Given the tense global situation, security has long ceased to be an abstract concept and has become a concrete priority not only for the European Union, but also for individual states. In NATO, the existing commitment to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence is no longer sufficient, and the Allies have already agreed on a target of five per cent of GDP for defence and defence-related expenditure by 2035, citing serious security threats, in particular the long-term threat posed by Russia and the continuing threat of terrorism. At the same time, the EU is fully addressing how to rapidly increase defence industry capacities and defence expenditure, including new European plans for defence financing, and the Czech arms sector is responding with significant growth. The defence capability of the state, the stability of supply chains and responsible civilian possession of weapons now depend on a solid and predictable legal framework. The arms industry and lawful weapons holders therefore need clear rules and certainty that they can apply them correctly.
This is precisely why we have prepared for you a five-episode series on firearms law, in which we will gradually discuss the key changes in the new legislation and their practical impacts on businesses and individuals. Over the next six months, we will publish articles that translate obligations and rules into practice so that they are comprehensible to weapons holders, manufacturing companies, traders and other businesses across the arms industry, as well as sport shooters, hunters and clubs. We begin with the first part:
EPISODE I: THE NEW WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION ACT: A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CHANGES FROM 1 JANUARY 2026 AND OBLIGATIONS TO BE FULFILLED BY THE END OF 2026
You have certainly not missed the fact that, in the field of arms and weapons law, fundamental changes took effect on 1 January 2026, with far-reaching impacts not only on ordinary weapons holders, but also on businesses engaged in the manufacture, trade, servicing and storage of weapons, ammunition and military material. We will present these changes to you!
The aim of this part is to describe in more detail the key changes brought about by the overall reform of the legal framework in the field of munitions, weapons and ammunition. The reform aimed to eliminate shortcomings in the existing legislation, in particular with an emphasis on modernisation and the adaptation of Czech legislation to the requirements of the European Union. If you want to quickly gain an overview of individual changes, from the simplification of the structure of weapons licences and weapons authorisations to the expansion of regulation of products in connection with the entry into force of Act No. 90/2024 Coll., on Weapons and Ammunition, and Act No. 91/2024 Coll., on Munitions, you are in the right place.
DIGITISATION: the end of physical documents as the most significant practical change
The first major change is the long-awaited digitisation of physical documents and the emphasis on the administration of all relevant data through the Central Weapons Register (CRZ) of the Ministry of the Interior. From 1 January 2026, you no longer need the vast majority of paper documents relating to the handling of weapons, because they are recorded electronically in the CRZ. However, if you are not comfortable with technology, the Act preserves the possibility of physical contact with the authorities. A welcome change for businesses is also that the permits for the transport of weapons to which they have been accustomed have been abolished without replacement, and transport will now only be notified in the CRZ.
Specifically, the following will no longer be issued as separate physical documents:
FOR NATURAL PERSONS
1. Firearms licence (newly: weapons authorisation)
2. Munitions authorisation
3. Weapon registration card
4. Confirmation of weapon registration
5. Record sheets
6. Confirmation for a new firearms licence or for its renewal
FOR BUSINESSES AND LEGAL ENTITIES
1. Weapons licence
2. Munitions licence
3. Documents on authorisation to carry out activities involving weapons and ammunition
4. Documents on storage and handling of weapons and ammunition
As of 1 January 2026, paper documents ceased to be valid and can no longer be used to prove the relevant authorisation. However, these documents are not surrendered anywhere; the authorisations are automatically transferred to the new digitised system.
Despite the introduction of digitisation, the Act does not forget those who do not have access to the CRZ or need to prove their authorisation otherwise than online. The amendment therefore introduced the institution of the weapons register extract (zbrojní list). It represents a verified output from a public administration information system and serves as an official extract of data maintained in the CRZ. It contains an overview of all authorisations held by the person and a list of weapons subject to registration or weapons in category PO for which the person is recorded as the holder, principal holder or secondary holder. It is not a new authorisation, but a formal confirmation of the state of the register. However, the weapons register extract does not include a photograph of the holder and therefore cannot be used independently as proof; proof is always possible only by simultaneously presenting the weapons register extract together with an identity card, passport or other similar personal document. Its practical significance lies mainly in field checks (e.g. during hunting activities), the transport of a weapon, temporary unavailability of the system or dealings with entities that do not have access to the CRZ, including foreign partners. However, the weapons register extract does not replace special documents issued for specific purposes, in particular the European Firearms Pass, the firearms accompanying document, the confirmation of transport notification or the certificate for a deactivated weapon, each of which has its own separate legal regime.
