Possession permit

Apply for a possession permit – step by step

Follow these steps below to submit your application.

1. Fill out the form

Make sure the form is completed in full. If information is missing, an administrator will have to contact you. This means your application will take longer to turnaround.

PM 551.1 – Application for a possession permit (in Swedish, fill out digitally on your device) (pdf, 191 kB) 

PM 551.1 – Application for a possession permit (in Swedish, print and complete by hand) (pdf, 146 kB) 

2. Submit the form

Send the application form by e-mail. If you need to sign the form, you can print it out and sign it, and then scan it and send it digitally. We are happy to receive your application via e-mail.

Where to send your application

If you want to supplement your application at a later date or have questions you want to ask, contact the Registrar in your region instead.

Contact the Registrar

You can also send your application and attachments by regular post to:

Polismyndigheten/The Swedish Police Authority
Region Bergslagen/Stockholm/East/West/South/North/Mitt (Please indicate only your region)
981 83  Kiruna

3. Pay the fee

Once the police has received your application, payment instructions will be sent by post. The application fee for a firearm possession permit is SEK 990.Use the payment notice to pay as soon as possible. The processing of your case only begins once you have made the payment.

4. A decision is made

The police will send the decision as to whether you are granted your firearm possession permit or not, to your registered address. If your application has been granted, your possession permit will be dispatched by post.

General requirements

In order to be granted a possession permit you are required to be at least 18 years of age. There are some exceptions. You also need to be law-abiding and suitable, and must be able to certify the purpose of your need to possess a firearm. The most common purposes are hunting and target shooting.

Hunting

To be granted a possession permit for hunting, you must have completed the Swedish hunting exam. More information about the Swedish hunting exam is found on the website of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

The Swedish hunting exam (naturvardsverket.se)

Target shooting

To be granted a possession permit for target shooting you are required to have been active as a member of an approved target shooting club for at least six months. The association must conduct shooting exercises using the type of firearm stated in your application.

Ammunition

If you have a possession permit for a firearm, no further permits are required to possess ammunition for the firearms you have the right to possess. If you want to possess ammunition for a firearm for which you do not hold a permit, you have to have a separate permit to possess such ammunition. A permit can only be granted if it can reasonably be assumed that the items will not be misused and there are special reasons.

Bring your possession permit

You are required to have your possession permit with you when you are transporting firearms.

If the firearm is for hunting or target shooting, you can bring a hunting permit or membership card instead of your possession permit. The hunting permit or membership card must bear a note from an official of the Swedish Police Authority or from two credible individuals certifying that they have been shown valid a possession permit for the firearm.

Borrowed firearms

If you have borrowed a firearm from someone else, you must bring with you a lending certificate which the lender issues. You must also bring a possession permit for the same type of firearm which you have borrowed or a valid permit for borrowing firearms.

PM 551.26 – Borrow firearms (in Swedish, fill out on your device) (pdf, 3 MB)

PM 551.26 – Borrow firearms (in Swedish, print and fill out by hand) (pdf, 108 kB)

If you have lost your permit

If you have lost a permit, you can apply for a replacement permit. If the original permit is subsequently found, you are required to submit the original permit to the police.

Use this form to apply for a replacement permit.

PM 551.3 – Replacement permit (in Swedish, fill out on your device) (pdf, 4 MB)

PM 551.3 – Replacement permit (in Swedish, print and fill out by hand) (pdf, 131 kB)

Processing of personal data

The Swedish Police Authority processes the personal data you provide in your notification or application in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Firearms Act, and other applicable data protection regulations. Personal data provided in connection with this notification or application is processed as part of the exercise of public authority in order to carry out the tasks prescribed by the Firearms Act and the Firearms Ordinance. This also applies to personal data provided regarding other individuals. Where necessary, the data may be disclosed to other authorities, including general administrative courts, should the Police Authority’s decision in the matter be appealed. The purpose of the processing is to facilitate the handling of matters concerning permits under the Firearms Act and to provide information necessary to prevent or detect criminal activity, or to investigate or prosecute crimes involving firearms. To verify suitability for firearm possession, checks will be conducted against certain Police Authority registers, including the criminal records register and the register of suspected offenders. The data is retained for as long as necessary for case processing, archival purposes, and the maintenance of firearm registers, though for a maximum of 30 years after the cessation of firearm possession.

As a general rule, documents submitted to the Swedish Police Authority become public records that are registered and preserved in accordance with the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) and archival legislation. If someone requests access to a public document, the information may therefore be disclosed in accordance with the principle of public access, provided it is not subject to confidentiality.