Firearms regulation in Switzerland allows the acquisition of semi-automatic, and – with a may-issue permit – fully automatic firearms, by Swiss citizens and foreigners with or without permanent residence.The law of 1997 (SR 514.54) made explicit provision for the Federal Council to restrict gun ownership by nationality (art. 7 WG/LArm). SR 514.541 art. 12, passed in 2008, amended in 2014, explicitly prohibits the acquisition, possession, offering, brokering and disposal of weapons, essential parts of weapons, specially designed weapon components, weapon accessories, ammunition or parts of ammunition, as well as the carrying and firing of firearms to nationals of eight states unless they ask for an exceptional authorization to the state: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. The laws pertaining to the acquisition of firearms in Switzerland are amongst the most liberal in the world, as well as being the most permissive in Europe. Swiss gun laws are primarily about the acquisition of arms, and not ownership. As such a license is not required to own a gun by itself, but a shall-issue permit is required to purchase most types of firearms. Bolt-action rifles, break-actions and hunting rifles do not require an acquisition permit, and can be acquired with just a record extract. An explicit reason must be submitted to be issued an acquisition permit for handguns or semi-automatics unless the reason is sport-shooting, hunting or collecting. Permits for concealed carrying in public are issued sparingly.SR 514.54 art. 27 § 4. No carry permit is necessary for hunting rifles carried by registered hunters with a hunting licence in the context of hunting or game-keeping, and historical firearms carried in the context of re-enactment or memorial events. Justifiable transport of unloaded firearms is regulated in art. 28. The acquisition of fully automatic weapons, suppressors and target lasers requires special permits issued by the cantonal firearms office. Police use of hollow point ammunition is limited to special situations.01.1054 Einfache Anfrage Rechsteiner Paul (2001)
The applicable federal legislations are SR 514.54 Federal Law on Weapons, Weapon Equipment and Ammunition (, , ) of 20 June 1997 (current edition of 15 August 2019), and SR 514.541 Ordinance on Weapons, Armament Accessories and Ammunition (, , ) of 2 July 2008 (current edition of 15 August 2019). The Weapons Law recognises a qualified "right to acquire, possess and carry arms"."Art. 3 Recht auf Waffenerwerb, Waffenbesitz und Waffentragen: Das Recht auf Waffenerwerb, Waffenbesitz und Waffentragen ist im Rahmen dieses Gesetzes gewährleistet." (The right to acquire, possess and carry arms is guaranteed in the framework of this law.)
Swiss gun culture has emerged from a long tradition of shooting (tirs), which served as a formative element of national identity in the post-Napoleonic Restoration of the Confederacy,Julie Hartley-Moore, "The Song of Gryon: Political Ritual, Local Identity, and the Consolidation of Nationalism in Multiethnic Switzerland", Journal of American Folklore 120.476 (2007) 204–229, citing Kohn Hans Kohn, Nationalism and Liberty: The Swiss Example. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1956, p. 78. and the long-standing practice of a militia organization of the Swiss Army in which soldiers' service rifles are usually stored privately at their homes (it became the choice of the soldier in 2010). What started as a gun culture centered around defense of the country through military duty also became a target shooting and collecting one. In addition to this, many cantons (notably the alpine cantons of Grisons and Valais) have strong traditions of hunting (see #Gun culture in Switzerland), accounting for a large but unknown number of privately held hunting rifles, as only weapons acquired since 2008 are registered. However, in a 2019 referendum voters opted to conform with European Union regulations which restrict the acquisition of semi-automatic firearms with high-capacity magazines. A permit for semi-automatic firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines is issued to anyone fulfilling article 8 of the Weapons Act under the promise they will show after five and ten years that they are a member of a shooting club, or that they used a firearm at least once a year within that five and ten years period for their first permit of the kind or to weapons collectors. The law on the acquisition of a high-capacity magazine by itself did not change.
Number of guns in circulation Switzerland has a relatively high gun ownership rate. There are no official statistics, and estimates vary considerably.
The 2017 report from Small Arms Survey has estimated that the number of civilian-held firearms in Switzerland is 2,332,000, which given a population of 8.4 million, corresponds to a gun ownership of around 27.6 guns per 100 residents. Other estimates place the number of privately held firearms upwards to a high total of 4,500,000, giving the nation an estimate of 54.5 guns per 100 people in 2017.
The International Crime Victims Survey conducted in 2004-05 reported that approximately 28.6% of all households in Switzerland owned firearms and 10.3% owned handguns, giving Switzerland the second-highest percentage of firearm ownership in Europe. A recent study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences released in 2023 revealed that the most commonly owned guns are handguns (caliber>.22lr) (85%) with semi-automatic rifles in close second (76%).
When Switzerland joined the Schengen Information System in 2008, it was forced to introduce a registry for firearms, though only those that changed hands since are registered, and no central registry was created. However, multiple proposals have been submitted over the years and most recently, a proposal by Green Party Marionna Schlatter to introduce a central registry was rejected by the Parliament on the 5th of March 2024. Consequently, each canton is still responsible for its registry.
