Apply for a firearms permit 

You can obtain a firearm permit only if you have an acceptable purpose for its use.

Acceptable purposes of use:

• shooting of animals under hunting legislation
• shooting for sport and for recreation
• work in which a firearm is essential
• demonstrations, filming and other similar presentations
• keeping a firearm in a museum or in a collection
• keeping a firearm as a memento
• signalling
• storing and transport
• training contributing to military capability under the Act on Voluntary National Defence (participating in or organising training)

You can only obtain a permit for a firearm or firearm component that is suitable for the purpose you have indicated. The firearm cannot be excessively powerful or destructive.

When applying for a firearm permit, you must provide reliable proof of its intended use. 

Hunting

The firearm you are about to acquire must be suited to the intended purpose of use. So you must be able to explain in your grounds what game you intend to hunt. This will affect the assessment of how well the firearm is suited to the use you have described. Also explain the areas where you intend to hunt and what your right to hunt is based on.

If you have a hunting licence or a shooting club membership card, take it with you when submitting your permit application.

Shooting for sport

If you are applying for a handgun permit based on shooting for sport, you are considered to be actively involved in this activity if you have been shooting for sport at least 10 times during the two years prior your application. You will receive proof of this from your club’s shooting instructor.

If you apply for a permit for a particularly dangerous firearm, you will also need proof of a valid membership of a shooting club. Your membership must have been valid for at least 12 months prior to your permit application. In the case of a specially dangerous firearm, if you are applying for a permit to acquire to a so-called long firearm, you must present proof provided by a shooting instructor stating that you have been actively pursuing shooting sports for at least 12 months prior to the application. 

For so-called short firearms, you must have been pursuing shooting sports for at least two years. In addition, you must always provide reliable proof of actively practising or participating in shooting competitions with the type of firearm you are applying for. 

The definitions of specially dangerous firearms can be found in the below section Specially dangerous firearms, firearms components, cartridges and projectiles.

Training contributing to military capability

If you are applying for a permit for a specially dangerous long firearm or component, you can use participation in training contributing to military capability as grounds in your application. In this case, you will need proof issued by the National Defence Training Association (MPK) stating that you have participated in training contributing to military capability at least twice during the previous 12 months and have passed the shooting test. 

Reservists are required to demonstrate active shooting practice at least five times over a period of 12 months, at least two of which must have taken place during the training contributing to military capability organised by MPK. If you use training as your grounds, you cannot use other than reservist shooting practice to present evidence of your shooting activity. In addition, you must have been practising with the type of firearm for which you are applying for a permit.

Other uses

If you are applying for a permit on the grounds of work, you must provide proof that you have received training for, or are otherwise familiar with, the safe handling of firearms. You must also demonstrate that you have an acceptable reason for carrying a firearm at work. For example, you can present a letter from your employer as your proof.

You may be granted a permit for keeping a firearm in a museum or in a collection only if you are a firearms collector authorised by the National Police Board.
You may also apply for a permit on the grounds of wanting to keep a firearm as a memento. For this, you must provide a written explanation of why the firearm has sentimental value for you.

A guardian who owns a firearm can have a permit for storing and transporting it when their minor child is granted a parallel permit for that firearm. Note that in this case the guardian does not have a right to shoot with the firearm.

Not all holders of firearm permits have to demonstrate their continued participation in shooting for sports or recreation. You must demonstrate continued participation in shooting sports if your permit is valid until further notice and your intended use is:

• hunting
• shooting sports
• recreational shooting
• reservist activities (training contributing to military capability)
• demonstrations, filming and other similar presentations.

and your firearm is:

• pistol
• small-calibre pistol
• revolver
• small-calibre revolver
• specially dangerous firearm
• self-loading single-shot firearm.

In addition, the obligation to demonstrate continued participation applies to you only if you have been granted a permit to possess a short firearm after 12 June 2011 or a specially dangerous firearm or a self-loading single-shot firearm after 14 July 2019.

You must demonstrate continued participation in your activity every 5 years from the date when you acquired the firearm. Depending on your activity, you can prove this by submitting to the police:

• proof provided by a shooting instructor on active participation in shooting for sports and recreation
• proof provided by a game management association on active practice of trapping or of catching animals below ground
• reliable proof of the use of a firearm for the purposes of a demonstration, filming or another similar presentation
• proof provided by the National Defence Training Association (MPK) of active participation in firearms training contributing to military capability

You may be requested to provide additional information on your activity. 

