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Airgun law · World
Are Airguns Legal in Cameroon?
Yes. Airguns are legal here for adults.
Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing, though local rules can still apply.
Tier 4: Permissive
Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing requirement.
CM
The picture at a glance
Each measure below scores how restrictive Cameroon is on that part of owning or transferring an airgun, from permissive (green) to firearm-level (red).
ClassificationThreshold-based
Age rule21+
PossessionVariable
Transfer / saleVariable
TransportVariable
AuthorityNational statute
Before you buy or sell
- Law 2016/015 puts compressed-air sport weapons in the 7th category (free sale), but transit of any arms through Cameroon needs prior presidential authorization (art. 6).
- Conventional firearm import limits and permits do not automatically validate airgun hunting.
- Security conditions and regional instability can affect practical travel.
- In April 2018 a Ministry of Territorial Administration communiqué ordered, 'until further notice', a ban on selling hunting and defence arms and their ammunition and the closure of all gun shops in the Adamawa, Centre, Littoral, West, North-West and South-West regions. No lifting of the order was found, so airgun retail in those regions may still be affected.
The rules in detail
Classification
Threshold-based
Law No. 2016/015 of 14 December 2016 (general regime of arms and ammunition) defines compressed-air sport weapons as "armes de tir et de salon" (art. 2) and places them in the 7th category (art. 3). Art. 33 puts 6th-, 7th- and 8th-category arms and their ammunition on free sale ("en vente libre"), subject to other regulations in force. The prior-authorization regime (arts. 28-30, 42-43) applies only to 4th/5th-category defence and hunting firearms.
Age rule
21+
No statutory age for 7th-category (compressed-air) arms. The 21+ minimum in art. 30 of Law 2016/015 applies only to 4th/5th-category defence and hunting firearms.
Possession
Variable
Compressed-air sport weapons are 7th-category arms on free sale under Law 2016/015 art. 33, so ordinary possession needs no ministerial authorization. The 2016 law does not treat them as hunting firearms (5th category covers firearms only).
Transfer / sale
Variable
Sale is free for 7th-category (compressed-air) arms (Law 2016/015 art. 33), unlike 4th/5th-category firearms, whose import and trade need Ministry of Territorial Administration authorization (arts. 28, 42-43). Customs and other trade rules still apply.
Transport
Variable
Transport cased, unloaded, and tied to lawful sport or hunting-area use. Public carry/display is risky.
Authority
National statute
National arms law administered by Cameroonian authorities; hunting import procedures usually flow through outfitter/government channels.
Hunting with an airgun
Unresolved / verify locally.
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
Local & import notes
Visitor procedure
Compressed-air sport weapons ('armes de tir et de salon') are 7th-category arms on free sale under Law 2016/015 (arts. 2, 3, 33), and the import authorization in art. 43 covers only 4th/5th-category arms. Transit of any arms through Cameroon needs prior presidential authorization (art. 6), so do not route an airgun through Cameroon to a third country. Hunting firearms still go through the outfitter permit process.
Keep exploring
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.