So how does the CRZ work for businesses?
Holders of a weapons licence or munitions licence and accredited persons, or persons authorised by them, access the CRZ through electronic identification. After logging in, they are asked to select the specific establishment whose books (of weapons, ammunition or munitions) they will be able to update or view. These books may be administered by a person authorised by the business only to the extent of that person's access authorisation.
The CRZ now enables businesses to verify whether the person to whom they are selling, or from whom they are purchasing, a weapon holds all necessary authorisations. In addition to the obligation to verify authorisations when selling or purchasing weapons, the seller also has the option to verify authorisations at the request of any person. This means that a weapons seller may verify the existence of authorisations beyond its statutory obligation. In practice, this may look as follows: if you plan to purchase a weapon from a third party, you may jointly visit a holder of a weapons licence, typically a weapons and ammunition dealer, who, upon presentation of an identity card, passport or other similar document, can identify the persons, verify the necessary authorisations in the CRZ and at the same time check whether the seller is recorded in the register as the authorised holder of the weapon concerned. It is important to emphasise here that, although it might be practical, a weapons seller cannot under any circumstances issue a weapons register extract, even though it has access to an overview of your authorisations in the CRZ. The identification of persons referred to in the preceding paragraph is, moreover, not a statutory obligation of the holder of a weapons licence, and it will therefore depend exclusively on individual dealers whether, and under what commercial terms, they offer this possibility in practice.
EXPANSION OF REGULATION to previously unregulated products
The expansion of the scope of the new Weapons Act is particularly important for companies that manufacture weapon components or semi-finished products, or trade in weapon parts. In particular, semi-finished products of main weapon components, silencers and over-limit magazines are now expressly regulated. Handling semi-finished products of main components is reserved to holders of a weapons licence. Silencers are assessed under the regime for category R4 weapons. The handling of over-limit magazines is linked to the category S2 regime and, in relevant cases, is possible only on the basis of an exemption issued by the Regional Police Directorate of the Police of the Czech Republic. Entities that previously handled these products without a licensing regime must now assess whether they meet the statutory conditions and whether they have the corresponding authorisation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digitisation and the expansion of regulation would not be sufficient in themselves if it were not also clearly established what exactly falls under which regime. This is why the amendment introduces a new, systematic categorisation of weapons and ammunition. The aim is to eliminate previous ambiguities and unify interpretation so that it is clear when registration is required, when notification is required and when no administrative obligation arises. For businesses, this primarily means a lower risk of errors in records, and for holders, greater legal certainty:
EPISODE II: CATEGORISATION OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION (greater clarity)
The new categories of weapons introduce clearly defined rules on which weapons must be registered, which must be notified and which, conversely, require no notification. Thanks to the clear designation of individual categories and the publicly available weapons code list for licence holders in the CRZ, the risk of administrative errors in the registration and sale of weapons is significantly reduced. However, if, as a licence holder, you encounter a weapon, manufacturer, model or calibre that is not yet included in the code list, it is necessary to submit a Request to Supplement the Weapons Code List in the CRZ. For this purpose, a publicly available form of the Police of the Czech Republic is used and, once completed, it is sent to crz.verifikace@pcr.cz.
The clearer categorisation and division into comprehensibly named groups simplify businesses' orientation in the legislative framework and facilitate compliance with regulations. Weapons are now divided into three groups:
1) R1-R4 - weapons that must be registered
These are weapons that must be recorded in the CRZ and may only be acquired by holders of a weapons authorisation. The individual subcategories also indicate the strictness of the regime: R1 are the most strictly regulated (typically prohibited) weapons, which may be possessed only in exceptional cases; R2 usually require, in addition to a weapons authorisation, a special exemption; R3 may be acquired only after prior consent of the Police of the Czech Republic; and R4 represents the least stringent regime, where no consent is required.
