How to get a sports gun licence? A practical guide

Sport shooting, both as a hobby and as a way of spending time actively, is becoming increasingly popular in Poland every year. According to statistics from the National Police Headquarters, 58,784 people were issued a firearms licence for sporting purposes in 2022, and 162,368 firearms were registered. In 2023, this number was already much higher: 70,898 permits were issued and 191,964 weapons were registered.

Are you interested in sport shooting and wondering how to get a sport shooting licence? In this practical guide, we will take you step by step through all the stages of the process - from the prerequisites, such as medical and psychological examinations, through passing the exam, to completing the necessary documents and submitting the application.

Let's start with the interpretation of the law. According to the provisions of the Weapons and Ammunition Act of 21. May 1999, regarding the conditions for issuing a licence for sporting weapons:

● the competent police authority issues a firearms licence if the applicant does not pose a threat to himself, public order or safety and can provide a valid reason for possessing a firearm;

● a firearms licence is issued, among other things, for sporting purposes;

● a documented membership in a shooting association, possession of sports qualifications and a licence from the relevant Polish sports association are considered valid reasons for owning a weapon for sporting purposes.

If you intend to obtain a permit to own a sporting weapon, the first step should be to join a sports club or shooting association. They must be affiliated with the Polish Shooting Federation*, so it is best to use the list of clubs belonging to the Polish Shooting Federation.

It is worth knowing that each club sets its own admission rules, but the choice of a specific club is entirely up to you. Many clubs offer the option of signing up online. After paying the membership fee, you become a member of the sports club. Membership of a sports club or shooting club is a prerequisite for obtaining a shooting licence. You have taken the first step.

After joining a sports club or association and completing the necessary theoretical and practical training, you can take the shooting licence exam, which is a document confirming that you have mastered the basic skills of handling firearms and have the appropriate sports qualifications. To register for this exam, you must:

● be an active member of a club or association for at least 3 months,

● submit a correctly filled out application for a shooting licence, attaching a valid primary care physician's certificate (in addition, the application should include a confirmation with a stamp and signature of the shooting club manager confirming that you have undergone training in the applicable regulations, rules and principles of using the weapon),

● have confirmation of payment of the PLN 400 exam fee.

In order to obtain a shooting license, you must pass an exam consisting of two parts: theoretical and practical. The theoretical part is in the form of a test with 10 questions. To pass, you must answer at least 9 questions correctly. These questions cover the following topics:

● the current Weapons and Ammunition Act and the regulations issued on its basis,
● safety rules for the use of sporting weapons,
● shooting regulations,
● the construction, operating principles and technical data of sporting weapons,
● knowledge of the provisions of the Penal Code concerning weapons-related crimes.

Note: you must answer the first 4 questions about the Weapons and Ammunition Act and safety rules 100% correctly – otherwise, it will not be possible to pass the exam. As you can see, it is very important to prepare thoroughly for this part.

After passing the theoretical part, it is time for practice. The practical part of the exam covers aspects such as:

● verification of knowledge and checking compliance with the shooting range regulations,

● checking the ability to use the weapon correctly, including unfolding, folding, loading ammunition, unloading, securing, unlocking, as well as how to proceed if the weapon is found to be faulty,

● a shooting test with the specific type of weapon for which you want to obtain a license (for sporting purposes, you can own almost any type of side-loading weapon up to 6 mm, centerfire weapons up to 12 mm caliber, smoothbore weapons in any caliber).

The commission may also ask questions about the above issues. The prerequisite for passing this part of the exam is to obtain a positive assessment of knowledge and skills in the above-mentioned areas. A shooting license is a document certifying the mastery of knowledge and skills in the use of firearms. This is the second important reason for applying for a gun permit.

The third important reason for obtaining a sports weapon permission is to have a competition license. The license is issued by the Polish Shooting Sport Association (PZSS) based on an application and is valid for one year from the date of issue. In order to renew the sports license for the following year, you must actively participate in sport shooting competitions, or more precisely in a specific number of competitions, based on the types of weapons selected for the license. The competition results are published on the PZSS website.

