art. 155
Law of Georgia of 14 July 2006 No 3454 - LHG I, No 2926.07.2006, Art. 231
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 15 July 2008 No 227 - LHG I, No 1728.07.2008, Art. 142
Law of Georgia of 21 November 2008 No 539 - LHG I, No 3404.12.2008, Art. 218
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2009 No 1184 - LHG I, No 1229.06.2009, Art. 55
Law of Georgia of 20 November 2009 No 2112 - LHG I, No 4007.12.2009, Art. 295
Law of Georgia of 26 March 2010 No 2869 - LHG I, No 1430.03.2010, Art. 92
Law of Georgia of 27 April 2010 No 2988 - LHG I, No 2410.05.2010, Art. 154
Law of Georgia of 4 May 2010 No 3055 - LHG I, No 2620.05.2010, Art. 175
Law of Georgia of 11 March 2011 No 4401 - website, 17.03.2011
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 22 June 2012 No 6550 - website, 29.06.2012
Law of Georgia of 25 March 2013 No 487 – website, 05.04.2013
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2013 No 1782 - website, 28.12.2013
Law of Georgia of 2 May 2014 No 2356 - website, 16.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 8 July 2015 No 3931 - website, 15.07.2015
Law of Georgia of 27 October 2015 No 4357 - website, 11.11.2015
Law of Georgia of 21 December 2016 No. 135 – website, 28 December 2016.
Law of Georgia of 7 December 2017 No. 1703 – website, 14 December 2017.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2018 No. 2625 – website, 6 July 2018.
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3117 – website, 11 July 2018.
Law of Georgia of 21 July 2018 No. 3285 – website, 9 August 2018.
Law of Georgia of 31 October 2018 No. 3591 – website, 21 November 2018.
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2018 No. 3798 – website, 13 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 22 December 2018 No. 4076 – website, 28 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 22 December 2018 No. 4077 – website, 28 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 27 December 2018 No. 4244 – website, 29 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 27 December 2018 No. 4243 – website, 29 December 2018.
Law of Georgia of 2 April 2019 No. 4405 – website, 8 April 2019.
Law of Georgia of 28 June 2019 No. 4894 – website, 28 June 2019.
Law of Georgia of 12 July 2021 No. 711 – website, 14 July 2021.
Law of Georgia of 16 November 2021 No. 1016 – website, 22 November 2021.
Law of Georgia of 30 December 2021 No. 1325 – website, 13 January 2022.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13 June 2023.
Law of Georgia of 4 March 2025 No. 334 – website, 6 March 2025.
Law of Georgia of 24 June 2025 No. 701 – website, 25 June 2025.
Law of Georgia of 26 June 2025 No. 768 – website, 27 June 2025.
Law of Georgia of 26 June 2025 No. 829 – website, 27.06.2025.
Law of Georgia of 26 June 2025 No. 806 – website, 30.06.2025.
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15.12.2025.
Article 10. Carrying of service-and-staff weapon🔗
1. Service-and-staff weapons shall be transferred for use, with the right to carry, to the persons provided for by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law.
2. During the period of service authority, registered weapons in the ownership of the persons provided for by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law may, by decision of the respective authorised service/official, be granted the status of service-and-staff weapon. After the expiry of the service authority, such weapon shall be stripped of the status of service-and-staff weapon, and in the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia the owner of the weapon shall be obliged to carry out re-registration of the weapon.
3. The abuser (hereinafter – the abuser) as defined by subparagraph „h“ of Article 4 of the Law of Georgia „On the Elimination of Violence against Women and/or Domestic Violence, Protection of and Assistance to Victims of Violence“ shall, in the cases provided for by protective and restraining orders and for the period determined thereby, as well as for the period of validity of the order restricting rights related to weapons, be prohibited from carrying weapons in personal ownership, and shall be restricted in or prohibited from carrying service-and-staff weapons. During the period of validity of protective, restraining and weapon-related rights restriction orders or during the period determined by protective and restraining orders, the abuser shall be deprived of weapons in personal ownership and shall be restricted in or deprived of the right to carry the transferred service-and-staff weapon. The confiscated weapon shall be kept in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 25 May 2006 No. 3144 - LHG I, No 2009.06.2006, Art. 172
Law of Georgia of 28 December 2009 No. 2511 - LHG I, No 313.01.2010, Art. 8
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 22 June 2016 No. 5455 - website, 12.07.2016.
Law of Georgia of 4 May 2017 No. 764 - website, 25.05.2017.
Article 11. Military Combat Weapons🔗
1. Military combat weapons are weapons intended for use by the employees of the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia, the Special State Protection Service and the relevant service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, in order to ensure state defence and security, to protect public security and law and order, to protect the state border of Georgia and to carry out combat and operational-search objectives.
2. Movement with military combat weapons (except at places of deployment) is prohibited without the special permit registration of the heads of the institutions provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article or of persons authorised by them.
[ 2¹. The institution provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article shall, before transferring military combat weapons to an employee, obtain from the unified information database the data necessary to determine the compliance of the employee's state of health with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia. The relevant institution provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article is entitled to verify, by means of the unified information database, the compliance of the employee's state of health with the requirements defined by the legislation of Georgia.
2². The procedure for responding to the data obtained from the unified information database shall be established by a normative act of the relevant institution provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
3. The circulation of military combat weapons shall be regulated in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. Other issues of registration, issuance, movement and use of military combat weapons and of handling these weapons may be determined by the head of the institution provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article.
4. Military combat weapons include armaments, military equipment, ammunition and technical documentation.
Law of Georgia of 24 February 2004 No. 3389 - LHG I, No. 504.03.2004, Art. 14
Law of Georgia of 24 December 2004 No. 814 - LHG I, No. 3925.12.2004, Art. 193
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No. 3378 - LHG I, No. 2614.07.2006, Art. 206
Law of Georgia of 29 December 2006 No. 4270 - LHG I, No. 5131.12.2006, Art. 429
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2009 No. 1184 - LHG I, No. 1229.06.2009, Art. 55
Law of Georgia of 27 April 2010 No. 2988 - LHG I, No. 2410.05.2010, Art. 154
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 29 November 2013 No. 1685 - website, 17.12.2013
Law of Georgia of 13 December 2013 No. 1782 - website, 28.12.2013
Law of Georgia of 8 July 2015 No. 3931 - website, 15.07.2015
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No. 3117 – website, 11.07.2018
Law of Georgia of 21 July 2018 No. 3285 – website, 09.08.2018
Law of Georgia of 27 December 2018 No. 4244 – website, 29.12.2018
Law of Georgia No. 4894 of 28 June 2019 – website, 28.06.2019.
Law of Georgia No. 1325 of 30 December 2021 – website, 13.01.2022.
Law of Georgia No. 3100 of 31 May 2023 – website, 13.06.2023.
Law of Georgia No. 3517 of 21 September 2023 – website, 12.10.2023.
Law of Georgia No. 701 of 24 June 2025 – website, 25.06.2025.
Law of Georgia No. 768 of 26 June 2025 – website, 27.06.2025.
Law of Georgia No. 1143 of 9 December 2025 – website, 15.12.2025.
Article 12. Restriction of the circulation of civilian, service-staff and cold weapons🔗
1. It shall be prohibited to use as civilian weapons and service-staff weapons:
a) a firearm having the imitated form of another object;
b) brass knuckles and other similar striking-crushing (shattering) objects;
c) weapons and other devices whose operating force is based on electric power, radioactive radiation or biological factors;
d) a pneumatic weapon whose technical characteristics do not comply with the technical characteristics of pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation as determined by the legislation of Georgia;
e) a long automatic firearm;
f) an unlawfully manufactured (including converted) firearm, gas (air) or pneumatic weapon;
g) a gas (air) weapon equipped with a nerve-paralytic (paralysing), poisonous or other highly potent substance;
h) a weapon whose characteristics do not comply with the characteristics established by the legislation of Georgia;
i) a fish-attracting electric shock device whose technical characteristics do not comply with the appropriate technical parameters established by the legislation of Georgia;
j) an electric fishing weapon.
1¹. It shall be prohibited to use for civilian weapons and service-staff weapons:
a) ammunition having armour-piercing, incendiary, explosive or tracer effect;
b) ammunition and shells intended for weapons that are not permitted in civilian circulation;
c) a device used for suppressing the sound of a shot;
d) a nerve-paralytic (paralysing), poisonous or other highly potent substance intended for a gas (air) weapon;
e) ammunition, shells and devices whose characteristics do not comply with the characteristics established by the legislation of Georgia and/or which are withdrawn from civilian circulation.
2. It shall be prohibited for natural persons to manufacture and carry cold and cold throwing weapons. The acquisition, keeping, carrying-transportation and dispatch of such weapons shall be permitted on the basis of the appropriate permit of the authorised state body of Georgia.
3. The carrying by a natural person of hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons having the technical characteristics determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia shall be permissible only after their registration with a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 – LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 – website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4304 – website, 09.07.2024
Article 13. Weapons Register🔗
1. The weapons register is information on the kind, type, model, main characteristics of the weapon as defined by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law, the owner of the weapon, the user of the weapon and other registration data, which is registered in a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2. The weapons register shall be maintained by a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. (Removed – 12.06.2015, No 3702).
Law of Georgia No 74 of 27 June 2008 – LHG I, No 1214, 07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia No 3285 of 2 July 2010 – LHG I, No 3816, 07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia No 3702 of 12 June 2015 – website, 30.06.2015
Article 14. Ballistic inspection of weapons🔗
1. By ballistic inspection of weapons, where the circumstances provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article exist, the compliance of the characteristics of civilian weapons and service-staff weapons with the characteristics established by the legislation of Georgia is determined, and the kind, type, model, main characteristics and other data established by the legislation of Georgia are determined. In the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, an experimental shot from the weapon is fired for the purpose of placing it in the bullet-cartridge case.
2. Ballistic inspection of weapons shall be carried out:
a) upon registration or re-registration of weapons (except for the exceptions established by the legislation of Georgia) – in respect of the weapons provided for by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law;
b) in respect of civilian firearms provided for by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law, intended for sale by a person holding the relevant licence determined by the legislation of Georgia for trade in civilian weapons, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition, gas (air) weapons (except for the exceptions established by the legislation of Georgia) and signal weapons;
c) in respect of civilian firearms, gas (air) weapons, pneumatic weapons and signal weapons intended for sale/privatisation by a person determined by subparagraph "a" or "b" of paragraph 3 of Article 17 of this Law;
d) upon registration or re-registration of weapons − in respect of pneumatic weapons belonging to a natural person determined by paragraph 3 of Article 12 of this Law;
e) upon registration or re-registration of weapons − in respect of weapons acquired by a legal entity/individual entrepreneur determined by subparagraph "c1", "c2", "f" or "g" of the first paragraph of Article 19 of this Law;
f) in other cases determined by the legislation of Georgia.
3. Upon primary registration of a weapon, a natural person shall be exempted from carrying out ballistic inspection for civilian defence weapons, sports and hunting firearms and pneumatic weapons, signal weapons and gas (air) weapons, if he/she acquired the relevant weapon from a person provided for by subparagraph "b" or "c" of paragraph 2 of this Article and the acquired weapon has already undergone ballistic inspection in the established manner.
