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Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Burkina Faso?

Mostly no, or only under severe restrictions.

Treated at or near firearm level, with an effective ban or major criminal-law exposure for ordinary ownership.

Tier 1: Severely Restricted

Effective civilian ban or extreme criminal penalties for unlicensed possession.

BF

The picture at a glance

Each measure below scores how restrictive Burkina Faso is on that part of owning or transferring an airgun, from permissive (green) to firearm-level (red).

ClassificationUnclear
Age ruleUnclear
PossessionVariable
Transfer / saleVariable
TransportVariable
AuthorityUnclear
Before you buy or sell
  • No new firearms licences reportedly issued since 2020.
  • Severe security environment.
  • Loi n°030-2021/AN expressly lists compressed-air weapons among civil arms needing prior ministerial authorization.

The rules in detail

Classification
Unclear
Loi n°030-2021/AN (general regime of arms, adopted 18 May 2021) expressly defines compressed-air weapons (art. 2) and lists them among "armes civiles". Acquisition, possession, carry, transfer, exchange and collection of civil arms all need prior authorization from the Minister of Security (art. 53). Comparative summaries report no new firearms licences issued since 2020.
Age rule
Unclear
Loi n°030-2021/AN art. 54 bars anyone below the age of civil majority from acquiring, holding or carrying a small-calibre arm; airgun acquisition also needs ministerial authorization (art. 53).
Possession
Variable
Airguns are "civil arms" under Loi n°030-2021/AN, so acquiring, holding or carrying one needs prior Minister of Security authorization (art. 53). With licensing reportedly frozen since 2020, treat civilian possession or import as impractical without written authorization.
Transfer / sale
Variable
Import/transfer of weapons is security-sensitive and should be treated as controlled. No consumer airgun pathway surfaced.
Transport
Variable
Avoid transport of weapon-like goods. If officially authorized, carry paperwork and use local handling support.
Authority
Unclear
National security/interior framework; emergency/security conditions materially affect enforcement.

Hunting with an airgun

Unresolved / not recommended.

Deer
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Turkey
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Small game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Predators
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Other big game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed

Import & travel

Energy threshold
No airgun joule threshold found.
Caliber rule
No specific airgun caliber rule found.
Travel note
Avoid transit or destination travel with airguns. Security posture matters more than theoretical sporting use.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Do not import an airgun as a traveler. Treat Burkina Faso as an avoid-for-airguns jurisdiction unless a government agency provides written authorization.

Keep exploring

Open the interactive mapSee how this compares across the map and switch between legal and hunting views.→Ballistics toolkitCheck energy, velocity, and range for any airgun and load.→Ammo databaseBrowse 600+ pellets and slugs by caliber and weight.→

This is a plain-language summary compiled from primary statutes and official guidance. It isn't legal advice. Laws change and local rules vary, so verify the current rules with the relevant authority before buying, selling, or hunting.