Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Taiwan?

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.

The picture at a glance

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

ClassificationThreshold-based

Age ruleUnclear

PossessionVariable

Transfer / saleLicensed dealer process

TransportCased

AuthorityNational statute

Before you buy or sell

Firing an air gun above the MRKE threshold in or toward a public place: 5–12 years' imprisonment (Art. 9-1, from 3 January 2024).

The rules in detail

Classification

Threshold-based

Controlling Guns, Ammunition and Knives Act lists air guns (空氣槍) as guns (Art. 4). Since 17 May 2024 the Interior Ministry's formal Lethality Standard sets the line: projectile energy of 20 J/cm² or more counts as lethal, and the air gun is then a firearm needing a permit. 'Low energy air guns for recreation' (>0.08 J but ≤3 J) regulated as commodities.

Age rule

Unclear

20+ for general firearms.

Possession

Variable

Manufacturers restricted to producing airguns under 2 J. Above MRKE threshold: classified as firearms.

Transfer / sale

Licensed dealer process

Through licensed dealers.

Transport

Cased

Cased.

Authority

National statute

National statute.

Import & travel

Energy threshold

≤3 J recreational; MRKE 20 J/cm² firearm trigger

Caliber rule

Per-unit-area metric, not raw joules.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure

Unlicensed possession of an air gun above the MRKE threshold: 3–10 years' imprisonment plus a fine up to NT$7 million (Art. 8(4)); the court may cut the sentence for minor air-gun cases (Art. 8(6)). Since 3 January 2024, firing one in or toward a public place carries 5–12 years (Art. 9-1).

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.