4. Upon acquisition of a weapon, a legal entity/individual entrepreneur determined by subparagraph "c1", "c2", "f" or "g" of the first paragraph of Article 19 of this Law shall be exempted from carrying out ballistic inspection for the acquired weapon, if it acquired this weapon from a person provided for by subparagraph "b" or "c" of paragraph 2 of this Article and the acquired weapon has already undergone ballistic inspection in the established manner.
5. Where the circumstances determined by this Article exist, ballistic inspection of weapons shall be carried out by a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
6. The rules and conditions of ballistic inspection of weapons and experimental firing shall be approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No. 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 11 November 2025 No. 1026 – website, 14.11.2025
Article 141. Technical characteristics of weapons and other acts subject to approval🔗
1. The Government of Georgia shall approve:
a) in prior agreement with the Ministry of Defence of Georgia and upon the submission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia − the main technical characteristics of the type and design of civilian firearms defined by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law;
b) upon the submission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia:
b.a) the procedure for the manufacture (including conversion) of civilian firearms provided for by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law;
b.b) the main technical characteristics of pneumatic weapons that are not permitted in civilian circulation;
b.c) the main technical characteristics of the design of hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation, owned by natural and legal persons, defined by subparagraph „f“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law, which are subject to registration with the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
b.d) the main technical characteristics of hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation, the carrying of which by a natural person is permitted after registration with the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
b.e) (removed - 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
2. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall approve the procedure for the registration, storage, carrying, transportation or dispatch of hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation.
3. The Government of Georgia is entitled to approve:
a) the main technical characteristics of an electric shock device;
b) the main technical characteristics of a gas aerosol device;
c) the main technical characteristics of a sound (acoustic) weapon;
d) the main technical characteristics of a cold weapon.
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 15. Manufacture and repair of weapons, their main parts and combat ammunition/cartridges🔗
1. Weapons, their main parts and combat ammunition/cartridges are manufactured and their repair is carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant licence issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia. The licence shall be issued if the building/structure where weapons, their main parts and combat ammunition/cartridges are manufactured and repaired complies with the technical regulation approved by the Government of Georgia. This technical regulation also determines the authorised person issuing the document confirming compliance with the technical safety norms of the building/structure.
2. Unlawful manufacture of firearms and signal weapons (including conversion with or without changing the overall length) is prohibited.
3. Registration of partially or fully manufactured weapons without the licence provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article is prohibited.
4. Manufacture (including conversion with or without changing the overall length) and/or repair of weapons and combat ammunition/cartridges without a licence entails the imposition of liability in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4169 – website, 29.05.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Article 16. Grounds for issuing a licence for the manufacture (production) of civilian arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition, and a licence for the repair of civilian arms and main parts of firearms🔗
For obtaining a licence for the manufacture (production) of civilian arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition, and a licence for the repair of civilian arms and main parts of firearms, the following shall be submitted:
a) a written application of a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur;
b) data on the registration of the legal entity or individual entrepreneur in the register of entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities;
c) for a legal entity – of all founders (if the founder is a natural person), the head, the person authorised to represent, the staff and contractually engaged employees who directly carry out the activity provided for by the licence:
c.a) a list (indicating name, surname, date of birth, position, identity card number and place of residence), information on their criminal record/deprivation of their right, their conviction for committing the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, absence from narcological registration and mental state;
c.b) a certificate confirming appropriate education and/or qualification (certificate, attestation, recommendation of an organisation, certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law, or a document confirming retraining in the rules of use and storage of arms or completion of military service);
d) for an individual entrepreneur:
d.a) information on his/her criminal record/deprivation of his/her right, his/her conviction for committing the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, absence from narcological registration and mental state;
d.b) a certificate confirming appropriate education and/or qualification (certificate, attestation, recommendation of an organisation, certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law, or a document confirming retraining in the rules of use and storage of arms or completion of military service);
d.c) the list of those natural persons (indicating name, surname, date of birth, profession, place of work, identity card number and place of residence) who will assist the licence holder in carrying out the activity permitted by the licence, information on their criminal record/deprivation of their right, their conviction for the commission of the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, on not being registered with a narcological register and on their mental state, as well as a certificate (certificate, attestation, recommendation of the organisation, certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law or a document confirming retraining in relation to the rules of use and storage of weapons, or completion of military service) confirming their appropriate education and/or qualification;
e) certificate on compliance with fire safety norms in the building;
f) document confirming compliance with the technical safety norms of the building-structure established by the technical regulation approved by the Government of Georgia, which is issued by the authorised person determined by the same technical regulation;
g) document confirming payment of the licence fee;
h) recommendation of the permanent commission on military-technical issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;
i) consent (certificate) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in the case where the licence is issued for a sound (acoustic) weapon, a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 3 November 2009 No. 1971 - LHG I, No. 3519.11.2009, Art. 260
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No. 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2015 No. 3671 - website, 04.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 - website, 30.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 17 March 2020 No. 5756 – website, 23.03.2020
Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4169 – website, 29.05.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 16¹. Reloading of Cartridges🔗
1. The reloading by a natural person, for personal use, of cartridges intended for hunting smoothbore, rifled or combined firearms shall be permitted. When reloading a cartridge, the cartridge shall be assembled using its factory-manufactured components or a fired cartridge case. Only the reloading of cartridges intended for a firearm registered in the name of the said person shall be permitted.
2. Reloading of cartridges intended for hunting rifled firearms shall be permitted taking into account the parameters of a factory-manufactured standard-pattern cartridge, without changing the dimensions of the cartridge case and/or the caliber of the bullet.
3. The performance of the action provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article does not require the license provided for by paragraph 11 of Article 6 of the Law of Georgia on Licenses and Permits.
4. A natural person who has held, for a total of not less than 5 years, a permit to acquire a firearm (with the right to keep and/or carry it) shall have the right to reload cartridges for personal use.
5. A natural person who wishes to reload cartridges for personal use shall notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia thereof in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia is authorized to verify whether or not this person meets the conditions established by this Article and by the legislation of Georgia.
6. When reloading cartridges in accordance with the procedure established by this Article, a natural person shall comply with safety rules.
7. A natural person shall be prohibited from selling and/or transferring to another person cartridges reloaded for personal use.
8. Violation of the requirement provided for by this Article (except for the reloading of cartridges intended for hunting smoothbore firearms (shotguns)) entails the imposition of criminal liability.
Law of Georgia No. 3100 of 31 May 2023 – website, 13.06.2023.
Article 17. Trade in arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition🔗
1. Persons established specifically for this purpose, for entrepreneurial activity, shall have the right to trade in arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition, on the basis of the relevant licence issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. The licence shall be issued if the building/structure where the trade in arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition is to be carried out complies with the technical regulation approved by the Government of Georgia. This technical regulation shall also determine the authorised person issuing the document confirming compliance with the technical safety norms of the building/structure.
2. A person holding the relevant licence for trade in arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition, as determined by the legislation of Georgia, shall be obliged to:
a) ensure the recording of purchased and sold goods, as well as the storage of accounting documentation;
b) sell arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition only to a person holding the relevant right;
c) sell only goods that comply with the requirements established by the legislation of Georgia;
d) not sell civilian arms provided for by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law without carrying out their ballistic testing, except for the exceptions determined by the legislation of Georgia;
e) accept on commission only those arms for which a certificate of delivery of arms on commission has been issued in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;
f) submit to the relevant units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, for placement in the information database, the complete list (type, make, model, series, number, calibre) of arms and ammunition/cartridges imported for sale or delivered on commission on the basis of the relevant licence, as well as information about the buyer;
g) ensure the safety of storage of arms, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges and main parts of ammunition;
h) hand over the purchased arms to a natural person acquiring arms only in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;
h¹) hand over the purchased arms to a natural person acquiring a sound (acoustic) weapon, a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device only on the basis of the submission of the written consent (certificate) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
i) comply with other requirements established by the legislation of Georgia in connection with the circulation of arms.
3. The licence determined by paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be required by:
a) the court enforcement officer, when forcibly selling at auction seized weapons in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia;
b) the Legal Entity of Public Law within the system of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia − the National Agency of State Property, when privatising weapons transferred into state ownership;
c) the Legal Entity of Public Law – the State Military Scientific-Technical Centre „Delta“ or its legal successor, on the basis of a recommendation of the Military-Technical Issues Commission.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No. 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2020 No. 5992 – website, 10.06.2020
Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4169 – website, 29.05.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 11 November 2025 No. 1026 – website, 14.11.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 18. Grounds for issuing a licence for trade in civilian arms, main parts of firearms, military ammunition/cartridges and main parts of military ammunition🔗
For obtaining a licence for trade in civilian arms, main parts of firearms, military ammunition/cartridges and main parts of military ammunition, the following shall be submitted:
a) a written application of a legal entity or an individual entrepreneur;
b) data on the registration of the legal entity or individual entrepreneur in the Register of Entrepreneurs and Non-Entrepreneurial (Non-Commercial) Legal Entities;
c) for a legal entity – of all founders (if the founder is a natural person), the head, the person authorised to represent it, and employees provided for by the staff list and engaged under a contract who directly carry out the activity provided for by the licence:
c.a) a list (indicating name, surname, date of birth, position, identity card number and place of residence), information on their criminal record/deprivation of their right, their conviction for committing the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, absence from narcological registration and mental state;
c.b) a document confirming appropriate education and/or qualification (certificate, attestation, recommendation of an organisation, a certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law, or a document confirming retraining in the rules of use and storage of arms or completion of military service);
d) for an individual entrepreneur:
d.a) information on his/her criminal record/deprivation of his/her right, his/her conviction for committing the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, absence from narcological registration and mental state;
d.b) a document confirming appropriate education and/or qualification (certificate, attestation, recommendation of an organisation, a certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law, or a document confirming retraining in the rules of use and storage of arms or completion of military service);
d.c) a list of the natural persons (indicating name, surname, date of birth, profession, place of work, identity card number and place of residence) who will assist the licence holder in carrying out the activity permitted by the licence, information on their criminal record/deprivation of their right, their conviction for committing the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of Article 27 of this Law, absence from narcological registration and mental state, as well as a document confirming their appropriate education and/or qualification (certificate, attestation, recommendation of an organisation, a certificate of passing one of the examinations provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law, or a document confirming retraining in the rules of use and storage of arms or completion of military service);
e) a certificate on compliance with fire safety norms in the building;
f) a document confirming compliance with the technical safety norms of the building/structure established by the technical regulation approved by the Government of Georgia, issued by the authorised person determined by the same technical regulation;
g) a document confirming payment of the licence fee;
h) recommendation of the permanent commission on military-technical issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;
i) consent (certificate) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, if the licence is issued for a sound (acoustic) weapon, a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 3 November 2009 No. 1971 - LHG I, No. 3519.11.2009, Art. 260
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No. 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2015 No. 3671 - website, 04.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 - website, 30.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 17 March 2020 No. 5756 – website, 23.03.2020
Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4169 – website, 29.05.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 18¹. (removed)🔗
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No. 3378 - LHG I, No. 2614.07.2006, Art. 206
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 29 November 2013 No. 1685 - website, 17.12.2013
Article 18². (removed)🔗
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No. 3378 - LHG I, No. 2614.07.2006, Art. 206
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 3 November 2009 No. 1971 - LHG I, No. 3519.11.2009, Art. 260
Law of Georgia of 23 March 2010 No. 2806 - LHG I, No. 2019.04.2010, Art. 111
Law of Georgia of 22 March 2011 No. 4469 - website, 01.04.2011
Law of Georgia of 8 May 2012 No. 6162 - website, 25.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2014 No. 2471 - website, 12.06.2014
Law of Georgia of 29 November 2013 No. 1685 - website, 17.12.2013
Article 19. Right to acquire weapons, their main elements and ammunition/cartridge🔗
1. The right to acquire weapons and their main elements shall be vested in:
a) a person who, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, has the right to manufacture and/or sell weapons;
b) the institutions provided for by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law;
c) (removed — 31 May 2023, No. 3100);
c¹) a legal entity engaged in commercial, amateur, sport or scientific hunting, or providing tourism services in the said field and meeting the requirements established by the Government of Georgia;
c²) a legal entity determined by a resolution of the Government of Georgia — in respect of signal weapons;
d) a person who, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, collects and exhibits weapons;
e) a citizen of Georgia or of a foreign country who meets the requirements established by the legislation of Georgia;
f) a legal entity/individual entrepreneur holding a permit to open an indoor and/or semi-indoor shooting gallery, a shooting range and/or a shooting-and-hunting stand — in respect of those civilian firearms and hunting and sport pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation, from which shooting is also permitted on the territory of the indoor and/or semi-indoor shooting gallery, the shooting range and/or the shooting-and-hunting stand in accordance with a resolution of the Government of Georgia and the permit to open the indoor and/or semi-indoor shooting gallery, the shooting range and/or the shooting-and-hunting stand, and their main elements;
g) the national sports federation/organisation of a shooting discipline recognised by the Ministry of Sport of Georgia in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia (hereinafter — the federation) and/or a legal entity/individual entrepreneur that is its member (which, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, has opened an indoor and/or semi-indoor shooting gallery, a shooting range and/or a shooting-and-hunting stand), as well as a national sports organisation recognised in the same manner (one of the fields of which is a shooting discipline) (hereinafter — the sports organisation) — in respect of hunting and sport firearms, hunting and sport pneumatic weapons permitted in civilian circulation, and their main elements.
