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Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Portugal?

Yes, with conditions.

Generally legal, but with real rules to follow, usually age verification and, in some places, a low-power threshold.

Tier 3: Moderate

Threshold-based licensing: a permit-free band for low-power airguns, with a licence required above it.

PT

The picture at a glance

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

ClassificationThreshold-based
Age rule18+
PossessionLicence required
Transfer / saleDealer records
TransportCased + carry restricted
AuthorityNational statute
Before you buy or sell
  • Using or carrying airguns outside private property and authorised places is not permitted (Lei 5/2006 art. 11(12)).

The rules in detail

Classification
Threshold-based
Lei n.º 5/2006 (as last amended by Lei 50/2019) art. 2(1)(h): 'free-acquisition' airguns (calibre up to 5.5 mm and under 24 J) are Class G and licence-free; over 5.5 mm, or 24 J and above, they are 'conditioned-acquisition' airguns in Class C (art. 3(5)(g)), needing a PSP Class C licence.
Age rule
18+
18+ for purchase.
Possession
Licence required
Lawful for adults below threshold; PSP firearms licensing above.
Transfer / sale
Dealer records
Free to adults below threshold; dealer records above.
Transport
Cased + carry restricted
Cased and unloaded.
Authority
National statute
National statute; PSP administers.

Hunting with an airgun

Hunting with airguns is prohibited.

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
Under 24 J and ≤5.5 mm, licence-free (Class G)
Caliber rule
5.5 mm (.22) upper bound for the licence-free band; larger calibres are Class C at any energy (Lei 5/2006 art. 2(1)(g)).
Travel note
Licence-free only under 24 J and ≤5.5 mm; anything at or above 24 J or over 5.5 mm needs a PSP Class C licence.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Hunting with airguns is prohibited; only target and sport shooting are legal uses.

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.