In order to obtain a license for a weapon for sports purposes, you must provide a legitimate reason for owning the weapon (as mentioned above – i.e. having all the qualifications for active participation in sport shooting):

● membership in a sports club or shooting association,

● obtaining a shooting license,

● possession of a license from the Polish Shooting Sport Association.

The next step is to undergo psychological and psychiatric examinations. A medical certificate, issued by a sports medicine doctor, confirms the ability to function properly, which is equivalent to the lack of danger to oneself or to public order. As for other documents, a key document is a certificate of no criminal record issued by the National Criminal Register, but at a later stage, this is verified by the Administrative Proceedings Department of the Provincial Police Headquarters, so it is not necessary to obtain this certificate on your own.

We are nearing the end of the process. The next step is to prepare the application for a sports firearms licence correctly. You need to consider the number of firearms, taking their different types into account and remembering that the police distinguish between three kinds of weapons: smoothbore, side-loading and centre-loading. The application should also include the number of copies of a specific type of weapon and justify the need for such a quantity.

Another piece of necessary information is the address where the weapon will be stored. Also include an information about your membership in a sports club and possession of a shooting licence.

Here is a list of documents that must be completed for the Administrative Proceedings Department of the Provincial Police Headquarters:

● a notarised copy of your identity card,
● a notarised copy of your shooting licence,
● a notarised copy of your competition licence,
● the original certificate confirming membership of a shooting club,
● original certificate from a psychiatrist,
● original certificate from a psychologist,
● original receipt of the stamp duty for the application for a firearms licence,
● two photos in 3 x 4 cm format,
● application for a firearms licence for a sporting firearm.

The documents can be delivered in person or sent by registered mail to the address of the Administrative Proceedings Department at the Regional Police Headquarters responsible for your place of residence. If you decide to deliver the documents in person, prepare a copy of the application, which the Department will confirm as received. The decision is made within a month.

After obtaining a permit for a sporting weapon and receiving a promise, you can proceed to order a firearm. However, before the weapon is in your possession, you must take care of one of the most important aspects: consider the choice and purchase a certified safe for storing weapons and ammunition with a security class of at least S1. The local police officer will check whether you have a safe at the address indicated in the application to the Administrative Proceedings Department. In another of our guides, you will find out which gun safe to choose to meet the necessary requirements.

In addition, each weapon purchased must be registered at the Administrative Proceedings Department. When applying for the first time, you are allowed to apply for a maximum of 5 units of sporting weapons.

Obtaining a permit for a weapon for sporting purposes requires patience and commitment, but it also involves certain expenses. Nevertheless, more and more people are interested in obtaining such a licence.

In summary, the process of obtaining a sports weapon licence is as follows:

1. You join a sports club or shooting association and pay the mandatory fees.

2. During a 3-month internship, you take a course to prepare for the shooting licence and study for the exam.

3. Send the application for the licence to the manager of the sports club or shooting club and transfer 400 PLN to the account of the Polish Shooting Sport Association (PZSS).

4. You will receive a signed application, take it and a copy of the payment for the exam. After passing the exam, you will receive a shooting licence.

5. After receiving your shooting licence, you pay 50 PLN to the PZSS account to obtain a licence. You send a copy of your licence and a copy of the payment to the manager of the sports club or association, who will apply for your competition licence.

6. The club or association sends you a licence and a certificate of membership.

7. You undergo the necessary medical examinations.

8. You submit all the required documents to the Administrative Proceedings Department of the Provincial Police Headquarters.

9. You receive the decision on the possession of a weapon – a firearms licence. You buy a safe, a weapon and pursue your new hobby.

Short, concise and to the point. We wish you the best of luck in obtaining a firearms licence and encourage you to take a look at the Hartmann Tresore safe range.

* Polski Związek Strzelectwa Sportowego