1¹. A legal entity defined by subparagraph „c1“ of paragraph 1 of this Article shall be entitled to acquire only hunting firearms, their main elements and signal weapons.
2. In accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the right to acquire ammunition shall be vested in:
a) the persons defined by subparagraphs „a“ and „b“ of paragraph 1 of this Article;
b) a person defined by subparagraph „d“ or „e“ of paragraph 1 of this Article — only where such ammunition is intended for firing from a registered or recorded weapon in his/her ownership (possession);
c) the persons defined by subparagraph „c1“ of paragraph 1 of this Article — only where such ammunition is intended for firing from a hunting firearm registered in their name;
c¹) to a legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraph “f” or “g” of paragraph 1 of this Article — if this combat ammunition is intended for firing from a weapon in its ownership or use;
d) to a natural person to whom a hunting firearm was transferred for temporary use in accordance with the procedure established by this Law by a legal entity defined by subparagraph “c1” of paragraph 1 of this Article — only where this combat ammunition is intended for firing from the said weapon, but not for more than the period determined for its use;
e) to a natural person to whom a weapon was transferred for temporary use in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia by a legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraph “f” of paragraph 1 of this Article — if this combat ammunition is intended for firing from the said weapon, but not for more than the period determined for the use of the weapon.
2¹. In accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the right to purchase a cartridge shall be held by:
a) the subject defined by paragraph 1 of this Article — only where this cartridge is intended for firing from a registered or recorded signal weapon in its ownership (possession);
b) to a natural person to whom a signal weapon was transferred for temporary use in accordance with the procedure established by this Law by a legal entity defined by subparagraph “c1” of paragraph 1 of this Article — only where this cartridge is intended for firing from the said weapon, but not for more than the period determined for its use.
3. The acquisition by a natural person of a civilian weapon and/or its main element or a signal weapon provided for by subparagraphs “a” and “b” of Article 5, subparagraph “a” of paragraph 1 of Article 6 and subparagraphs “a”–“c” of Article 7 of this Law, as well as the assignment of a service-and-staff weapon to a weapon user by the institutions defined by subparagraphs “h”–“j”, “k”–“n” and “o1” of paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the same Law, shall be permissible only on the basis of a permit for the acquisition (with the right to keep and/or carry) of the relevant weapon issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3¹. A legal entity defined by subparagraph “c1” or “c2” of paragraph 1 of this Article shall, within 10 working days from the acquisition of a hunting firearm or its main element and/or a signal weapon, register it, in accordance with the procedure established by the Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, with the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. Before the fulfilment of the obligation provided for by this paragraph, the disposal of the said weapon or the transfer of the right to use it to another person shall not be permissible.
3². The legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraph „f“ of paragraph 1 of this Article shall, within 10 working days from the acquisition of a civilian firearm or of a hunting or sporting pneumatic weapon admitted into civilian circulation, or of its main parts, submit the relevant documentation to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for registration. Before the registration of the said weapon, it shall be inadmissible for this legal entity/individual entrepreneur to dispose of it or to transfer it to another person with the right of use.
3³. The legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraph „g“ of paragraph 1 of this Article shall, within 10 working days from the acquisition of a hunting or sporting firearm or of a hunting or sporting pneumatic weapon admitted into civilian circulation, or of its main parts, submit the relevant documentation to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for registration. Before the registration of the said weapon, it shall be inadmissible for this legal entity/individual entrepreneur to dispose of it or to transfer it to another person with the right of use.
3⁴. The registration of the weapons defined by paragraphs 31−3³ of this Article shall be carried out, and the weapon registration certificate shall be issued, by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3⁵. The procedure for carrying out the registration of the weapons defined by paragraphs 31−3³ of this Article and the form of the weapon registration certificate shall be approved by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
4. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall issue, in respect of civilian and service-staff weapons:
a) a permit to acquire a weapon (with the right to keep it):
a.a) for a defence firearm;
a.b) for a short sporting firearm;
b) a permit to acquire a weapon (with the right to keep and carry it):
b.a) for a defence gas (air) weapon;
b.b) for a hunting firearm;
b.c) for a long sporting firearm;
b.c¹) for a signal weapon;
b.d) (removed – 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
b.e) for a defence or short sporting firearm whose owner, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, retained the right to carry a weapon after the expiry of his/her official powers;
b.f) for a weapon in the ownership of the beneficiary persons defined by subparagraphs „h“–„o1“ of paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law during the period of their official powers, which has been granted the status of a service-staff weapon;
c) a permit to acquire a weapon (with the right to carry it) – for a weapon transferred with the status of a service-staff weapon to the beneficiary persons of the weapon belonging to the institutions defined by subparagraphs „h“–„o1“ of paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law;
d) A document confirming the registration of civilian firearms belonging to a legal entity/individual entrepreneur as defined by subparagraph “f” of paragraph 1 of this Article and hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons permitted in civil circulation, hunting and sporting firearms belonging to a legal entity/individual entrepreneur as defined by subparagraph “g” of paragraph 1 of the same Article and hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons permitted in civil circulation, as well as civilian firearms provided for by paragraph 3¹ of this Article and hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons provided for by paragraph 3 of Article 12 of this Law, in the form approved by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
5. The issuance of the permit provided for by paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article by the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be confirmed by registration and the issuance of a weapon registration certificate.
6. For the purpose of making changes and additions to weapon registration data, as well as restoring cancelled registration, the re-registration of the weapon provided for by paragraph 4 of this Article shall be mandatory within 10 working days from the occurrence of the ground determined by Georgian legislation.
6¹. The technical characteristics of a signal weapon whose acquisition, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carrying, transportation or dispatch is permitted only on the basis of the relevant permit/licence shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
6². The list of state institutions and legal entities that do not need the relevant permit/licence for the import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carrying, transportation or dispatch of signal weapons and cartridges intended for them shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
7. The use of civilian sporting, hunting firearms, signal or pneumatic weapons in private security activity shall be prohibited.
8. The acquisition, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carrying, transportation or dispatch of a gas aerosol device, electric shock device, pneumatic weapon and flintlock, matchlock, percussion firearms permitted in civil circulation by Georgian legislation shall not require the permit/licence provided for by Georgian legislation.
8¹. The acquisition, export from Georgia, carrying, transportation or dispatch of a sound (acoustic) weapon in accordance with Georgian legislation shall not require the permit provided for by Georgian legislation.
8². The manufacture (production), repair, import, export, re-export or transit of a sound (acoustic) weapon, gas aerosol device and/or electric shock device, or trade in any of these weapons, shall require the relevant licence/permit provided for by Georgian legislation.
8³. A person who has attained the age of 18 shall have the right, on the basis of the written consent (notice) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, to acquire, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, transfer, transport or dispatch a sound (acoustic) weapon, as well as to carry, acquire, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, transfer, transport or dispatch a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device.
8⁴. The written consent (notice) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall not be issued for the acquisition, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, transfer, transportation or dispatch by a person of a sound (acoustic) weapon, as well as for the carrying, acquisition, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, transfer, transportation or dispatch of a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device, if:
a) the person has not attained the age of 18;
b) the person is mentally ill and/or, due to his/her state of health, it is impossible to issue written consent (notice) to him/her;
c) the person grossly violates public order;
d) the person is ill with alcoholism, drug addiction or toxicomania;
e) the person is an accused or has not had his/her criminal record removed or expunged;
f) a protective or restraining order or an order restricting rights related to weapons has been issued in respect of the person – in the cases and for the period determined by that order;
g) the person has been subjected, for committing an administrative offence, to restriction of rights related to weapons as an administrative penalty, and the term of that administrative penalty has not expired;
h) the person has committed an administrative offence provided for by Articles 166–167, 172, 173, 173¹⁶, 174¹ and 180–183 of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, and the period after which the person is considered as not having been subjected to an administrative penalty has not expired;
i) there is a fact or information indicating a real threat of the person committing a violation of law;
j) there are other circumstances provided for by the legislation of Georgia.
9. During the period of validity of protective, restraining and weapon-related rights restriction orders, or during the period determined by protective and restraining orders, the abuser shall be prohibited from acquiring weapons.
10. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall have the right, in order to issue a permit for the acquisition of a short defensive firearm or a short sporting firearm to an applicant for a permit who, at the moment of the request, has more than three units of short defensive firearms and/or short sporting firearms registered under the right of ownership, to additionally require the submission of the said weapons for technical inspection.
11. Paragraph 10 of this Article shall not apply to persons determined by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law (except for subparagraphs "k" and "l" of the same paragraph).
