New Firearms Act from 2026: a structured overview of the key changes

On 1 January 2026, Act No. 90/2024 Coll., on Firearms and Ammunition, entered into force, comprehensively replacing the previous legal framework. The new Act does not merely change terminology; it also substantially revises the registration regime, the structure of authorisations, the classification of firearms, and the procedural rules applicable to public administration. Its objectives are greater system clarity, end-to-end digitalisation of the agenda, and strengthened oversight mechanisms in the area of public safety.

Below is a systematic overview of the most important changes.

Digitalisation of firearms administration and the end of physical documents

A fundamental conceptual shift is the full digitalisation of firearms administration. The new Act abolishes the physical documents issued under the previous legislation, namely:

• firearms licences,
• firearms licences for business/professional activities,
• firearms registration certificates.

As of 1 January 2026, these documents have lost their legal effect. There is no obligation to surrender them; however, they can no longer be used to prove status or to derive any rights or entitlements. All legal entitlements to possess, acquire, carry, use, or otherwise handle firearms and ammunition are now recorded exclusively in the Central Firearms Register (CRZ), which becomes the sole authoritative source of information.

The 2026 reform of firearms legislation affects not only the classification of firearms, but also registration systems, oversight mechanisms, and administrative procedures.

Authorisation can be verified:

• electronically, in particular via the Citizen Portal (Portál občana), or
• by means of an extract from the Firearms Sheet (zbrojní list), available electronically and, where applicable, also in paper form at Czech POINT contact points or at the competent OSZBM (Odbor služby pro zbraně a bezpečnostní materiál – the Police department responsible for firearms and security material).

The Firearms Sheet serves as an informational extract from the CRZ and may be issued in a full or partial form depending on the purpose (e.g., for a firearm purchase). It is not a “licence card” in the traditional sense, but a practical instrument for demonstrating the current status of recorded entitlements.

This step significantly reduces the administrative burden on firearms holders—especially those with a larger number of registered firearms—and eliminates the risk of losing or forgetting physical documents. At the same time, it increases reliance on digital system availability and procedural readiness, particularly for entities that must verify authorisations in practice, such as shooting ranges or parties executing firearm transfers between holders.

Abolition of local jurisdiction of administrative authorities

The new Act removes the link between firearms administration and the holder’s permanent residence. All firearms- and ammunition-related actions—such as filing applications, registering and notifying firearms, verifying authorisations, and other administrative steps—can now be handled at any OSZBM anywhere in the Czech Republic.

Practically, this is a major simplification, especially for individuals who work or reside long-term outside their place of permanent residence. It eliminates the need to travel to one’s “home” regional police directorate purely to comply with formal administrative obligations.

Firearms authorisation: a new system replacing the firearm license

The existing firearm license (zbrojní průkaz) is replaced by the new law with the concept of firearm authorization, which not only represents a change in terminology but also a simplification of the entire authorization structure. The original five groups of firearm licenses (A–E) are consolidated into two basic types of firearm authorization, which clearly distinguish between regular gun possession and extended authorization for specific activities.

1) General firearms authorisation (General ZO)

The General ZO covers the former groups:

• A – collecting purposes,
• B – sporting purposes,
• C – hunting purposes.

This type permits basic possession and use of firearms in these areas and represents the standard regime for most firearms holders.

2) Extended firearms authorisation (Extended ZO)

The Extended ZO covers the former groups:

• D – performance of employment or profession,
• E – protection of life, health, or property.

The Extended ZO automatically includes the General ZO and is intended for activities with a higher level of responsibility and stricter safety demands. The new Act explicitly requires it, for example:

• for concealed carry of a registered firearm,
• for acting as an exam commissioner,
• for the role of chief armourer,
• when performing selected tasks of holders of firearms licences (zbrojní licence).

The new Firearms Act effective from 2026 introduces full digitalisation of records and fundamentally changes how authorisation to possess and use firearms is demonstrated.

A clearer structure of firearms licences (ZL)

The previous ten groups of firearms licence (A–J) are replaced by three core licence types that better reflect the nature of the activity performed and simplify the former segmentation.