The number of registered firearms in those databases was reported as 876,000 as of August 2017Erich Aschwanden, In der Schweiz gibt es mehr Pistolen und Gewehre als geschätzt, NZZ, 17 August 2017. which given a population of 8.4 million corresponds to around 10.3 registered guns per 100 residents.
Regulation Switzerland's Weapons Law (WG, LArm) and Weapons Act (WV, OArm) has been revised to accede to the Schengen Treaty effective 12 December 2008, and modified in 2019 after a referendum from the Swiss population to implement the European Firearms Directive which was added in the Schengen agreement. The Act on Personal Military Equipment (VPAA, OEPM) governs the handling of military equipment, and in particular the handling of personal weapons by military personnel.
The law is applied to the following weapons: Firearms, such as pistols, revolvers, rifles, pump guns (), lever-action rifles, self-loading guns (shotguns and rifles). Air and guns with a muzzle energy of at least 7.5 joules, or if there is risk of confusion with a firearm. Imitation, blank firing guns () and air-soft guns when there is risk of confusion with a firearm. Butterfly knives, throwing knives, switchblade or automatic knives with total length greater than 12 cm and blade length greater than 5 cm. Daggers with a symmetrical blade less than 30 cm. Devices that are intended to hurt people such as batons (), throwing star, brass knuckles, slings with armrest. Electric shock devices and spray products with irritants in Annex 2 weapons ordinance (WV/OArm), except for pepper spray.
Generally prohibited weapons are: Automatic firearms and military launching devices for ammunition, for projectiles or for missiles that have an explosive effect, and their essential or specially designed components. Automatic firearms modified to semi-automatic firearms, and their essential components; the foregoing does not apply to Swiss army firearms the ownership of which is acquired by the holder directly from the military authorities, and to components essential for maintaining the functionality of such weapons the following semi-automatic centrefire weapons: Handguns equipped with a high-capacity loading device Shoulderable firearms equipped with a high-capacity loading device Semi-automatic shoulderable firearms that may be shortened by means of a folding or telescopic shaft or without auxiliary means to a length of less than 60 cm, without losing any functionality Firearms that resemble an article of everyday use and their essential components; Grenade launchers in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 2 letter c Laser devices, night-vision devices, silencers and grenade launchers as an addition to a firearm. Automatic knives with a blade of more than 5 cm and a total length of more than 12 cm. Butterfly knives with a blade of more than 5 cm and a total length of more than 12 cm. Throwing knives; regardless of the shape and size. Symmetrical daggers where blade length is less than 30 cm. Brass knuckles. Shock rods or stun guns. Throwing stars. Buttstock-equipped slingshots (). Tasers. Hidden firearms that imitate an object of utility, such as shooting phones.
Acquisition Buying guns In order to purchase most weapons, the purchaser must obtain a weapon acquisition permit (art. 8 WG/LArm). Swiss citizens and foreigners with a C permit over the age of 18 who are not under a curator nor identified as being a danger for themselves or others, and who do not have a criminal record with a conviction for a violent crime or of several convictions as long as they haven't been written out can request such a permit. Foreign nationals who do not have a settlement permit but who are resident in Switzerland must present the competent cantonal authority with an official attestation from their home country confirming they are authorised to acquire the weapon or essential weapon component in that country in order to buy (art. 9a WG/LArm). Foreigners with sole citizenship to the following countries are explicitly excluded from the right to buy, sell and own weapons and their parts unless they ask for an exceptional authorization to the state: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Albania. The following information must be provided to the cantonal weapon bureau together with the weapon application form (art. 15 WV/OArm): valid official identification or passport copy. official attestation as defined in art. 9a WG/LArm (for foreign nationals who do not have a settlement permit but who are resident in Switzerland or persons resident abroad).
For each transfer of a weapon or an essential weapon component without a weapons acquisition permit (art. 10 WG/LArm), a written contract must be concluded. Each Party shall keep them for at least ten years. The contract must include the following information (art. 11 WG/LArm): Family name, first name, birth date, residence address and signature of the person who sells the weapon or essential weapon component. Family name, first name, birth date, residence address and signature of the person who purchases the weapon or an essential weapon component. Kind of weapon, manufacturer or producer, label, caliber, weapon number, and date and place of transfer. Type and number of the official identification of the person who acquires the weapon or the essential weapon component. and an indication of the processing of personal data in connection with the contract in accordance with the privacy policy of the Federation or the cantons, if firearms are transmitted.
This information must be sent within 30 days to the cantonal weapon registration bureau, where the weapon holders are registered, though and airsoft guns are not concerned by this (art. 11 WGLArm)
Categories Antique firearms The following weapons are governed solely by Articles 27 (carrying) and 28 (transportation) (art. 2 WG/LArm):