12. In the presence of the circumstance defined by paragraph 1¹ of Article 31 of this Law, the record of the transfer of a hunting firearm and a signal weapon to a natural person for temporary use shall be kept by the owner of the weapon. At the same time, he/she shall be obliged to provide the said information, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, to the authorised persons of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
13. In the presence of the circumstance defined by paragraph 1² of Article 31 of this Law, the record of the transfer of a weapon to a natural person for temporary use shall be kept by the respective authorised person of a closed or semi-closed shooting range, shooting ground or shooting-hunting stand. At the same time, he/she shall be obliged to provide the said information, in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, to the authorised person/unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
14. For the purpose of acquiring weapons of an identical make and model or a certain quantity of weapons, in the case determined by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a person shall be obliged to submit to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia the consent of the authorised person of the respective territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia issued in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
[ 14. For the purpose of acquiring a specific type/kind of weapon, weapons of an identical make and model or a certain quantity of weapons, in the case determined by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a person shall be obliged to submit to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia the consent of the authorised person of the respective territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia issued in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
Law of Georgia of 25 May 2006 No. 3144 - LHG I, No. 20, 09.06.2006, Art. 172
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 28 December 2009 No. 2511 - LHG I, No. 3, 13.01.2010, Art. 8
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2010 No. 4138 - LHG I, No. 76, 29.12.2010, Art. 511
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 22 June 2016 No. 5455 - website, 12.07.2016
Law of Georgia of 4 May 2017 No. 764 - website, 25.05.2017
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No. 3876 – website, 15.12.2023
Law of Georgia of 12 December 2024 No. 85 - website, 28.12.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15.12.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 20. Storage of Weapons🔗
1. The weapons and ammunition of institutions within the system of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, of the system of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, of the State Security Service of Georgia, of the Special State Protection Service and of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia shall be stored in accordance with the procedure established by the normative acts of these agencies, while the procedure for storage of weapons and ammunition owned by the National Bank of Georgia, banking institutions and structural subdivisions of aviation security of civil aviation shall be established by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1¹. The rules for storage, recording, issuance and security of hunting firearms and ammunition and/or signal weapons/their cartridges belonging to legal entities defined by subparagraphs „c1“ and „c2“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law shall be established by the said legal entities in accordance with the requirements established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1². Issues related to safety on the territory of a closed and/or semi-closed shooting gallery, shooting range and/or shooting-hunting stand, including the rules for recording, issuance, movement and use of weapons, the behaviour of shooters and record-keeping, and firing positions, shall be determined by the legal entity/individual entrepreneur holding a permit for opening a closed and/or semi-closed shooting gallery, shooting range and/or shooting-hunting stand provided for by subparagraph „f“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law in accordance with the requirements established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1³. The rules for storage, recording, issuance and security of weapons by the legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraph „g“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law shall be established by the head of the said legal entity/individual entrepreneur. Failure to establish these rules or violation (non-compliance) of the requirements provided for by the established rules shall result in the imposition of liability on the legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by the same subparagraph in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
2. The procedure for carrying, storage, transportation, dispatch and registration of weapons and ammunition/cartridges in use or owned shall be approved by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. During the period of validity of protective, restraining and weapon-related rights restriction orders, or during the period determined by protective and restraining orders, the conditions for keeping the weapon belonging to the abuser (including service-staff weapon) or for its temporary seizure during the said period shall be determined by the respective order. In cases of validity of protective, restraining and weapon-related rights restriction orders, or in cases determined by protective and restraining orders, the rules and conditions for keeping the weapon in personal ownership seized from the abuser, as well as the rules and conditions for the restricted use of service-staff weapon and/or the seizure of service-staff weapon shall be determined by an order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
4. The Ministry of Defence of Georgia, the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the State Security Service of Georgia, the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia, as well as state sub-agency institutions and legal entities of public law within the systems of the said institutions shall ensure the sending of bullets and cartridge cases fired from the service-staff firearms belonging to them to the respective body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for placement in the bullet-and-cartridge-case repository. The procedure for sending to the bullet-and-cartridge-case repository of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be established by an order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
5. Civil firearms, gas (air) weapons, hunting pneumatic weapons, sporting pneumatic weapons, signal weapons and the respective ammunition/cartridges shall be kept in such a state and under such conditions in which:
a) the protection and safety of the weapon and ammunition/cartridges is ensured;
b) the possibility of an accidental (unintentional) shot from the weapon is excluded;
c) unauthorized persons are not allowed access to the weapon and ammunition/cartridges;
d) the conditions for the safe keeping of weapons and ammunition/cartridges established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia are observed.
6. Violation of the requirements established by paragraph 5 of this article shall entail the liability provided for by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2005 No. 1769 - LHG I, No. 3611.07.2005, Art. 238
Law of Georgia of 15 July 2008 No. 227 - LHG I, No. 1728.07.2008, Art. 142
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2009 No. 1184 - LHG I, No. 1229.06.2009, Art. 55
Law of Georgia of 28 December 2009 No. 2511 - LHG I, No. 313.01.2010, Art. 8
Law of Georgia of 26 March 2010 No. 2869 - LHG I, No. 1430.03.2010, Art. 92
Law of Georgia of 27 April 2010 No. 2988 - LHG I, No. 2410.05.2010, Art. 154
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 11 March 2011 No. 4401 - website, 17.03.2011
Law of Georgia of 1 July 2011 No. 5006 - website, 15.07.2011
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia No. 487 of 25 March 2013 – website, 5 April 2013.
Law of Georgia No. 1360 of 27 September 2013 – website, 9 October 2013.
Law of Georgia No. 1782 of 13 December 2013 – website, 28 December 2013.
Law of Georgia No. 3702 of 12 June 2015 – website, 30 June 2015.
Law of Georgia No. 3931 of 8 July 2015 – website, 15 July 2015.
Law of Georgia No. 5455 of 22 June 2016 – website, 12 July 2016.
Law of Georgia No. 1703 of 7 December 2017 – website, 14 December 2017.
Law of Georgia No. 2625 of 27 June 2018 – website, 6 July 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 3117 of 5 July 2018 – website, 11 July 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 3285 of 21 July 2018 – website, 9 August 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 3798 of 30 November 2018 – website, 13 December 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 4076 of 22 December 2018 – website, 28 December 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 4244 of 27 December 2018 – website, 29 December 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 4243 of 27 December 2018 – website, 29 December 2018.
Law of Georgia No. 4894 of 28 June 2019 – website, 28 June 2019.
Law of Georgia No. 711 of 12 July 2021 – website, 14 July 2021.
Law of Georgia No. 1325 of 30 December 2021 – website, 13 January 2022.
Law of Georgia No. 3100 of 31 May 2023 – website, 13 June 2023.
Law of Georgia No. 448 of 4 April 2025 – website, 10 April 2025.
Law of Georgia No. 701 of 24 June 2025 – website, 25 June 2025.
Law of Georgia No. 768 of 26 June 2025 – website, 27 June 2025.
Article 21. Carrying and Transportation and Dispatch of Arms and Ammunition/Cartridges and Bearing of Signal Arms🔗
1. Carrying and Transportation and Dispatch of arms and ammunition/cartridges shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2. The permit provided for by this Article shall not be required for:
a) a natural person who is the owner of registered arms – when carrying and transporting up to 300 cartridges for a smooth-bore firearm, up to 300 cartridges for a rifled firearm or a gas (air) weapon, or up to one kilogram of gunpowder;
b) a natural person – when carrying and transporting a hunting firearm temporarily transferred to him for use in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 1¹ of Article 31 of this Law and cartridges intended for it (but not more than 300 cartridges);
c) carrying of arms and ammunition/cartridges in the presence of a temporary arms certificate issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
d) persons provided for by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law – when carrying and transporting and dispatching service-staff arms belonging to them, and persons defined by paragraph 1 of Article 11 of this Law – when carrying and transporting and dispatching military-combat arms belonging to them;
e) an employee of the body conducting criminal proceedings – when carrying and transporting and dispatching arms and ammunition/cartridges seized, forfeited and/or recognized as material evidence in a criminal case;
f) an employee of the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia – when carrying and transporting and dispatching arms and ammunition/cartridges during the implementation of the procedures established by the legislation of Georgia for the registration (re-registration) or deregistration of arms;
g) an employee of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National Agency of State Property – included in the system of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia – when carrying and transporting and dispatching arms and ammunition/cartridges during the implementation of procedures related to the disposal of arms and ammunition that have become state property;
h) an employee of the enforcement police – when carrying and transporting and dispatching arms and ammunition/cartridges placed under attachment for the purpose of compulsory enforcement;
i) authorized persons defined by the legislation of Georgia – when carrying and transporting and dispatching arms and ammunition/cartridges forfeited or confiscated in the cases defined by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia;
j) during the carrying and transportation by a natural person or legal entity of the quantity of signal arms cartridges determined by the Government of Georgia.
3. In the case determined by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, during the carrying and transportation of a civilian firearm, the requirements provided for by the legislation of Georgia shall be observed, including that the said weapon shall be:
a) in an unloaded state, separated from ammunition and with an empty magazine (if any);
b) partially disassembled or with a special safety lock, so that, without removing it, bringing the weapon into a combat-ready state is excluded;
c) in a special holster or case, so as to exclude the possibility of immediate use of the weapon;
d) protected from access by third parties.
3¹. The temporary carrying, by a natural person holding a permit to acquire (with the right to keep) a short defence firearm, of a short defence firearm/ammunition from the place of storage to a closed or semi-closed shooting range, a shooting range or a shooting-and-hunting stand, and its return to the place of storage, shall be permissible on the basis of a temporary weapon certificate issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, in compliance with the procedure for carrying civilian firearms established by the legislation of Georgia.
3². The temporary carrying, by the holder of a permit to acquire (with the right to keep) a short sporting firearm, or by a natural person owning a short sporting pneumatic weapon, of any of the said weapons and/or the corresponding ammunition from the place of storage for the purpose of performing qualification standards in sport shooting, participating in a competition and/or repairing the weapon, and its return to the place of storage, shall be permissible on the basis of a temporary weapon certificate issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, in compliance with the procedure for carrying civilian firearms or the procedure for carrying pneumatic weapons established by the legislation of Georgia.
3³. The relevant authorised person shall have the right, on the basis of a permit for the carrying and transportation of weapons issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, to temporarily carry the hunting and sporting firearms, and the hunting and sporting pneumatic weapons admitted into civilian circulation, and/or the corresponding ammunition, belonging to a legal entity/individual entrepreneur as defined by subparagraph „g“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law, from the place of storage for the purpose of performing qualification standards in sport shooting, participating in a competition and/or repairing the weapon, and to return them to the place of storage. The said authorised person shall be obliged to carry the registration certificate of each weapon being carried and to comply with the procedure for carrying civilian firearms or the procedure for carrying pneumatic weapons established by the legislation of Georgia.
3⁴. Carrying a signal weapon in a settlement and/or within a radius of 500 metres of its adjacent territory, as well as the carrying and transportation of a signal weapon, shall be permissible only in a special holster, in an unloaded state, separately from cartridges. In this case, the signal weapon shall be partially disassembled, or a safety lock shall be attached to the signal weapon in such a way that the use of this weapon without removing it is excluded.
4. Violation of the requirements established by paragraphs 3 and 3⁴ of this Article shall entail the imposition of the liability defined by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011.
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 - website, 30.06.2015.
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2020 No. 5992 – website, 10.06.2020.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023.
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025.
Article 21¹. Rules for carrying gas (air) weapons, gas aerosol devices and/or electric shock devices, carrying acoustic weapons or rules for removal from Georgia, carrying-transportation or sending of acoustic weapons, gas aerosol devices and/or electric shock devices🔗
1. It is inadmissible to carry gas (air) weapons, gas aerosol devices and/or electric shock devices openly, visibly, as well as to demonstrate them in public space. The use of a gas (air) weapon, gas aerosol device and/or electric shock device in public space for defence purposes shall not be considered as its demonstration in public space.
2. It is inadmissible for an individual to carry acoustic weapons. Carrying acoustic weapons implies the existence of such circumstances when an individual has this weapon with him − holds it in his hand, has it attached to his body or keeps it in his clothing.
