Traumatic weapon permit

Traumatic weapons are classified as non-lethal weapons, as they can only cause injuries to a person, although quite serious ones. This is perhaps one of the main reasons why disputes sometimes arise about whether a permit for traumatic weapons is required or not. In our country, traumatic pistols are permitted to be owned and used on fully legal terms, namely: with an official permit.

How to obtain a permit for traumatic weapons in Ukraine — all the relevant information is in this article.

Is a permit required for traumatic weapons in Ukraine

Who has the right to purchase traumatic weapons and what the purchase requirements are is regulated by MIA Order No. 622 dated August 21, 1998. The document lists the types of weapons for which a permit is required. This list includes traumatic devices such as revolvers, pistols, and rifles with a caliber exceeding 4.5 millimeters and a bullet velocity exceeding 100 m/s (i.e., those in which the projectile is propelled by compressed gases).

Which traumatic weapons do not require a license

Let us also clarify which traumatic weapons do not require a license. This group includes devices with a caliber of up to 4.5 millimeters and a bullet velocity of up to 100 m/s. Their purchase and storage is permitted without obtaining special authorization documents.

Otherwise, purchase and storage are treated by law enforcement as a violation of the law and carry penalties under current legislation: confiscation of the pistol, administrative or criminal liability.

Who is eligible to obtain a license

Another important question to consider: who can obtain a license for traumatic weapons.

There are quite clear rules here. First, Ukrainian citizens aged 21 and older have the right to purchase, store, and carry traumatic weapons. Second, they must fall under one of the following categories:

• Law enforcement officers, such as: police, prosecutor's office, Security Service of Ukraine, customs service, border service, tax service, forest protection, fisheries, and other organizations performing the functions of protecting citizens' rights and safety. Or one must be a close relative of a law enforcement officer.
• Court officials: judges, secretaries, and other court employees.
• Citizens who are participants in legal proceedings.
• Media workers: full-time and freelance journalists with appropriate credentials confirming their position.
• Members of parliament and their assistants.
• Members of public organizations performing security functions — maintaining public order, protecting state borders.
• Military personnel, except citizens performing mandatory military service.
• Individuals holding high-ranking positions, as well as those with official titles and ranks.

An ordinary citizen of Ukraine cannot obtain a permit for traumatic weapons with a caliber exceeding 4.5 mm. In practice, this right is granted exclusively to individuals whose professional activities or status involve risks to health and life, as well as those who ensure the safety of citizens.

It is prohibited to purchase, store, and carry traumatic pistols for individuals with convictions for serious and particularly serious crimes, as well as those who are on a state wanted list or have medical contraindications certified by a special medical commission.

How to obtain a permit for traumatic weapons: step-by-step procedure

Ukrainian law provides a clear, step-by-step procedure for obtaining a traumatic weapon permit, consisting of several sequential stages.

Medical commission and required certificates

The first stage involves passing a medical commission and obtaining a conclusion confirming that the citizen has no contraindications to weapon ownership.

The medical commission can be completed at state clinics or at private medical centers accredited to provide such services. Upon completion, the applicant is issued a special medical certificate, form 127/o. The document has a limited validity period — 1 year.

Weapon handling courses and examination

The second stage requires completing training on safe pistol handling rules, at the end of which an examination is held to confirm qualification. Such services are provided by certified shooting ranges.

Upon successfully passing the examination, a certificate is issued for submission to the National Police. It is included in the mandatory list of documents when applying for a permit.

Safe and home storage conditions

Before submitting documents to the police station, you will need to purchase and install a weapon safe whose specifications must meet all MIA requirements. Specifically:

• the safe must be made of metal;
• a reliable lock is mandatory;
• the structure must be fastened to the floor or a load-bearing wall;
• it must be located in a concealed place inaccessible to unauthorized persons.

After the safe is installed, a district police officer is called. If no violations are found, they prepare a report and issue a document confirming compliance with all MIA requirements.

Submitting the application and documents to the police

The final stage of obtaining a traumatic pistol permit is visiting a National Police department with the complete document package.

As a rule, applications are reviewed within one month. If approved, the applicant will be issued an official permit to purchase traumatic weapons.

What documents are required

Now let's look at exactly what documents are needed to obtain a traumatic weapon permit in 2025.

It is important to understand that purchasing, storing, and carrying a traumatic pistol requires two documents: a purchase permit, issued before acquiring the device, and a storage and carrying permit, issued after the purchase. Both documents are issued at regional National Police departments at the place of residence.

The current list of documents for purchasing traumatic weapons includes:

• Application (using the standard form).
• Internal passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
• If you have an ID card, an extract from the Register of Territorial Communities is required.
• Tax identification number (if available).
• Photograph (3.5x4.5 cm).
• Certificate issued by an authorized medical institution, form 127/o.
• Liability insurance contract for weapon owners.
• Document confirming completion of weapon handling courses from a certified shooting school.
• Certificate of no criminal record.
• Paid receipt.
• Extract confirming that the applicant is eligible to purchase a traumatic pistol.
• Document from the district police officer confirming the inspection of the storage location.

After the purchase permit is issued, the applicant is required to purchase the weapon within 90 days and submit an application to the National Police for a storage and carrying permit.

In this case, the document package includes:

• Application form.
• Internal passport.
• Extract from the Register of Territorial Communities (if you have an ID card).
• Tax identification number.
• Photographs (3.5x4.5 cm).
• Certificate of weapon inspection and test firing.
• Service payment receipt.
• Purchase invoice from the store.

Cost of a traumatic weapon carrying permit

To understand how much a traumatic weapon license costs, it is important to consider several expense categories. In particular, the medical examination costs approximately 500–800 UAH.

Next — weapon handling courses, including theoretical and practical parts. The average training cost is around 1,500–2,500 UAH.

The permit application is subject to an official fee: 51.9 UAH for reviewing the purchase application and 54 UAH for reviewing the carrying and storage application.

Another mandatory expense is civil liability insurance for weapon owners, the cost of which ranges from 300 to 700 UAH.

In addition to the above expenses, you should plan ahead for the cost of purchasing a pistol safe — it will cost 2,000 UAH or more.

License renewal and validity period

The carrying and storage permit is valid for 3 years. After that, the document must be renewed.

It is best to start the renewal process for a traumatic weapon carrying permit in advance — no later than 30 days before the expiration date of the current document. The application is submitted to the National Police along with the standard document package. Additional service fees and state duty are also payable.

Also, familiarize yourself in advance with how to renew a weapon permit during martial law. The procedure has several important nuances.

If the permit is not renewed on time, the police have the right to revoke the document and confiscate the traumatic weapon from the owner.

Liability for possessing traumatic weapons without a permit

What should you do if your traumatic weapon permit has expired?

It is important to understand that the absence of a permit document constitutes a violation of the law and is subject to administrative and criminal liability.

Administrative liability applies when the violation does not have elements of a criminal offense and involves a fine of 7–14 tax-exempt minimum incomes, as well as, in most cases, confiscation of the weapon.

Criminal liability applies in the presence of aggravating circumstances, such as the use of the traumatic weapon or a repeat offense. In this case, the penalty may include imprisonment for 3–7 years, a fine, or correctional labor for up to 2 years. If the weapon is voluntarily surrendered to the police, criminal liability is generally not applied. However, the device may be confiscated without return, and the owner faces administrative arrest for up to 15 days and a ban on purchasing weapons.

Therefore, if you are considering purchasing a traumatic pistol under the rights provided by Ukrainian law, we recommend starting with a detailed study of all information about the permit application stages and shooting courses.