With fixed-term possession and firearm permits, you must give proof of active participation in an activity when you renew the permit. If you do not renew the permit, it will expire.

Be sure to demonstrate your active participation in a shooting activity

Active participation means that you have practised your activity at least 4 times during the last year (12 months) with the firearm for which you want to prove active use. Exceptions may be made if you have special reasons why you have not been able to participate in the required number of activities. You must present these special reasons to the police in writing. A special reason may be, for example, an illness or a posting abroad. 

With regard to specially dangerous firearms and self-loading single-shot firearms, instructions on how to demonstrate continued participation will be provided later on. As these obligations were imposed by the 2019 amendment to the Firearms Act, you will not have to demonstrate continued activity with these types of firearms until 2024.

As a permit holder, you are responsible for submitting proof of your continued activity to the police.

If you apply for a new firearm permit or renew your fixed-term possession or firearm permit, the activity you have demonstrated for the application will also be recognised for your previous permit. This leads to a situation where you have to provide an account of your continued activity once every five years. However, recognition only applies to the types of firearms whose permit corresponds to the proof of activity which you attach to the application for a new permit. For example, proof of activity submitted for a permit to acquire a revolver is not recognised for a rifle permit.

You don’t have to demonstrate continued activity for each firearm separately. For example, if you have permits for several pistols and revolvers granted on the basis of shooting sports, you will only need to present proof once. 

You can have a parallel permit for the possession of a firearm or a firearm component that belongs to another permit holder with a possession or firearm permit for it (known as the main permit). You will need the consent of the original permit holder.

If you are under 18, subject to your guardians’ consent you can have a parallel permit for a shotgun, rifle, small-calibre rifle or a combination firearm for the purpose of hunting or shooting for sports or recreation. However, you must be over the age of 15 and meet the other conditions for a permit holder. For a particularly weighty reason, you may obtain a parallel permit for a pistol, small-calibre pistol, revolver and small-calibre revolver if you are over the age of 18 but under the age of 20, for the purpose of shooting for sports or recreation.

A parallel permit will normally be valid for 10 years. However, it will remain valid no longer than the period of validity of the possession permit or firearm permit (main permit), unless it is granted for a shorter period for a special reason. In addition, a parallel permit for pistol, small-calibre pistol, revolver and small-calibre revolver is granted for a maximum of 5 years.

A permit is also required for acquiring and possessing certain firearm components. 

Firearm components subject to a permit: 

• firearm frame
• upper and lower receiver
• breech casing
• barrel
• slide
• cartridge cylinder and cartridge chamber
• bolt or breech block and the frame of the bolt or breech block
• breech-closing mechanism
• silencer
• and functionally equivalent components. 

Permits for loading devices

Certain loading devices, in practice firearm magazines, also require a permit. 

These include centre-fire firearm magazines that allow the firing of:

1. more than 20 rounds and are fixed components of short self-loading single-shot firearms or detachable loading devices;
2. more than 10 rounds and are fixed components of long self-loading single-shot firearms or detachable loading devices.

A loading device is considered to be a firearm component if it is a fixed component or a detachable loading device of an automatic firearm. An exception to this is a loading device that has been manufactured for an automatic firearm model and the manufacturing of the model began before 1946 and the loading device is not apt to be fitted to a centre-fire self-loading single-shot firearm or a single-shot firearm with a magazine.

A loading device means a magazine, loading device and mechanism that is fitted to a firearm and is a fixed component of it and a device for loading the cartridges to a firearm.

The following are considered as components of automatic firearms: 

• firing mechanism, component of firing mechanism or another object designed for an automatic firearm that either as such or in combination with other components, enables automatic fire and 
• object designed for a firearm that enables action that mimics automatic fire in a firearm.

You must notify the police if you have acquired a component that requires a permit
If you are about to acquire firearm components and you are entitled to possess a firearm assembled of components that are similar to these, you don’t have to obtain a separate permit to acquire the components.

However, you must notify the police of having acquired a firearm component within 30 days of the acquisition. You must also show the component to the police. You don’t have to notify the police of having acquired a silencer if you are entitled to possess a firearm. You can also acquire a loading device without a permit, and you don’t have to notify the police if you have a permit entitling you to possess a specially dangerous firearm and you acquired the loading device for that firearm.