3. On the basis of the written consent (notice) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, it is permissible to acquire, remove from Georgia, carry-transport or send acoustic weapons for the purpose provided by subparagraph „q1“ of Article 2 of this Law, only in an unloaded state, separately from cartridges, which excludes the possibility of its immediate use. The rules for the acquisition, removal from Georgia, carrying-transportation or sending of acoustic weapons shall be determined by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
4. The rules for carrying, acquisition, removal from Georgia, carrying-transportation or sending of gas aerosol devices and/or electric shock devices shall be determined by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
5. Violation of the requirements established by this Article shall entail the imposition of the corresponding liability provided by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 12 July 2021 No. 711 – website, 14.07.2021.
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 – website, 24.12.2025.
Article 21². Rule for carrying, transportation and dispatch of flintlock, matchlock and percussion firearms🔗
1. Carrying of flintlock, matchlock and percussion firearms by a natural person shall be inadmissible. Carrying of this weapon implies the existence of such circumstances when the natural person has this weapon with him − holds it in his hand, has it attached to his body or keeps it in his clothing.
2. Carrying, transportation and dispatch of flintlock, matchlock and percussion firearms shall be permissible for the purpose of use in a theatrical performance, film screening, television broadcast, historical reconstruction, parade and sports event, as well as for the purpose of exhibiting. The rule for carrying, transportation and dispatch of the said weapon for the purpose provided by this paragraph and for other purposes shall be established by Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. Violation of the requirement provided by this Article entails the imposition of liability in the manner established by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023.
Article 22. Export, import, re-export and transit of civilian weapons, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges, main parts of ammunition, military equipment, technical documentation, as well as works and services related to the production of weapons🔗
1. Export, import, re-export and transit of civilian weapons, main parts of firearms, ammunition/cartridges, main parts of ammunition, military equipment, technical documentation, as well as works and services related to the production of weapons shall be carried out on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia. In order to obtain a permit, together with the documentation provided for by paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Article 25 of the Law of Georgia “On Licences and Permits”, the following shall be submitted to the Ministry of Defence of Georgia:
a) the contract corresponding to the licensed activity or a protocol of intentions/contract or a copy thereof;
b) a certificate of origin of the goods issued by an authorised body (except for the cases determined by a decision of the Permanent Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia);
c) an import permit or a re-export permit issued by the authorised state body of the respective country;
d) an end-user certificate issued by the authorised state body of the country where the import is carried out (except for the case where the applicant for the permit requests an import permit);
e) a recommendation of the Permanent Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia;
f) the consent (notification) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in the case where the permit is issued for a sound (acoustic) weapon, a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device.
2. A permit for the export, import, re-export and transit of weapons received as an award and collection weapons and the ammunition required for them shall be issued without a recommendation of the Permanent Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia.
3. An applicant for a permit provided for by this Article (except for an applicant for a transit permit) shall have the relevant licence provided for by Articles 16 and 18 of this Law.
4. The originals of the permit and contracts (agreements) issued on the basis of this Law shall be submitted by the permit holder to the customs authority.
5. When issuing a permit for the export, import, re-export and transit of weapons, ammunition/cartridges, military equipment, technical documentation belonging to or intended for Georgian state bodies, as well as works and services related to the production of weapons, the relevant permit fee shall not be paid.
6. The permit/licence provided for by this Article shall not be required for pneumatic weapons and flintlock, matchlock, percussion-cap firearms permitted in civil circulation by Georgian legislation.
Law of Georgia of 30 June 2004 No. 284 - LHG I, No. 2016.07.2004, Art. 110
Law of Georgia of 11 November 2005 No 2091 - LHG I, No 4829.11.2005, Art. 324
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No 3285 - LHG I, No 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 12 November 2010 No 3806 - LHG I, No 6603.12.2010, Art. 414
Law of Georgia of 14 May 2014 No 2427 – website, 27.05.2014
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2015 No 3671 - website, 04.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 28 June 2019 No 4911 – website, 04.07.2019
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No 4169 – website, 29.05.2024
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 22¹. (removed)🔗
Law of Georgia of 23 June 2006 No 3378 - LHG I, No 2614.07.2006, Art. 206
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 12 November 2010 No 3806 - LHG I, No 6603.12.2010, Art. 414
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 29 November 2013 No 1685 - website, 17.12.2013
Article 23. Collection and exhibition of arms🔗
The collection and exhibition of arms requires a permit issued by the Ministry of Defence of Georgia in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the conclusions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Ministry of Culture of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No 74 - LHG I, No 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 25 November 2015 No 4551 - website, 08.12.2015
Law of Georgia of 7 December 2017 No 1703 – website, 14.12.2017
Law of Georgia of 5 July 2018 No 3117 – website, 11.07.2018
Law of Georgia of 16 March 2021 No 389 – website, 18.03.2021
Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No 3876 – website, 15.12.2023
Law of Georgia of 12 December 2024 No 85 - website, 28.12.2024
Article 24. Importation of arms into Georgia and exportation from Georgia🔗
1. Importation into Georgia or exportation from Georgia (except transit and re-export) by a citizen of Georgia of civil arms, main elements of civil firearms and/or ammunition/cartridge provided for by paragraph 4 of Article 19 of this Law shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1¹. Importation into Georgia by a citizen of Georgia of civil arms provided for by paragraph 8¹ of Article 19 of this Law shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The quantity of civil arms provided for by this paragraph to be imported into Georgia at one time shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
2. Importation into Georgia or temporary exportation from Georgia and importation into Georgia by a federation and/or its member legal entity/individual entrepreneur (which has opened, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, a closed and/or semi-closed shooting gallery, shooting range and/or shooting-hunting stand) or by a sports organization of hunting and/or sporting firearms, their main elements and/or ammunition shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2¹. Importation into Georgia by a federation and/or its member legal entity/individual entrepreneur (which has opened, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, a closed and/or semi-closed shooting gallery, shooting range and/or shooting-hunting stand) or by a sports organization of civil arms provided for by paragraph 8¹ of Article 19 of this Law shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. During the visit of representatives of another state and an international organization, as well as other important persons provided for by the register determined by an act of the Special State Protection Service, importation into Georgia and exportation from Georgia of arms and ammunition/cartridge by persons accompanying them shall be carried out with the permit of the Special State Protection Service, of which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the State Security Service of Georgia shall be notified.
4. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall issue the permit provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article in the case of the simultaneous import into Georgia or export from Georgia of not more than 5 units of civilian weapons or main elements of weapons and/or the simultaneous import into Georgia or export from Georgia of not more than 1,000 units of combat materiel/cartridges (except cartridges for signal weapons).
5. In the case provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, upon the import into Georgia of civilian weapons, as well as of their main elements, their registration is mandatory no later than 10 working days after import. Registration shall be carried out by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
6. The quantity of cartridges for signal weapons whose import into Georgia or export from Georgia is permissible under paragraph 1 of this Article shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia on the basis of a permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 25 May 2006 No. 3166 – LHG I, No. 1901.06.2006, Art. 155
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 – LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 – LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 July 2015 No. 3931 – website, 15.07.2015
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 – website, 24.12.2025
Article 25. Use of Weapons🔗
1. The use of civilian weapons shall be permissible only for the purposes of defence, hunting, sports, collecting and exhibiting, in a theatrical performance, film screening, television broadcast and historical reconstruction, for giving a signal and producing a sound (acoustic) effect, for scientific-research purposes of fishing, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, as well as within the limits of necessary defence or in a state of extreme necessity for the protection of the life, health and/or property of one's own and/or another person.
2. The rules and conditions for the use of service-staff and military-combat weapons shall be determined by the legislation of Georgia.
3. In all cases of the use of weapons, measures shall be taken to ensure the safety of persons nearby and to provide medical assistance to the injured person.
4. In the cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, the relevant bodies of the Prosecutor's Office of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be notified of the use of weapons.
5. Obtaining a permit for the opening of a closed and/or semi-closed shooting range, shooting gallery and/or shooting-hunting stand shall be mandatory for a legal entity/individual entrepreneur that organises shooting from pneumatic weapons of any form (type), except for attractions arranged in public gathering places.
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 - website, 07.05.2012
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4304 – website, 09.07.2024
Article 26. Acquisition, import into Georgia and export from Georgia of arms by a citizen of a foreign state🔗
1. A citizen of a foreign country has the right, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, to acquire in Georgia civilian firearms, signal arms and gas (air) arms and/or to export from Georgia civilian firearms, signal arms and gas (air) arms acquired in Georgia, on the basis of the relevant permit issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1¹. The export from Georgia of firearms received as an award by a citizen of a foreign country shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2. A citizen of a foreign country has the right to import into Georgia hunting firearms or sporting firearms, ammunition intended for the said arms (but not more than 500 cartridges), as well as signal arms and/or cartridges intended for these arms (not more than the quantity determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia), if there is a relevant contract (agreement) for hunting or an invitation to a sporting event and a permit of the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, and in the case of exhibiting – a permit of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia. The imported arms shall be exported from Georgia within the period provided for accordingly by the contract (agreement) or the invitation.
2¹. A citizen of a foreign country has the right to import into Georgia civilian arms provided for by paragraph 8¹ of Article 19 of this Law, if there are grounds determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
3. In the event of violation of the periods indicated in paragraph 2 of this Article, the arms shall be temporarily seized in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia until the matter is resolved.
4. In the cases determined by an Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a citizen of a foreign country has the right, for the purpose of hunting, to import into Georgia and export from Georgia his/her own hunting firearms and/or signal arms without obtaining the permit provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 27. Revocation or Non-issuance of a License (Permit)🔗
1. A license (permit) provided for by this Law shall be revoked in the following cases:
a) upon voluntary renunciation of the license (permit) by the license (permit) holder;
b) upon violation by the license (permit) holder of the terms of the license (permit) and/or of the requirements of this Law and of the legislation of Georgia related to the circulation of arms;
c) upon surrender of an unserviceable arm to the relevant bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia in accordance with the established procedure;
c¹) upon write-off or alienation of arms in a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
d) upon use of arms for purposes other than those intended;
d¹) if the license (permit) holder has become mentally ill and/or his/her state of health makes it impossible for him/her to enjoy this license (permit) and the body issuing the license (permit) has become aware thereof;
d²) (deleted – 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
d³) if the license (permit) holder systematically violates public order;
d⁴) if the license (permit) holder has become ill with alcoholism, drug addiction or toxicomania and the body issuing the license (permit) has become aware thereof;
d⁵) if a guilty verdict of a court has entered into legal force in respect of the license (permit) holder. This rule shall not apply to the case of conviction of a person without a criminal record for the commission of a crime provided for by Articles 188–191, 192¹, 192², 195¹, 196, 198¹, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204¹, 205, 206–208 and 213, paragraph 1 of Article 216, Articles 217, 219, 220, 220¹ and 276, paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 332, paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 333 and Articles 337, 341 and 342 of the Criminal Code of Georgia;
d⁶) if the holder of a permit for the acquisition of a civilian firearm (with the right to keep and/or carry) has committed the offence provided for by Article 175² of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia;
d⁷) if the license (permit) holder has been subjected, for the commission of an administrative offence, to restriction of rights related to arms as an administrative penalty;
d⁸) if the license (permit) holder has been subjected, for the commission of an administrative offence, to confiscation of arms as an administrative penalty (in this case only the respective permit (license) for the said arm shall be revoked);
e) in cases provided for by an international treaty or agreement;
f) in other cases established by the legislation of Georgia.
