The new Weapons and Ammunition Act, Official Gazette 119/2026, has applied since 19 August 2026 and replaced the 2015 law. For category B weapons you first need a purchase permit from the Ministry of the Interior, and within eight days of buying the weapon a firearms licence, valid for five years. You must be at least 21 (18 for police officers, soldiers, security guards, hunters who passed the hunting exam and members of shooting clubs), a Montenegrin citizen resident in Montenegro or a foreigner with permanent residence, with no relevant convictions, a medical fitness certificate from a state health centre and proof of training. Anyone who holds an unregistered category B weapon can declare it and apply for a licence within four years, without criminal proceedings.
This guide explains which weapons documents exist, who can get them, how to obtain the medical certificate and proof of training, how the procedure works, how weapons must be stored, and what applies to old documents and unregistered weapons.
Which weapons documents exist?
- A purchase permit for a weapon and a purchase permit for main weapon parts.
- A licence to keep a weapon, for personal safety.
- A licence to carry a weapon, for personal safety.
- A licence to keep and carry a hunting weapon and a licence to keep and carry a sporting weapon.
- A permit to hold weapons for companies and a permit to collect weapons for collectors.
The documents are issued by the Ministry of the Interior with the prior consent of the police.
Who can get a firearms licence?
- A person aged at least 21, or 18 for a police officer, a professional soldier, a security guard, a hunter who has passed the hunting exam or a member of a sporting shooting club.
- A Montenegrin citizen resident in Montenegro or a foreigner with permanent residence.
- A person with no conviction or pending proceedings for crimes against life and limb, drug offences, offences against general safety, violence and other offences listed in the law, and no fine in the last five years for a misdemeanour indicating possible misuse of a weapon, such as domestic violence.
- A person who meets the conditions for safe storage of weapons and ammunition, confirmed by a written statement.
- A person who is medically fit and trained to handle a weapon safely.
The police assess whether there is a justified reason for a personal safety weapon. The law gives the right to carry a handgun for personal safety only to certain people: officers of the National Security Agency and of the defence intelligence and security service, prison security staff, and judges and prosecutors handling organised crime, high-level corruption, money laundering, terrorism and war crimes cases. For a hunting weapon the reason is a passed hunting exam and membership of a hunting ground holder in the current hunting year, and for a sporting weapon competing at national or international level.
Medical certificate and training
- The medical fitness certificate is issued by a state-founded health centre, based on an examination by a medical board chaired by a specialist in occupational medicine.
- The applicant pays for the examination; Tivat Health Centre, for example, charges 70 euros for a certificate of fitness to own a firearm.
- For a personal safety weapon, training is provided by the Police Academy, which issues a certificate of competence.
- A hunter provides a hunting exam certificate and the hunting ground holder's confirmation of active membership, and a sport shooter a confirmation from the shooting club verified by the relevant federation.
- Anyone trained under the 2015 law is considered trained under the new law.
How does the procedure work?
- You apply for a purchase permit to the Ministry where you live, showing your identity card and consenting to checks of your personal data.
- The police gather information about you and submit an official note within 15 days at the latest.
- Once it finds that you meet the general conditions, the Ministry asks you to submit the medical certificate and proof of training within 15 days.
- The purchase permit is valid for six months, and for a weapon imported from the European Union it can be extended by another six; an unused permit is returned within eight days of expiry.
- Within eight days of buying the weapon you apply for the firearms licence and pay the fee for the form.
- The licence is valid for five years, and a new one must be requested at least 30 days before it expires.
- A decision rejecting your application can be challenged in an administrative dispute.
- An heir to a weapon receives a licence without a purchase permit, if they meet the legal conditions.
How must weapons be stored and used?
- Weapons and ammunition must be locked and kept separately, in a cabinet, safe or similar container that cannot be opened with ordinary tools, out of reach of unauthorised people, especially children.
- During storage the ammunition must not be in the weapon, and the weapon is kept in the owner's premises where they live.
- Using a weapon in a public place is forbidden; hunting weapons are used in hunting grounds and sporting weapons at ranges and competitions.
- You must report the loss or theft of a weapon, ammunition or document to the police immediately.
- Air and alarm weapons in category C can be bought by an adult without a permit, but must be reported to the Ministry within eight days.
What about old documents and unregistered weapons?
- Licences and permits issued under the 2015 law remain valid until they expire.
- A foreigner whose temporary residence is ending and who has no permanent residence must sell, give away, deactivate or hand over the weapon to the police at least 30 days before the residence expires; for citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland old documents remain valid until they expire.
- An unregistered category B weapon can be declared to the Ministry with an application for a licence within four years, or reported to the police within the same period for surrender or deactivation.
- Prohibited category A weapons, other than sporting ones, must be reported to the police for surrender or deactivation within one year.
- Anyone who acts within these deadlines faces no criminal proceedings for unlawful possession.
The criminal record certificate is explained in our guide to the criminal record certificate, and registering your address in our guide to residence registration. Fishing permits are covered in our guide to the fishing licence, and bringing goods across the border in our guide to customs allowances.
Frequently asked questions
At what age can you get a firearms licence in Montenegro? At 21, or at 18 for police officers, soldiers, security guards, hunters who passed the exam and members of shooting clubs.
How long is a firearms licence valid? The licence is valid for five years, and a new one must be requested at least 30 days before it expires.
Where do you get the medical certificate for a firearm? At a state-founded health centre, based on an examination by a medical board, and the applicant pays for it.
Can foreigners get a firearms licence? Foreigners with permanent residence in Montenegro can, if they meet the other conditions of the law.
What should I do with an unregistered weapon? Declare a category B weapon to the Ministry and apply for a licence, or report it to the police for surrender, within four years, without criminal proceedings.
Is my old firearms licence still valid? Yes, a licence issued under the 2015 law remains valid until it expires.
Sources
The documents, conditions, medical certificate, training, procedure, storage and transitional rules are set by the Weapons and Ammunition Act (Articles 11 to 30, 33, 43 to 48, 123 and 133 to 148), Official Gazette 119/2026. The price of the medical certificate is published by Tivat Health Centre. The information was checked on 27 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.