Specially dangerous firearms include: 

• grenade launcher 
• mortar
• breech-loading cannons and other firearms of a corresponding structure and purpose of use
• missile and rocket-launcher systems
• automatic firearms
• firearms disguised as objects other than firearms
• firearms manufactured as automatic but modified to single-shot, single-shot with a magazine or self-loading single-shot
• short (overall length not exceeding 600 mm or barrel length not exceeding 300 mm), centre-fire self-loading single-shot firearms, which allow the firing of more than 21 rounds without reloading or have a loading device (fixed or detachable) with a capacity exceeding 20 rounds
• long (exceeding the above length limits for a short firearm) centre-fire self-loading single-shot firearms, which allow the firing of more than 11 rounds without reloading or have a loading device (fixed or detachable) with a capacity exceeding 10 rounds
• short self-loading single-shot firearms, designed and manufactured to be held with both hands and intended to be fired from the shoulder or otherwise held with both hands when firing.

As a rule, the acquisition of specially dangerous firearms and firearm components is prohibited. In exceptional cases, you can obtain an acquisition, manufacturing or parallel permit for a specially dangerous firearm for: 

• storing it in a firearm collection 
• demonstrations, filming and other similar presentations
• a special reason for work purposes, if the firearm is essential to the performance of your work 
• participating in firearms training serving military capability or organising the training.

The Firearms Act also defines specially dangerous cartridges and projectiles. Firearm possession or firearm permits do not entitle you to acquire specially dangerous cartridges and projectiles, but police departments can grant special permits for acquiring and possessing these kinds of ammunition in special circumstances.

Firearm permits, ammunition permits and gas spray permits can be granted to organisations and foundations that are registered in Finland or that provide a public service and that, on the basis of the purpose of their activities and other factors, are fit to possess firearms. Organisations and foundations can also be authorised as firearm collectors. Organisations and foundations cannot be given a parallel permit or a private import permit. With the exception of permits for specially dangerous firearms, the licensing authority is a police department. The authority that approves the facilities in which firearms are stored is the police department of the area in which the facilities are located.

Organisations and foundations must appoint a firearms officer to oversee all firearms, who must be authorised by the police. The facilities in which firearms are stored must also be approved by the police.

Firearms officer

You must seek authorisation to act as a firearms officer from a police department.

Applicants must present the organisation or foundation’s decision on approving the applicant as their firearms officer.

Firearms officers act as representatives of their organisation in firearm acquisitions. The authorisation entitles firearms officers to acquire, possess and hand over the types of firearms indicated in the organisation’s permit.

Persons other than firearms officers can be in possession of a firearm owned by their organisation or foundation only if they have a parallel permit for the firearm in question or if, under the provisions on lending in the Firearms Act, they are entitled to borrow the firearm or if they use the firearm in accordance with the Act’s provisions on supervised use. Gas sprays can be given to any employees of the organisation over the age of 18.

When applying for firearm permits for your organisation or foundation, you must bring along:

• your passport or identity card
• register extract for the organisation or foundation
• rules of the organisation or foundation
• decision by the organisation or foundation’s competent body concerning the acquisition of firearms or firearm components.
   

The police can grant gas spray permits to individuals, organisations and foundations. The permit entitles its holder to both acquire and possess a gas spray.

You will not need a separate permit for the replacement of your existing pepper sprayer if you already have a valid permit. Before the police can grant a permit, you must demonstrate to the police that you are familiar with the safe handling of gas sprays.

Gas spray permits can be granted for:

• using a gas spray for the protection of the personal integrity or property of yourself or another person
• keeping a gas spray in a museum or in a collection
• training or demonstrations, filming and other similar presentations.

Gas spray permits for using gas sprays for the protection of personal integrity or property or in training or demonstrations, filming and other similar presentations can be granted for a maximum period of five years. If you apply for a gas spray permit on this basis you must demonstrate, for example with a letter from your employer, that a gas spray is essential to your personal protection.

When applying for a gas spray permit you must bring along: 

• your passport or identity card
• written grounds for your application
• other relevant supporting documents.

Organisations can give gas sprays to any employees of theirs who are over the age of 18 to carry while on duty, unless the conditions of the organisation’s gas spray permit provide otherwise. Organisations’ firearms officers are responsible for showing employees how to use gas sprays. The police can impose restrictions on who can carry gas sprays.