2. A license (permit) shall not be issued if:
a) the applicant for a license (permit) is mentally ill and/or his/her state of health makes it impossible for him/her to obtain the license (permit);
b) (deleted – 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
c) the applicant for a license (permit) systematically violates public order;
d) the applicant for a license (permit) is ill with alcoholism, drug addiction or toxicomania;
e) the applicant for a licence (permit) is charged (except for the case provided for by subparagraph "d5" of paragraph 1 of this Article) or the applicant for a licence (permit) has not had his/her criminal record expunged or cancelled (except for the case provided for by subparagraph "d5" of paragraph 1 of this Article) and/or he/she was convicted under Articles 108, 109, 115, 117, 118, 120, 126, 126¹ and 137–139 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 142¹, subparagraphs "c" and "d" of paragraph 2 of Article 142², Articles 143–143², subparagraph "b" of paragraph 3 and paragraph 4 of Article 143³ (in relation to the crime provided for by subparagraph "b" of paragraph 3 of the same Article), Articles 144–144³, 147, 149–151¹ and 155, paragraph 2 of Article 156, paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 160, paragraph 2 of Article 161, subparagraphs "a" and "c" of paragraph 2 of Article 162, Articles 165 and 166, paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article 177, Articles 178 and 179, paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 181, paragraphs 2–4 of Article 187, paragraph 2 of Article 222, paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 222¹, Articles 223–227, paragraphs 2–5 of Article 227¹, Article 227², paragraphs 2–5 of Article 227³, Articles 228, 229, 230–239, 250, 252, 253, 255¹, 256, 257, 259² and 259⁵, Chapters XXXIII and XXXVII, paragraph 2 of Article 322¹, paragraph 2 of Article 322², Chapter XXXVIII (except paragraph 1 of Article 331 and Article 331²), subparagraph "b" of paragraph 3 of Article 332, subparagraph "b" of paragraph 3 of Article 333, subparagraph "a" of paragraph 2 of Article 335, subparagraph "b" of paragraph 2 of Article 344, subparagraphs "c" and "d" of paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 of Article 344¹, subparagraph "b" of paragraph 2 of Article 345, Articles 353 and 353¹, paragraph 2 of Article 360, Article 365, paragraphs 2–4 of Article 372, Articles 378, 378¹, 379, 381¹, 384 and 385, paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 386, paragraph 2 of Article 389, Articles 397 and 403 and Chapter XLVII, and after the expungement or cancellation of the criminal record less than 4 years have passed in the case of a less serious crime provided for by an article, paragraph and/or subparagraph of the Criminal Code of Georgia referred to in this subparagraph, 8 years – in the case of a serious crime or 12 years – in the case of a particularly serious crime. The restriction established by this subparagraph, which is related to the conviction of a person under the norm of the Criminal Code of Georgia referred to in this same subparagraph, shall not apply to the issuance of a licence (permit) for a hunting firearm and a sporting firearm (except a sporting short firearm);
f) the applicant for a licence (permit) has been subjected to restriction of rights related to weapons as an administrative penalty for committing an administrative offence and the term of this penalty has not expired;
f¹) The applicant for a permit to acquire (with the right to keep and/or carry) a civilian firearm has committed an offence provided for by Article 175² of the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, and no more than 3 years have passed since the expiry of the period when the person is no longer considered as having been subjected to an administrative penalty;
f²) The applicant for a licence (permit) has been deported from another state for committing a crime directed against human life or health and/or a crime involving the use of a weapon, and if this crime were committed in Georgia, any of the circumstances provided for by subparagraph “e” of this paragraph would exist;
f³) The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has written information received from the competent authority of another state that the applicant for a licence (permit) committed in another state a crime which, if committed in Georgia, would entail criminal liability for the crime specified in subparagraph “e” of this paragraph, and in respect of the person who committed it any of the circumstances provided for by subparagraph “e” of this paragraph would exist;
g) The applicant for a licence (permit) has not reached the age of 18, except for the case provided for by subparagraph “g 1” of this paragraph;
g¹) The applicant for a permit to acquire (with the right to keep and/or carry) a civilian firearm (except a hunting firearm, a sporting firearm and a signal weapon) or a gas (air) weapon, to import it into Georgia or export it from Georgia (except transit and re-export), has not reached the age of 21;
g²) The applicant for a permit to acquire (with the right to keep and/or carry) a civilian firearm or a gas (air) weapon has not successfully passed the relevant examination on knowledge of the rules of circulation of firearms and gas (air) weapons or has not submitted a certificate on the state of health;
g³) The applicant for a licence (permit) has not submitted the consent provided for by paragraph 14 of Article 19 of this Law;
h) A protective, restraining or weapon-related rights restriction order has been issued in respect of the applicant for a licence (permit) – in the cases and for the period determined by this order;
i) The submitted documents do not meet the requirements established by Georgian legislation.
2¹. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall issue a permit related to the circulation of weapons without establishing the compliance of the permit applicant’s state of health with the requirements determined by Georgian legislation, as well as without the submission of documents confirming the absence of the circumstances provided for by subparagraphs “a”, “b” and “d” of paragraph 2 of this Article, if:
a) The permit applicant has registered, under the right of ownership or use, a civilian firearm, a signal weapon or a gas (air) weapon;
b) The permit applicant has been granted, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, the right to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle.
2². The rule established by paragraph 2¹ of this Article shall not apply if:
a) as a result of visual observation by an authorised employee of the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, an obvious physical defect of the permit applicant was revealed, which makes it impossible for him/her to obtain a permit;
b) the permit applicant exercises the right after the restoration of a right deprived on the basis of the Law of Georgia “On Combating Drug Crime” and/or the Law of Georgia “On Combating Crimes Directed against Sexual Freedom and Inviolability”;
[ 2¹. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall issue a permit related to arms circulation without establishing the compliance of the permit applicant's health condition with the requirements determined by the legislation of Georgia and without submitting documents confirming the absence of the circumstances provided for by subparagraphs “a” and “d” of paragraph 2 of this Article, if:
a) the permit applicant has registered, with the right of ownership or use, a civilian firearm, a signal weapon or a gas (air) weapon;
b) the permit applicant has been granted the right to drive a mechanical vehicle in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
2
2. The rule established by paragraph 2¹ of this Article shall not apply if:
a) an authorised employee of the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, as a result of visual observation, revealed an obvious physical disorder of the permit applicant, which makes it impossible for him/her to obtain a permit;
b) the permit applicant exercises the right after the restoration of a right deprived on the basis of the Law of Georgia “On Combating Drug Crime” and/or the Law of Georgia “On Combating Crimes Directed against Sexual Freedom and Inviolability”;
c) there exist other circumstances determined by the legislation of Georgia. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
c) there exist other circumstances determined by a normative act of the Government of Georgia.
2³. The operation of subparagraphs “e”, “f 2” and “f 3” of paragraph 2 of this Article shall also extend to persons determined by subparagraphs “c”, “d.a” and “d.c” of Articles 16 and 18 of this Law, and by subparagraph “b” of paragraph 3 of Article 9¹ of the Law of Georgia “On Licences and Permits”, and to applicants for permits provided for by the Law of Georgia “On Control of Military and Dual-Use Products”, except for persons determined by paragraph 2⁵ of this Article.
2⁴. Persons seeking the permits provided for by this Law (except the transit permit and those permits issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia), as well as the permits provided for by the Law of Georgia “On Control of Military and Dual-Use Products” (except the transit permit), shall be obliged to submit to the respective permit-issuing authority information on their criminal record/deprivation of their right, on their conviction for the crime provided for by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of this Article, on the absence of narcological registration and on their mental state. A person seeking a permit to be issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be obliged to submit to the permit-issuing authority a certificate on health status.
2⁵. The operation of subparagraphs „e“, „f2“ and „f3“ of paragraph 2 of this Article shall not extend to a resident of a foreign country seeking the transit permit provided for by this Law and by the Law of Georgia “On Control of Military and Dual-Use Products”.
2⁶. If Article 3 of the Law of Georgia “On Combating Drug Crime” provides for deprivation of the right to manufacture, acquire, keep and carry arms for a person committing a crime for a period longer than that determined by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of this Article, the respective norms of Article 3 of the Law of Georgia “On Combating Drug Crime” shall apply.
2⁷. If, in accordance with Article 3 of the Law of Georgia “On Combating Crimes Against Sexual Freedom and Inviolability”, deprivation of the right to manufacture, acquire, keep and carry arms for a person committing a crime for a period longer than that determined by subparagraph „e“ of paragraph 2 of this Article is provided for on the basis of a court judgment, the period established by the court judgment shall apply.
3. In the event of revocation of a recommendation of the Permanent Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia issued with respect to the holder of the respective licence/permit, the licence/permit-issuing authority shall be obliged, within 3 days, to adopt a decision on revocation of the licence/permit and to immediately notify the licence/permit holder thereof. The operation of this paragraph shall extend to a licence/permit one of the grounds for the issuance of which was a recommendation of the Permanent Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia.
3¹. If, on the basis of an application by an authorized person to the Legal Entity of Public Law – Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a circumstance defined by subparagraphs „d6“−„d8“ of paragraph 1 of this Article becomes known, this shall be grounds for automatic revocation of the respective permit provided for by this Law.
3². The procedure and conditions for the revocation of a permit related to arms circulation issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be determined by Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
4. If a person committing the crime provided for by subparagraph "e" of paragraph 2 of this Article, before the removal or expungement of the criminal record, again commits the crime provided for by the same subparagraph, the 4-year, 8-year or 12-year term determined by subparagraph "e" of paragraph 2 of this Article for the new crime shall be fully supplemented by the 4-year, 8-year or 12-year term established for the previously committed crime.
5. If a person committing the crime provided for by subparagraph "e" of paragraph 2 of this Article, after the removal or expungement of the criminal record, before the expiry of the 4-year, 8-year or 12-year term determined by the same subparagraph, again commits the crime provided for by subparagraph "e" of paragraph 2 of this Article, the term remaining before the expiry of the above-mentioned term shall be added to the 4-year, 8-year or 12-year term established for the new crime.
5¹. The requirements established by subparagraphs "d5" and "d7" of paragraph 1 of this Article, as well as by subparagraphs "e", "f", "f2" and "f3" of paragraph 2 of the same Article, shall not apply to the case of issuing or revoking a permit for a signal weapon.
6. The procedure and additional conditions for the issuance of a licence and permit by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be determined by Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
[7. The validity term of the certificate on the state of health provided for by this Article shall be 1 year.
8. The body issuing the licence (permit) provided for by this Law shall be obliged, in order to establish the compliance of the health condition of the applicant for the licence (permit) with the requirements determined by the legislation of Georgia, to obtain the necessary data from the unified information database, as well as, through the unified information database, to verify the compliance of the health condition of the holder of the licence (permit) with the requirements determined by the legislation of Georgia.
9. The presumption of authenticity shall apply to the data contained in the unified information database.
10. The procedure for the creation and production of the unified information database, as well as for the obtaining of the data contained in the unified information database and the processing of personal data, shall be established by Resolution of the Government of Georgia. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
Law of Georgia of 25 May 2006 No. 3144 - LHG I, No. 20, 09.06.2006, Art. 172
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 12, 14.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 28 December 2009 No. 2511 - LHG I, No. 3, 13.01.2010, Art. 8
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 38, 16.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2010 No. 4138 - LHG I, No. 76, 29.12.2010, Art. 511
Law of Georgia of 29 May 2015 No. 3671 - website, 04.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 - website, 30.06.2015
Law of Georgia of 22 June 2016 No. 5455 – website, 12 July 2016.
