Buying weapons and dangerous objects online
You always have to notify Swedish Customs when you order a firearm, silencer or ammunition online. You may also have to give notification of other weapons, dangerous objects and laser pointers that you order online.
When you buy a firearm, silencer, ammunition or a dangerous object online, you may need a permit from the Swedish Police Authority. If you are buying a laser pointer, you may need av permit from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. Find out what each authority requires in your case. The rules about online ordering depend on whether you order from another EU country or from a country outside the EU.
Ordering from another EU country
Apply for a permit
Depending on what you are ordering, you may need a permit from several different authorities. Remember to apply for permits in good time before ordering your goods.
Declaring goods to Swedish Customs
The carrier transporting your order is responsible for giving notification of said order to Swedish Customs at the border. If the order contains any firearms, silencers or ammunition the carrier bringing the order into Sweden shall ensure that the following form is completed and signed:
Select the red lane at the border
At the border, the carrier shall submit the form and also show a customs officer any permits for the weapon or object. Therefore, it is important to select the red line at the border.
Ordering from a country outside the EU
Apply for a permit
Depending on what you are ordering, you may need a permit from several different authorities. Remember to apply for permits in good time before ordering your goods.
Declaring goods to Swedish Customs
The carrier transporting your order is responsible for giving notification of said order to Swedish Customs at the border. The carrier bringing the order into Sweden shall ensure that the following form is completed and signed:
The single administrative document (SAD)
If your order contains a firearm, silencer or ammunition the following form shall also be completed and signed:
Select the red lane at the border
At the border, the carrier shall submit the form and also show a customs officer any permits for the weapon or object. Therefore, it is important to select the red line at the border.
Paying charges
You may have to pay customs duty and VAT on your order.
Is the country part of the EU?
If you are unsure whether the country you are trading with is an EU Member State or not, you can see a list of all EU Member States or search for a specific country on the website of the EU.
These are firearms and ammunition
The following are regarded as firearms:
- weapons that fire bullets and/or shot
- crossbows
- tear gas and pepper spray devices
- electroshock weapons (electric gun, taser and similar)
- certain weapon parts.
Ammunition means cartridges and projectiles for hand guns as well as percussion caps and other means of ignition for such cartridges and projectiles. Silencers are regulated in much the same way as ammunition.
Rules for silencers
Silencers are not classified as firearms, but are regulated in much the same way as ammunition. Anyone with a firearms licence may, without special permission, possess silencers that are suitable for their weapon.
Find out more from the website of the Swedish Police (in Swedish).
These are other weapons
There are other sorts of weapons that are not legally defined as firearms. Different weapons are covered by different rules and require different permits.
Air and carbonic acid weapons (limited-effect weapons)
Air and carbonic acid weapons means so-called “limited-effect weapons”. They are weapons that are powered by, for example, gas, carbonic acid, a spring or other comparable propellant.
You may bring an air or carbonic acid weapon into Sweden without a permit if:
- you are over 18
- the weapon has effect limitation resulting in the fired projectile having an impact energy of less than 10 joules at four metres from the weapon’s muzzle
- for an automatic weapon, the impact energy is no more than 3 joules at four metres from the weapon’s muzzle
- for an semi-automatic weapon, the impact energy is no more than 10 joules at four metres from the weapon’s muzzle
- the projectile (paint capsule) has a minimum diameter of 16 mm (applies to paintball weapons).
An example of an effect-limited weapon is an air rifle with a 4.5 mm air rifle pellet that travels at no more than 200 metres per second measured at four metres from the weapon’s muzzle.
Harpoon weapons
To bring a harpoon weapon into Sweden, you need a permit from the Swedish Police Authority if:
- you are under 18
- the distance between the front of the bow to the latching device is over 50 cm
- the harpoon is powered by more than one string/cord/etc
- the harpoon is propelled by an explosive substance such as carbonic acid, compressed air or a coiled spring.
These are dangerous objects
Dangerous objects mean flick knives, flick stilettos, butterfly knives, knuckle-dusters, throwing stars, batons, nunchakus, blackjacks, chain or studded gloves, spiked clubs and similar. To bring any such object into Sweden, you must have a special permit from the Swedish Police Authority.
You need permission to buy a strong laser pointer
To bring a strong laser pointer into Sweden, you need a permit from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. Strong laser pointer means a battery-powered, hand-held laser pointer in laser class 3R, 3B or 4. In most cases, this means a laser pointer stronger than 1 milliwatt (1 mW).
Questions and answers about buying weapons and dangerous objects online
May I order a knife online?
Yes, you may. However, depending on what type of knife it is, a permit from the Swedish Police Authority may be required. If a permit is required, notification of the knife must be given to Swedish Customs when it is brought into Sweden.
I have found a Spanish retailer who sells knives online. This retailer has a nice butterfly knife I would like to buy. Can I?
Butterfly knives are classed as dangerous objects and are regulated in Sweden’s Ordinance on permits for importation of certain dangerous objects (1990:415). As a result of this, to receive a parcel containing a dangerous object, you need a permit from the Swedish Police Authority.
May I place an online order to have a silencer for my elk hunting rifle sent to me from the USA?
Private individuals are required to hold a permit for the weapon for which the silencer is intended. This permit can be acquired from the Swedish Police Authority.
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