2) PO - weapons subject to notification
They do not require a weapons authorisation, but only a registered authorisation and notification to the competent unit of the Police of the Czech Republic. The holder is obliged to notify the competent unit of the Police of the Czech Republic of the weapon within 10 working days of acquiring it.
3) NO - weapons not subject to notification
Freely marketable to all legally competent persons over 18 years of age, and their acquisition is not reported to the Police of the Czech Republic.
The new designation of weapons categories generally follows the old system: R1-R4 roughly correspond to the former categories A, A-I, B and C; PO corresponds to C-I; and NO corresponds to category D. However, this should not be treated as a one-to-one "conversion table": for certain types of weapons, the classification may differ from the previous one, and the decisive factor for a specific weapon is always its technical design and statutory classification.
Ammunition is now divided into categories S1-S4. S1 and S2 constitute prohibited ammunition, the possession of which is possible only on the basis of an exemption or special authorisation, whereas S3 and S4 include other ammunition that may be acquired according to the authorisation for the relevant category of weapon. For a more detailed explanation of the categorisation of weapons and ammunition, we recommend the next part of our series.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Once the categorisation of weapons has been clarified, another key change follows: a more transparent system of authorisations and licences. The new legislation abandons the complex model of multiple groups and replaces it with a logically structured framework that clearly separates personal authorisations of natural persons from business licences. The aim is to make it immediately clear what authorisation is required for a specific activity - whether it concerns the possession and carrying of a weapon, the performance of a professional function, or business in the area of manufacture, trade or servicing. For holders and businesses, this means easier orientation, less room for interpretative ambiguities and a clearer setup of internal processes:
EPISODE III: WEAPONS AUTHORISATIONS AND LICENCES (simplification of the structure)
Another major change following the clearer categorisation of weapons and ammunition is the simplification of the structure of licences, weapons authorisations and munitions authorisations. As described above, firearms licences have been replaced by weapons authorisations and, unlike the previous legislation under Act No. 119/2002 Coll., on Firearms and Ammunition, the current legislation allows simple orientation as to which authorisation is needed for a specific weapon, ammunition or munition. Instead of the former firearms licences marked with the letters A to E, only two types of weapons authorisation are now relevant, namely general and extended, with the extended weapons authorisation also including the general weapons authorisation.
The extended weapons authorisation corresponds to a firearms licence issued for all groups under the previous Weapons Act and is required for the performance of several specific activities, namely:
the concealed carrying of a weapon subject to registration for the purpose of protecting life, health and property
the performance of the activity of an examination commissioner
the performance of the function of chief armourer of a holder of a weapons licence in group ZL1 or ZL3
for persons who perform certain tasks of a weapons licence holder, typically employees and cooperating persons handling weapons or ammunition
At the same time, however, the Act allows exceptions for holders of a weapons licence in group ZL1. If a person only handles weapons or ammunition within operations, but does not entrust them to another person, make them available, transfer them, carry them or use them for shooting, that person need not hold a weapons authorisation provided that they work under the supervision of a holder of an extended weapons authorisation, hold a registered authorisation, or serve as personnel for the transport of duly secured weapons or ammunition. In practice, this means that a business does not automatically need to ensure a weapons authorisation for every employee who comes into contact with weapons; the specific scope of activities and the setup of internal regulations will be decisive.
WEAPONS LICENCES are currently divided into only three groups: ZL1, ZL2 and ZL3:
ZL1 authorises a legal entity or an entrepreneurial natural person to handle weapons and ammunition in activities consisting of:
a) development, manufacture, testing, repair or irreversible alteration of weapons;
b) development, manufacture, testing, delaboration, deactivation, preparation of cutaway specimens or destruction of ammunition;
c) safekeeping, storage, lending, purchase or sale of weapons or ammunition;
d) transport or arranging transport of weapons or ammunition; or
e) mediation of such activity.