Law of Georgia of 30 May 2018 No. 2397 – website, 8 June 2018.
Law of Georgia of 17 March 2020 No. 5756 – website, 23 March 2020.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13 June 2023.
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10 April 2025.
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15 December 2025.
Article 27¹. Examination of an Applicant for a Permit to Acquire Civilian Firearms and Gas (Air) Weapons (with the Right to Keep and/or Carry)🔗
1. An applicant for a permit to acquire civilian firearms and gas (air) weapons (with the right to keep and/or carry) shall take an examination in the knowledge of the rules on the circulation of firearms and/or gas (air) weapons at a legal entity of public law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The types of examination are:
a) examination in the knowledge of the rules on the circulation of defence firearms and gas (air) weapons;
b) examination in the knowledge of the rules on the circulation of hunting firearms;
c) examination in the knowledge of the rules on the circulation of sporting firearms.
2. An applicant for a permit to acquire civilian firearms or gas (air) weapons (with the right to keep and/or carry) shall be obliged to submit to the legal entity of public law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia a certificate on the state of health.
3. The results of a passed examination are valid for life. For the purposes of obtaining a permit to acquire civilian firearms and gas (air) weapons (with the right to keep and/or carry), the validity period of the certificate provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article is 1 year.
4. Persons defined by Article 9 of this Law who have the right to carry service-staff weapons shall be exempt from the obligation to pass the examination provided for by this Article and to submit a certificate on the state of health, except for persons defined by paragraph 3 of Article 9 of this Law. Persons defined by paragraph 3 of Article 9 of this Law shall be obliged to submit only a certificate on the state of health. Passing the examination provided for by this Article shall also not be mandatory in the case defined by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
5. The instruction on conducting the examination in the knowledge of the rules on the circulation of civilian firearms and gas (air) weapons, the qualification requirements and the examination papers shall be approved by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 – website, 30.06.2015.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023.
[Article 27². Suspension of a Licence (Permit)
1. In the case of receiving from the unified information database information on the occurrence of a circumstance provided for by subparagraph "d 1" or "d 4" of paragraph 1 of Article 27 of this Law, the legal force of the licence and/or of the permit to acquire weapons (with the right to keep and/or carry) shall be automatically suspended. At the same time, the holder of the licence (permit) shall retain the right to dispose of the weapon in the manner defined by this Article within 30 days after the delivery of the notifications provided for by paragraphs 3 and 4 of this Article.
2. The Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall, within 48 hours from the receipt of information on the occurrence of a ground for suspension of the licence (permit) provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, notify the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia of the suspension of the licence (permit).
3. The holder of the licence (permit) shall be notified of the suspension of the licence (permit) by an authorized person of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia appearing at his place of residence/place of storage of the weapon, at which time the weapon shall be seized.
4. In the case provided for by paragraph 3 of this Article, the authorized representative of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall set the holder of the licence (permit) a period of 30 days for the elimination of the ground for suspension of the licence (permit) and/or for the disposal of the weapon in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
5. In the case provided for by this Article, the holder of the licence (permit) shall admit the authorized representative of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to the place of residence/place of storage of the weapon for the purpose of seizing the weapon. In the event of resistance by the holder of the licence (permit), the authorized representative of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be entitled, in accordance with the Law of Georgia "On Police", to apply measures of coercion. The failure by the holder of the licence (permit) to admit the authorized representative of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to the place of residence/place of storage of the weapon shall be a ground for revocation of the respective licence (permit).
6. If the holder of the licence (permit) fails, within 30 days from the moment of delivery of the notification on the suspension of the licence (permit), to ensure the elimination of the ground for suspension of the licence (permit) provided for by subparagraph "d 1 " and/or subparagraph "d 4 " of paragraph 1 of Article 27 of this Law and/or the disposal of the weapon in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the licence (permit) shall be revoked, and the seized weapon shall be transferred into state ownership in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. If the holder of the licence (permit) eliminates the ground for suspension of the licence (permit) within the said period, the respective licence (permit) shall be restored to him and the seized weapon shall be returned to him.
7. The procedure for notification of the holder of the licence (permit) on the suspension of the licence (permit), for the seizure of the weapon and/or for the return of the weapon in the manner determined by this Article shall be established by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15.12.2025.
Article 28. Seizure of Weapons🔗
1. Weapons shall be seized:
a) in the absence of a licence (permit) provided for by this Law;
b) upon revocation of the licence (permit);
c) in the event of violation of the rules on arms circulation, before a final decision is taken;
d) in the event of the death of the owner of a civilian weapon, if compliance of that weapon with the requirements of Georgian legislation is not ensured within the period determined by the Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia;
e) in the cases and for the period determined by a protective, restraining or weapon-related rights restriction order issued with respect to the abuser;
[ e¹) in the case provided for by Article 27² of this Law; (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
f) in the case provided for by a Law of Georgia.
2. In the cases provided for by subparagraphs „d“ and „e“ of the first paragraph of this Article, as well as in the event of revocation of a permit to acquire (keep and/or carry) a weapon issued by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the rules for the seizure of weapons shall be approved by the Government of Georgia upon the submission of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
3. In the event of the occurrence of the circumstance provided for by subparagraph „d5“ of the first paragraph of Article 27 of this Law, the Information-Analytical Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be obliged to notify the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia thereof.
4. In the case provided for by paragraph 3 of this Article, the authorised representative of the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall set the convicted person a period of 30 days for the alienation of the weapon in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation.
5. The failure by the convicted person to fulfil the obligation provided for by paragraph 4 of this Article shall be notified to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia; the permit to acquire (with the right to keep and/or carry) a weapon shall lose legal force and the relevant body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall carry out the seizure of the weapon.
[ 5. In the event of the failure by the convicted person to fulfil the obligation provided for by paragraph 4 of this Article, the permit to acquire (with the right to keep and/or carry) a weapon shall lose legal force and the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall seize the weapon from the convicted person. The seized weapon shall be transferred into State ownership in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation. (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
6. In the event that a notification provided for by this Law is not delivered by post 2 times, the procedure of public publication on the official website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall be applied. The procedure of public publication and the relevant conditions shall be determined by the Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 - LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 28 December 2009 No. 2511 - LHG I, No. 313.01.2010, Art. 8
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2010 No. 4138 – LHG I, No. 76, 29.12.2010, Art. 511
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 22 June 2016 No. 5455 – website, 12.07.2016
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15.12.2025
Article 29. Control of arms circulation🔗
1. Control over the trading in arms, the manufacture, acquisition, keeping, carrying, use, movement, transportation and dispatch of arms without the appropriate licence or permit shall be exercised by the services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia authorised for that purpose, and departmental control – by the institutions provided for by Article 9 of this Law.
2. For the purpose of controlling arms circulation, a police officer shall have the right to inspect registered arms at the place of keeping, with the consent of the owner of the arms, not more than 4 times a year.
3. If the owner of the arms refuses to admit a police officer to the place of keeping of the arms, the police officer shall draw up a record to that effect. The record shall be signed by the police officer carrying out the said measure and by the owner of the arms. If the owner of the arms refuses to sign the record, a corresponding note shall be made in the record.
4. In the case provided for by paragraph 3 of this Article, the police officer shall be authorised to require the owner of the arms to present the arms registered in his/her name to the relevant police unit. The owner of the arms shall be obliged to present the registered arms required by the police officer to the relevant police unit not later than 7 days after the request.
5. For the purpose of controlling arms circulation, the procedure for inspecting registered arms at the place of keeping or for presenting arms to a police unit shall be established by an Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
6. Failure to fulfil the obligation defined by paragraph 4 of this Article shall entail the imposition of liability in the manner established by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Article 29¹. Procedure for issuing a recommendation by the Standing Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia🔗
The list of documents to be submitted to the Standing Commission on Military-Technical Issues of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia provided for by this Law for the purpose of issuing a recommendation, as well as the procedures for adopting a decision by the Commission and the criteria to be taken into account when adopting a decision, shall be determined by a Resolution of the Government of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 19 February 2020 No. 5721 – website, 24.02.2020
Article 30. Rights and Obligations of an Arms Manufacturer🔗
1. An arms manufacturer has the right to:
a) receive income from the sale of manufactured arms;
b) manufacture arms in accordance with the obtained license;
c) sell arms in accordance with the obtained license;
d) carry out structural modification of arms in accordance with the established procedure.
2. An arms manufacturer is obliged to:
a) conduct testing of manufactured arms and ensure compliance of the arms with state standards;
b) mark registration numbers and the marks required for marking on manufactured arms;
c) keep records of manufactured arms and ammunition/cartridge;
d) ensure the protection of manufactured arms, spare parts and ammunition/cartridge.
Law of Georgia No. 448 of 4 April 2025 – website, 10.04.2025.
Article 31. Rights and Obligations of the Owner of a Weapon🔗
1. The owner of a weapon shall have the right to:
a) possess and dispose of weapons and ammunition/cartridges, use weapons and ammunition/cartridges, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, taking into account the restrictions on carrying weapons;
b) receive compensation, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, in the event of requisition or surrender of a weapon.
c) acquire, without the permit of an authorized person, ammunition intended for firing from a firearm or gas (air) weapon registered in his/her name, as well as cartridges intended for a signal weapon.
1¹. Legal entities defined by subparagraphs "c1" and "c2" of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law, in addition to the rights provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, shall have the right to transfer, with the right of temporary use (but not exceeding the period determined by Georgian legislation), owned, registered hunting firearms for the purposes of commercial, amateur, sport or scientific hunting, as well as signal weapons for the purpose of carrying out activities provided for by Georgian legislation, to those natural persons who have registered another civilian firearm and/or who meet the requirements established by Georgian legislation. The procedure and conditions for transferring firearms to natural persons for use shall be approved by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
1². A legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraphs "f" and "g" of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law, in addition to the rights provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article, shall have the right to transfer the registered weapon in its ownership, for shooting on the relevant territory in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, with the right of temporary use, to that natural person who has registered another civilian firearm and/or who meets the requirements of Georgian legislation. In the case provided for by this paragraph, the procedure for transferring a weapon to a natural person with the right of temporary use shall be established by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2. The owner of a weapon shall be obliged to:
a) register the weapon in his/her ownership in accordance with the requirements of this Law;
b) register the weapon inherited by him/her, except for cases provided for by Georgian legislation;
c) observe the rules of weapon circulation;
d) ensure the protection of the weapon and ammunition/cartridge;
e) ensure, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation, the admission of a police officer and/or another authorized person to the places where weapons are stored and the submission of the relevant documentation to him/her;
f) in the event of loss of a weapon and ammunition, immediately notify the internal affairs bodies.
g) within 10 working days from the occurrence of the ground determined by Georgian legislation, carry out the re-registration of the weapon;
h) observe the requirements established by Georgian legislation for the storage, use, carrying and transportation, and dispatch of weapons.
i) in the event of the exercise, by the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, of the right provided for by paragraph 10 of Article 19 of this Law, to present, for the purpose of technical inspection, defence and/or sporting short-barrelled firearms registered under the right of ownership, for the request for the issuance of a permit to acquire arms (with the right to keep and/or carry them);
j) in the event of loss of arms, notify the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia thereof;
j¹) on the basis of the written consent (notice) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, to acquire, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carry, transport or dispatch sound (acoustic) weapons, as well as to carry, acquire, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carry, transport or dispatch a gas aerosol device and/or an electric shock device;
k) in the event of a request by a police officer, present to him, for the purpose of inspection, a civilian firearm and/or a signal weapon.
