The Airgun Resource Center. Early access
Open a Locker →
The Airgun Resource Center Early access
‹ Back to the World airgun law map
Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Lesotho?

Yes, but heavily regulated.

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

Tier 2 — Major Restrictions

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

LS

The picture at a glance

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

ClassificationUnclear
Age rule18+
PossessionVariable
Transfer / saleVariable
TransportVariable
AuthorityUnclear
Before you buy or sell
  • Do not import based on neighboring South Africa's thresholds.
  • No airgun carveout surfaced.
  • Police/local interpretation matters.

The rules in detail

Classification
Unclear
Lesotho's Internal Security (Arms and Ammunition) Act regulates firearms and ammunition. The law is described as regulating firearms and other weapons; no clean airgun-specific exemption surfaced.
Age rule
18+
18+ practical adult baseline; exact airgun-specific age rule unresolved.
Possession
Variable
Treat high-power airguns as potentially controlled weapons unless Lesotho police/local counsel confirms exemption.
Transfer / sale
Variable
Sale, lending, hiring, or transfer of firearms/ammunition is controlled. Weapon-like transfer should be locally verified.
Transport
Variable
Transport cased, unloaded, and documented. Avoid public carry/display.
Authority
Unclear
National internal-security/firearms registry framework.

Hunting with an airgun

Unresolved / verify locally.

Deer
Unresolved / not addressed
—
Turkey
Unresolved / not addressed
—
Small game
Unresolved / not addressed
—
Predators
Unresolved / not addressed
—
Other big game
Unresolved / not addressed
—

Import & travel

Energy threshold
No airgun joule threshold found.
Caliber rule
No specific airgun caliber rule found.
Travel note
Confirm locally before travel; do not assume South African airgun rules apply in Lesotho.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Do not import an airgun without written customs/police confirmation. Lesotho's arms framework regulates firearms and other weapons, and no airgun carveout surfaced.

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