🔵 ZL1 – manufacturing, servicing, and commercial activities

ZL1 replaces former licence groups A–E and is intended for professional activities connected with the manufacture of and dealings in firearms and ammunition. It includes in particular:

• development and manufacture of firearms or ammunition,
• repair, modification, and deactivation of firearms or ammunition,
• purchase, sale, and transport of firearms or ammunition,
• lending of firearms and storage of firearms or ammunition,
• destruction or deactivation of firearms or ammunition.

🔵 ZL2 – services and specific activities

ZL2 replaces former licence groups F–J and is intended for activities where firearms are used as part of service provision or organised events. Typically, this includes:

• shooting instruction and training,
• provision of personal and property security,
• organisation of sporting, cultural, or hobby events,
• museum and collection activities,
• performance of tasks under special legal regulations.

🔵 ZL3 – one-off, non-business activity

ZL3 is a newly introduced licence type intended for a one-off, non-commercial performance by a natural person of activities that would otherwise require ZL1 or ZL2. Typical examples include:

• self-manufacture of a firearm for one’s own purposes,
• collecting activities involving firearms in higher categories.

The Act expressly provides that a holder of ZL3 may not simultaneously be a holder of ZL1 or ZL2, ensuring a clear separation between the one-off regime and professional or business activity.

The Firearms Act effective from 2026 places emphasis on the digitalisation of records, clearer rules for firearm possession, and strengthened government oversight mechanisms.

New categories of firearms and ammunition

The new Act introduces a fundamentally redesigned classification of firearms and ammunition, aligned with European legislation, replacing the former categories A, B, C, C-I, and D. The aim is a clearer allocation of firearm types based on risk level and the scope of authorisation, while removing previous overlaps and interpretive uncertainties.

🔵 Firearms subject to firearms authorisation (ZO)

These are firearms that may be possessed only on the basis of a valid ZO and must be recorded in the CRZ.

✅ R1 – prohibited firearms

Replaces former Category A. This category includes firearms considered the highest security risk. Possession is generally prohibited, with exemptions granted only in exceptional, strictly defined statutory cases. Typically:

• fully automatic firearms,
• booby-trap firearms,
• covert/treacherous weapons,
• weapons systems using incendiary or laser technologies.

✅ R2 – firearms requiring an exemption

Replaces former Category A-I. These firearms are not blanket-prohibited, but acquisition and possession are permitted only on the basis of an individual exemption granted by the competent administrative authority. In particular:

• semi-automatic firearms converted from automatic firearms,
• firearms with over-limit magazine capacity,
• long firearms that can be structurally shortened below 600 mm.

✅ R3 – firearms requiring a purchase permit

Replaces former Category B. Acquisition is permitted only on the basis of a prior purchase permit issued by the Police. Typical examples:

• short semi-automatic firearms (handguns),
• long firearms with a capacity exceeding 3 rounds,
• signalling devices with a calibre above 16 mm.

✅ R4 – firearms subject to notification

Replaces former Category C. These firearms do not require a prior purchase permit, but are subject to a notification duty and registration after acquisition. In particular:

• semi-automatic firearms not falling under R2 or R3,
• repeating firearms,
• single-shot firearms.

🔵 Mandatory-notification firearms (PO)

Replaces former Category C-I. These firearms do not require a ZO, but possession must be notified to the Police. Typically:

• expansion weapons,
• gas firearms above 6.35 mm calibre (except paintball),
• Flobert firearms,
• deactivated firearms,
• blank-firing and signalling firearms up to 16 mm calibre.

🔵 Non-notified firearms (NO)

Replaces former Category D. This category includes firearms with the lowest risk level; possession requires neither a ZO nor notification. In particular:

• historical firearms,
• air and gas guns up to 6.35 mm calibre,
• airsoft guns,
• paintball markers.

Secondary firearms holder

The new Act introduces the concept of a primary and secondary firearms holder, allowing more than one authorised person to be recorded for a specific firearm. The primary holder is the person in whose name the firearm is registered in the CRZ. This holder may apply to have another person entered as a secondary holder (e.g., a spouse, partner, or descendant).