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 - LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2010 No. 4138 - LHG I, No. 76, 29.12.2010, Art. 511
Law of Georgia of 8 November 2011 No. 5201 - website, 14.11.2011
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 - website, 24.12.2025
Article 32. Rights and obligations of a person entitled to use arms🔗
1. A person entitled to use arms shall have the right to keep and carry arms in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
2. A person entitled to use arms shall be obliged to:
a) use arms only in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, for their intended purpose;
b) observe the rules on the circulation of arms;
c) ensure the protection of arms and ammunition/cartridges;
d) in the event of loss of arms, notify the relevant territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia thereof;
e) in the event of a request by a police officer, present to him, for the purpose of inspection, a civilian firearm and/or a signal weapon.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 - website, 10.04.2025
Article 32¹. Rights and obligations of a temporary user of a weapon🔗
1. A temporary user of a weapon shall be entitled, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, when moving within the territory of an indoor or semi-indoor shooting range, a shooting range or a shooting-hunting stand, a hunting farm, a federation or a sports organisation, to carry the weapon and/or to fire a shot from this weapon in compliance with the relevant regulatory norms established by the legislation of Georgia.
2. A temporary user of a weapon shall be obliged to:
a) use the weapon only in the territory provided for by paragraph 1 of this article, in accordance with the procedure and for the purpose established by the legislation of Georgia;
b) comply with the rules of circulation of weapons established by the legislation of Georgia;
c) ensure the protection of the weapon and ammunition/cartridge.
Law of Georgia No. 3100 of 31 May 2023 – website, 13.06.2023.
Law of Georgia No. 448 of 4 April 2025 – website, 10.04.2025.
Article 33. Resolution of disputes related to the circulation of weapons🔗
Disputes related to the circulation of weapons shall be resolved judicially, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
Article 34. Liability for violation of the legislation of Georgia on weapons🔗
Imposition of civil, administrative and criminal liability for violation of the legislation of Georgia on weapons shall be carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.
Article 35. Subordinate acts to be issued🔗
1. (removed – 27.09.2013, No. 1360).
2. The bodies of the executive authority of Georgia shall prepare and issue:
a) (removed – 31.05.2023, No. 3100);
b) Order of the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia "On the permissible health norms for traumatic injury cartridges, gas and electroshock weapons";
c) Joint Order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Minister of Culture and Protection of Monuments of Georgia "On the rules for the acquisition, keeping and exhibiting of collectible weapons".
3. The Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall ensure the issuance of a joint order "On the approval of the requirements for the state of health necessary for holding a licence/permit related to arms circulation and the rules for its verification".
4. Before 1 March 2014:
a) the Government of Georgia shall approve:
a.a) the rules for the transfer of civilian or service-staff weapons as an award;
a.b) the list of officials who have the right to carry service-staff weapons;
a.c) the rules for resolving issues of export, import, re-export and transit of dual-use products subject to export control;
a.d) the rules for the confiscation of weapons in the cases provided for by subparagraphs "d" and "e" of paragraph 1 of Article 28 of this Law, as well as in the case of revocation of a permit for the acquisition (keeping and/or carrying) of weapons issued by the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a legal entity of public law;
a.e) the rules for the bringing into and taking out of Georgia of weapons and ammunition by persons accompanying representatives of foreign states and international organisations, as well as other important guests, during their visits;
b) the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall approve:
b.a) the rules for the taking out of Georgia of firearms received as an award by a foreign national;
b.b) the rules for carrying, keeping and moving weapons and ammunition held in use or ownership;
b.c) the rules for sending bullets and cartridge cases fired from service-staff firearms to the bullet-and-cartridge case depository of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia for placement therein.
5. Before 1 November 2015, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia shall approve the instruction for conducting an examination on knowledge of the rules of circulation of civilian firearms and gas (air) weapons and the examination tickets.
6. The Government of Georgia, upon the submission of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, shall ensure, before 1 January 2027, the approval of the technical regulation defined by paragraph 1 of Article 15, subparagraph "f" of Article 16, paragraph 1 of Article 17 and subparagraph "f" of Article 18 of this Law.
Law of Georgia of 27 June 2008 No. 74 – LHG I, No. 1214.07.2008, Art. 96
Law of Georgia of 2 July 2010 No. 3285 – LHG I, No. 3816.07.2010, Art. 228
Law of Georgia of 24 April 2012 No. 6058 – website, 07.05.2012.
Law of Georgia of 27 September 2013 No. 1360 – website, 09.10.2013.
Law of Georgia of 12 June 2015 No. 3702 – website, 30.06.2015.
Law of Georgia of 25 November 2015 No. 4551 – website, 08.12.2015.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023.
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10.04.2025.
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1134 – website, 12.12.2025.
Article 35¹. Permit fee for the export from Georgia of armaments belonging to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation🔗
When issuing permits for the export from Georgia of arms, ammunition, military equipment, technical documentation, and works and services related to the production of arms belonging to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation stationed on the territory of Georgia, the corresponding permit fee shall not be paid.
Law of Georgia of 30 June 2004 No. 284 – LHG I, No. 2016.07.2004, Art. 110
Article 35². Re-registration of hunting rifled weapons registered with the right of storage and carrying🔗
[Article 35². Re-registration of hunting rifled weapons registered with the right of storage and carrying and registration of weapons owned by a legal entity/individual entrepreneur (shall enter into force from 1 May 2026)]
1. A person shall, for the purpose of conducting a ballistic examination in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, submit the hunting rifled (including combined) firearm registered in his/her name with the right of storage and carrying before 1 August 2023 to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia before 1 February 2024. This obligation shall not apply to service-and-staff weapons the right to carry which is held by the persons defined by paragraph 2 of Article 9 of this Law.
2. If the ballistic examination establishes that the weapon submitted in accordance with the procedure established by paragraph 1 of this Article is a short weapon, it shall be subject to re-registration in accordance with this Law.
3. Failure to fulfil the obligation provided for by paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article shall result in the imposition of liability on the owner of the weapon in accordance with the procedure established by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, including his/her warning regarding the fulfilment of the said obligation within the time limit established by the legislation of Georgia.
4. In the event of failure to fulfil the obligation provided for by paragraph 3 of this Article within the time limit established by the legislation of Georgia, the permit for the acquisition of the weapon (with the right of storage and carrying), the registration and the weapon registration certificate issued as a result of registration shall be considered to have no legal force.
5. The procedure for the collection of the fee determined for the ballistic examination of a weapon in accordance with this Article shall be established by the Law of Georgia "On the Fee and Time Limits Established for Services Rendered by the Legal Entity of Public Law − the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia", while the procedure for the collection of the licensing fee and the fee determined for the re-registration of a weapon shall be established by the Laws of Georgia "On Licence and Permit Fees" and "On the Fee and Time Limits Established for Services Rendered by the Legal Entity of Public Law − the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia".
6. In the case provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article, the owner of the weapon, a natural person, shall be released from the obligation to pass the examination provided for by subparagraph „a“ of paragraph 1 of Article 27¹ of this Law.
7. A legal entity/individual entrepreneur defined by subparagraphs „c1“, „f“ and „g“ of paragraph 1 of Article 19 of this Law shall register the weapon in its ownership/use before 1 February 2024.
8. Failure to fulfil the obligation provided for by paragraph 7 of this Article shall result in the imposition of liability on the legal entity/individual entrepreneur in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.
9. If necessary, by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a time limit different from the time limit established by paragraphs 1 and 7 of this Article for the performance of the relevant obligation may be determined.
Law of Georgia of 31 May 2023 No. 3100 – website, 13.06.2023.
Law of Georgia of 9 December 2025 No. 1143 – website, 15.12.2025.
Article 35³. Temporary rule for registration with the right to store and carry a signal weapon🔗
1. A person shall, for the purpose of registration with the right to store and carry, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, a signal weapon held in his/her ownership or use as of 1 July 2025, submit it by 1 September 2025 to the Legal Entity of Public Law – the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
2. Failure to perform the obligation provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article entails the imposition of liability on the owner of the signal weapon in accordance with the procedure established by the Code of Administrative Offences of Georgia, including his/her warning regarding the performance of the said obligation within the time limit determined by the legislation of Georgia.
3. The procedure for collecting the fee determined for conducting a ballistic examination of a signal weapon in accordance with this Article shall be established by the Law of Georgia “On the Fee and Time Limits Established for Services Rendered by the Legal Entity of Public Law − the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia”, while the procedure for collecting the permit fee and fee determined for the registration of a signal weapon shall be established by the Laws of Georgia “On Licence and Permit Fees” and “On the Fee and Time Limits Established for Services Rendered by the Legal Entity of Public Law − the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia”.
4. If necessary, by order of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, a time limit different from the time limit established by paragraph 1 of this Article for the performance of the relevant obligation may be determined.
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10.04.2025.
Article 35⁴. Temporary rule for obtaining a licence/permit for the manufacture (production), repair, import, export, re-export or transit of a signal weapon and/or cartridges intended for it, or a licence for trade in this weapon and/or cartridges🔗
A natural person/legal entity which, before 1 July 2025, carried out the manufacture (production), repair, import, export, re-export or transit of a signal weapon and/or cartridges intended for it, or trade in this weapon and/or cartridges, shall, by 1 September 2025, ensure the compliance of its activity with this Law and apply to the Ministry of Defence of Georgia, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, in order to obtain a licence/permit for the manufacture (production), repair, import, export, re-export or transit of a signal weapon and/or cartridges intended for it, or a licence for trade in this weapon and/or cartridges.
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10.04.2025.
Article 35⁵. Temporary regulation of compliance of buildings and structures with technical safety norms🔗
Before the entry into force of the technical regulation defined by paragraph 1 of Article 15, subparagraph „f“ of Article 16, paragraph 1 of Article 17 and subparagraph „f“ of Article 18 of this Law, the licences provided for by paragraph 1 of Article 15 and paragraph 1 of Article 17 of this Law shall be issued if the buildings and structures where the relevant activities are carried out comply with the established standards (where such standards exist).
Law of Georgia of 4 April 2025 No. 448 – website, 10.04.2025.
Article 35⁶. Temporary rule for the regulation of acoustic weapon, gas aerosol device, electric shock device🔗
Until 1 February 2026, the export, carrying, transportation or dispatch from Georgia of an acoustic weapon acquired, as well as the carrying, import into Georgia, export from Georgia, carrying, transportation or dispatch of a gas aerosol device and/or electric shock device shall require the written consent (certificate) of the territorial body of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
Law of Georgia of 17 December 2025 No. 1267 – website, 24.12.2025.
Article 36. Invalid normative act🔗
Upon the entry into force of this Law, the Law of Georgia "On Firearms" shall be deemed invalid.
Article 37. Entry into force of the Law🔗
This Law shall enter into force on 1 July 2003.
President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze
Tbilisi,
8 May 2003.
No. 2264-IIs