ZL1 is the standard business licence for manufacturers, traders, service companies or logistics entities.
ZL2 authorises a legal entity or an entrepreneurial natural person to handle weapons or ammunition in other activities not included in ZL1. Typically, this will concern sports clubs, hunting associations or other entities that handle weapons as part of their principal activity but do not conduct business in the area of manufacture or trade.
ZL3 is for the one-off performance of an activity for which a ZL1 or ZL2 licence would otherwise be required.
According to the interpretation of the Ministry of the Interior, a one-off ZL3 licence may be relevant in a situation where someone wishes to try the manufacture or development of a weapon on a one-off basis without carrying out that activity systematically; it is also used for a one-off purchase or sale in the case of cross-border acquisition or transfer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another part of the new legislation concerns cross-border handling of weapons and ammunition and, at the same time, sets out certain important obligations that holders of weapons licences must fulfil no later than by the end of 2026. The changes concern the import, export and permanent cross-border transfer of weapons or ammunition, as well as new record-keeping and registration obligations for businesses in the arms industry. In this part, we therefore briefly summarise who is newly authorised to carry out the aforementioned activities and what specific steps will have to be taken during the transitional period:
EPISODE IV: PERMANENT CROSS-BORDER TRANSFER OF A WEAPON OR AMMUNITION AND IMPORT AND EXPORT OF A WEAPON OR AMMUNITION
In connection with weapons licences, it is necessary to point out in this part that, subject to the fulfilment of further statutory conditions, only a holder of a weapons licence is newly authorised to permanently import, permanently export or permanently transfer a weapon or ammunition across borders within the European Union. If you are planning to purchase from abroad or sell abroad (including within the EU), you will typically need at least a ZL3 licence, or the import or export and related steps will need to be arranged by the holder of the relevant weapons licence.
OBLIGATIONS by the end of 2026
At first glance, the amendment of weapons legislation may appear complicated, but in reality it is relatively lenient, especially towards natural persons who do not conduct business in the arms industry. In essence, it can be summarised that if, as an ordinary weapons holder, you complied with the statutory conditions before the amendment, nothing fundamental changes for you retroactively. However, if you have an unused exemption or wish to purchase, transfer or register additional weapons or their regulated parts, you must familiarise yourself with the new conditions in detail.
Businesses are, of course, obliged to ensure compliance with the new statutory regulation without exception and to update their internal regulations so that they correspond to changes in the legislation. Although no statutory deadline for updating internal regulations has been set, the Ministry of the Interior, in its training on Act No. 90/2024 Coll., on Weapons and Ammunition, recommends that the update be carried out in accordance with each business's individual pace, but no later than by the end of 2026.
Finally, it should be noted that holders of weapons licences must fulfil two entirely new obligations no later than by the end of 2026, namely:
1) Registration of a person regularly trained by the holder of a weapons licence
A holder of a weapons licence is obliged, within 12 months from the date on which Act No. 90/2024 Coll., on Weapons and Ammunition, enters into force, to enter in the CRZ every person for whom it is required under that Act to provide regular training. Fulfilment of this obligation will subsequently greatly facilitate businesses' checks of employees' authorisations, as the CRZ will automatically alert them if an employee's weapons authorisation or registered authorisation is suspended or revoked.
2) Preparation of an inventory list
The holder of a weapons licence also has an obligation to prepare an inventory list pursuant to Section 75 in respect of firearms in category NO, weapon components enabling automatic fire, and semi-finished products of main components of weapons subject to registration that the holder handles and acquired before the date on which the Act enters into force.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A separate and highly significant area of the new legislation is munitions, which have now been carved out into a special act and subjected to a stricter regime. This is not merely a formal separation from the Weapons and Ammunition Act, but a conceptual change affecting businesses handling military munitions, especially in the areas of licences, authorisations, security, transport, storage and internal processes. In this part, we therefore summarise what is understood by munitions under the new legislation, whom the new regime affects, and what basic changes it brings in the area of munitions authorisations and munitions licences:
EPISODE V: MUNITIONS (separate regime with stricter conditions)
The most fundamental conceptual change was the separation of munitions from the previous framework, under which they were regulated by Act No. 119/2002 Coll., on Firearms and Ammunition. At first glance, this might appear to be merely a formal separation of part of the act, but in reality the regulation of munitions has been significantly tightened. This step not only makes the legal framework for weapons and ammunition clearer, but also introduces substantially stricter control over the handling of munitions.