A secondary holder may lawfully handle the firearm within the scope of their ZO, in particular use it, for example, at a shooting range. Entry of a secondary holder is conditional upon the person:

• holding the relevant ZO, and
• giving explicit consent to the CRZ entry.

A secondary holder is not authorised to transfer the firearm to other persons or to register further secondary holders. If the secondary holder’s ZO is revoked or expires, the Police of the Czech Republic must inform the primary holder without undue delay.

Professional competence and age limits

The basic structure of the professional competence examination remains essentially unchanged and is not substantively redesigned. The main procedural novelty is the possibility to file a formal objection to the examination result where the applicant disagrees with the exam commissioner’s conclusion.

The new Act also adjusts age requirements for obtaining a ZO. The minimum age for:

• the General ZO is set at 18 years; exceptionally, it may be obtained from 15 years if the person is a student in a vocational field focused on work with firearms or a member of a sport-shooting club holding the relevant firearms licence,
• the Extended ZO remains unchanged at 21 years.

Medical fitness: shorter validity

The validity of the medical certificate assessing medical fitness is shortened from the former 10 years to 5 years. At the same time, the Police are granted authority to order an extraordinary medical reassessment if new circumstances arise indicating a possible health-related risk.

A positive change compared to the previous regime is that late submission of the medical certificate does notautomatically result in expiry of the ZO. In such cases, the Police proceed by temporarily securing the firearms until a valid medical certificate is produced.

However, loss of the ZO remains possible where the holder intentionally delays or ignores an official request to submit proof of medical fitness issued by the competent regional police directorate. The Act thus distinguishes between an administrative lapse and a deliberate failure to comply with a statutory obligation.

The Act on Firearms and Ammunition effective from 2026 restructures the system of firearms authorisations and clarifies the rules governing the possession and acquisition of firearms.

Criminal integrity (clean criminal record)

The new Act changes how “criminal integrity” is assessed for persons handling firearms. Whereas the previous regime primarily evaluated integrity based on the type of offence committed, the new approach assesses integrity by reference to the sentence imposed, i.e., its severity.

This enables a more individualised and proportionate assessment, taking into account not only the legal classification of the offence, but also the actual impact and social harmfulness of the conduct. The goal is to remove disproportionate automatic disqualifications and better distinguish minor cases from genuinely risk-relevant situations from a public-safety perspective.

Preventive temporary seizure of a firearm based on a report by a public authority

The new Act expands the Police’s options for preventive intervention where there is a well-founded concern that a firearms holder may pose a security risk. The Police are authorised to temporarily secure a firearm based on a report from a public authority (OVM), such as a school, a municipality, a regional authority, or another administrative body.

Such a report may consist of information indicating that the holder’s behaviour represents a potential threat—for example, in connection with threats, atypical conduct, or other circumstances that cannot be disregarded. The purpose of this instrument is not to punish the holder, but to enable a timely and preventive response where it is necessary to reduce risk quickly.

This mechanism strengthens preventive public protection and provides the Police with a tool to intervene before a serious security incident occurs. The measure is temporary, and its continuation depends on the outcome of subsequent verification.

Duty to report suspicious purchases and transactions

The new Act introduces a duty for firearms and ammunition dealers to report suspicious purchases and transactions where the customer’s behaviour or the circumstances of the purchase give rise to reasonable doubt as to the purpose or entitlement. The aim is to strengthen preventive control and enable timely responses to potentially risky situations.

Failure to comply may result in an administrative penalty of up to CZK 500,000, underlining the significance the Act attaches to this area. The duty applies not only to attempts to purchase firearms without the required entitlement, but also to other atypical circumstances that may indicate a security risk.

A problematic aspect remains that the term “suspicious transaction” is not defined in the Act in a clear and exhaustive manner. In practice, interpretation will therefore depend on the assessment of the specific situation and the subsequent evaluation by administrative authorities. This may lead to interpretive uncertainty and increased demands on dealers’ judgement when assessing individual cases.

Conclusion

The new Firearms Act delivers substantial modernisation, digitalisation, and structural simplification. Most changes are aimed at greater clarity and efficiency in public administration. Some security-related measures, however, remain subject to professional and public debate. The real-world impact of these changes can only be objectively assessed through practical application.