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Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in El Salvador?

Yes, but heavily regulated.

Legal in principle, but the compliance burden is high, often with firearm-grade steps for the airguns most people want.

Tier 2: Major Restrictions

Full firearms-licence regime for the airguns most enthusiasts would actually buy.

SV

The picture at a glance

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

ClassificationUnclear
Age rule18+
PossessionLicence required
Transfer / saleVariable
TransportVariable
AuthorityUnclear
Before you buy or sell
  • Imports of arms for defense or hunting are strictly controlled.
  • Air guns sit outside firearm licensing but are sport-only, and possession must be notified to the Ministry of Defence (Reglamento, Art. 56).
  • Current security enforcement posture makes public carry/display especially risky.

The rules in detail

Classification
Unclear
The Ley de Control y Regulación de Armas, Municiones, Explosivos y Artículos Similares (D.L. 655/1999) does not name air guns. Its regulation (D.E. 25/2000), Art. 56, says air rifles and air pistols may be held only for sporting purposes, and their import, export, manufacture, sale or possession must be notified to the Ministry of National Defence.
Age rule
18+
18+ practical adult baseline for firearms licensing processes; airgun-specific age rule unresolved.
Possession
Licence required
Sport purposes only, and possession must be notified to the Ministry of National Defence (Reglamento, Art. 56). No firearm licence or matrícula is prescribed for air guns, but possession for defence or other non-sport use is outside the rule.
Transfer / sale
Variable
Import, export, manufacture and sale of air rifles and pistols must be notified to the Ministry of National Defence (Reglamento, Art. 56). Buy through established dealers and keep the notification record.
Transport
Variable
Transport only cased, unloaded, and documented. Public carry/display is high-risk, especially under the current security framework.
Authority
Unclear
National framework involving police, firearms registry, and Ministry of Defense.

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

Energy threshold
No airgun joule threshold found.
Caliber rule
No specific airgun caliber rule found.
Travel note
El Salvador is not a casual weapon-import destination. Pre-clear or avoid.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Do not import an airgun without written police/customs/Ministry of Defense guidance. U.S. trade guidance says personal defense or hunting arms may be imported, but importation is strictly controlled by police and the Ministry of Defense.

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.