Therefore, if your business involves munitions, it is not enough merely to transfer the records; it is necessary to review the security regime, processes and documentation.
From a substantive perspective, it should be emphasised that, under the new Act No. 91/2024 Coll., on Munitions, the term ‘munition’ is defined as a completed or incomplete product containing an active munition charge and specially designed for use by the armed forces or security forces. This description was intended to cover only military munitions containing explosives and other active components. This therefore includes, in particular, grenades, bombs, mines and artillery munitions. Munitions must be distinguished from ordinary ammunition for small arms, the legal regulation of which is contained in the new Act No. 90/2024 Coll., on Weapons and Ammunition.
The separation of munitions into a standalone act created a clearer and more transparent regulatory system and at the same time removed from the Weapons and Ammunition Act subject matter relevant to a substantially narrower and largely different group of regulated entities. For businesses – whether manufacturers, distributors, service organisations, or operators of storage facilities or shooting ranges – this separation has several immediate consequences, the most fundamental of which is that every business must, as part of its internal corporate compliance, separately assess whether and to what extent its activities fall under the regime of Act No. 91/2024 Coll., on Munitions.
A detailed review of the product portfolio is therefore an essential step in correctly setting up and applying the appropriate legal regime, so that it corresponds to current statutory requirements and regulations in terms of licences, preventive measures and specific requirements for security, transport and storage.
Businesses in the arms industry whose activities involve munitions will therefore undoubtedly have to meet higher requirements for security, transport and preventive measures at every stage of their operations and ensure that all processes are prepared for the new requirements introduced by the stricter regulatory regime.
MUNITIONS AUTHORISATIONS were introduced to build as closely as possible on the existing legal framework, having regard to the similarity between the regulation of weapons and that of munitions. In practice, they replace the former munitions certificates. Act No. 119/2002 Coll., on Firearms and Ammunition (the “Act”), distinguishes three types of munitions authorisations: two are intended for handling munitions, basic and higher, and the third is intended for conducting pyrotechnic survey. All these authorisations are linked to specific activities of natural persons, typically for the benefit of the holder of a munitions licence.
The munitions authorisation for handling munitions is further divided into basic and higher. A basic munitions authorisation is intended for employees and collaborators of the holder of a munitions licence who mainly perform logistical and handling tasks, typically moving, internal transport, storage and warehouse activities, both inside production or storage facilities and, where applicable, outside them. However, the basic authorisation does not authorise technical interventions involving munitions, which are reserved for holders of the higher authorisation. The higher munitions authorisation allows the performance of all activities associated with handling munitions, including their detonation, use for firing or destruction, and may also fulfil selected obligations of the holder of a munitions licence to the extent authorised by that licence holder.
Alongside this stands the authorisation to conduct pyrotechnic survey, which differs from the higher munitions authorisation mainly in the purpose and environment of the activity. Pyrotechnic survey is typically a field activity consisting in searching for, identifying and securing found or unexploded munitions and other explosive objects. A person authorised to conduct pyrotechnic survey may also detonate or destroy munitions, but does so as part of a pyrotechnic intervention (typically "at the site of discovery" or under appropriate safety conditions established thereafter), not as part of routine handling of munitions in manufacturing or trade.
A MUNITIONS LICENCE is a licence intended for business or other professional handling of munitions. It authorises activities such as, in particular, manufacture, development, testing, delaboration, deactivation, destruction, storage, transport, purchase, sale or brokerage of munitions transactions, within the scope stipulated by the Act and by the specific licence. Its holder may be a natural person carrying on business, a legal entity or a non-exempt public institution. It is divided into a general munitions licence and a licence for securing pyrotechnic survey.