Gas weapon permit: is this license needed and how to obtain the document in 2022, and what are the consequences of not having it?

Gas weapons are one of the most popular means of self-defense.
Many citizens would like to purchase it to ensure personal safety. The only question that stops is whether it is necessary to obtain a license to carry, store and purchase such an item?

We learn more about the rules for obtaining a gas weapon and the correct execution of the necessary documents from the text of the article.

What is it and is it needed?

In accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Weapons,” a gas weapon is understood as an item that is used in weapons. Its main goal is to temporarily defeat the “enemy.” The pistol uses a cartridge that, due to its structure, cannot cause death to surrounding people.

The bullets are loaded with substances that have an irritating or tear-producing effect. Carrying such a weapon allows its owner to feel protected and also be able to exercise competent self-defense.

In accordance with Article 13 of the Federal Law “On Weapons”, a gas pistol in Russia must be licensed.

The license itself looks like a small laminated card . This is a kind of form on which a barely visible pattern is applied.

The name of the document, as well as its number, is indicated at the top.
A 3 by 4 photo is pasted to the left.
On the right side the surname, name and patronymic of the citizen are indicated.
The place of registration is established.
The form is stamped by the authority that issued the license. The seal should be blue, partly on the photo, and partly on personal data.

Most often, such a card is laminated in order to maintain its original appearance longer.

A sample license is shown in the photo:

Who issues a permit for gas weapons, on what basis and for how long?

Responsibility for issuing a license lies with the so-called LROs .
These are licensing and permitting departments. You can find out where they are at your local police station. To do this, you need to go to the department at your place of registration or residence. The staff will provide you with comprehensive information about where to apply, as well as what package of documents you need. And the process of further registration of weapons is carried out in the authorized executive body of the city or settlement where the citizen lives.

The license will be valid for 5 years. It extends its effect not only to the fact of acquiring weapons, but also to storing and carrying them.

Find out what weapons you can carry for self-defense without permission and a license from the article at the link.

The legislative framework

Article 13 of Federal Law No. 150 of December 13, 1996 lists the necessary grounds for obtaining the right to purchase weapons. The point about gas pistols, revolvers and signal weapons is reflected here. This article states that it is acquired under a license with appropriate registration.
Government Decree dated 21.07.98 No. 814 . Describes the main measures to regulate the circulation of weapons and ammunition.
Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of April 12, 1999 No. 288 . This act talks about the implementation of the Government Resolution mentioned above.

Possession of gas weapons without permission

More and more people are thinking about buying self-defense equipment. Many of them choose a gas pistol. But this type of small arms requires special permits to store and carry them. Not all people want to spend time and money on legal registration of their right to self-defense.

Illegal possession of weapons

Russian legislation provides for administrative and criminal sanctions for the possession of any type of weapon without obtaining permits.

Administrative punishment still occurs in cases where possession of a weapon is legal, but its owner violated the rules for storing, using or transporting weapons, or, for example, did not renew the license within the allotted period.

As for storing weapons for which there is no license at all, in this case Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation comes into play.

Depending on the type of weapon, punishment for illegal possession can be a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles and imprisonment of up to 2 years. But if the crime was committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, then this will be considered aggravating circumstances and the prison term will be higher.

The maximum possible penalty is seven years in prison if the crime is committed by an organized group. In practice, in this case we are rarely talking only about the possession of weapons, but also about other crimes related to them.

Gas, hunting smoothbore, edged and other weapons of limited destruction are allocated to a separate, fourth, paragraph of Article 222. For violations of the law during the circulation and storage of such weapons, the maximum punishment will be imprisonment for 2 years. An additional measure may be a fine (not more than 80 thousand rubles) or confiscation of income for six months.

Illegal storage of ammunition: liability under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

Possession of ammunition is not designated as a special crime by law. This action is equivalent to the storage of weapons and is punishable under the same Article 222 of the Criminal Code. The court establishes the degree of punishment within the limits determined by law, based on the social danger of the crime committed.

Illegal possession of a gas pistol

To own and store gas weapons, you must obtain a special permit from the internal affairs bodies.

To obtain it, you need to undergo a psychiatric and drug addiction commission (by visiting the appropriate doctors) and pay the state fee for obtaining a license.

It is also necessary to undergo training in the use of gas weapons and purchase a special safe for storing them. All this will be checked by a representative of the Department of Internal Affairs.

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If during a check by law enforcement officers a gas pistol is found in a person’s possession, for which he does not have permission to store, then he will have to answer for violating the law under Article No. 20.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences. It assumes:

Imposition of a fine of up to 2000 rubles;
Seizure of gas weapons and cartridges.

The situation becomes more complicated if the weapon was used to threaten to cause serious injury or murder. In this case, they will be punished under Article 119 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation:

arrest for six months;
Restriction or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

In reality, the application of a particular rule of law is determined by the specific situation of its illegal use.

Carrying gas weapons without permission

Carrying a gas weapon requires the same permission to own it. Consequently, without this document, carrying will be punished under the same articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Criminal Code as possession of weapons.

Types of gas weapons are quite diverse:

Pistols;
Automatic machines;
Mechanical sprayers;
Revolvers;
Aerosol sprays;
Tear and irritant canisters.

At the same time, all types of weapons must contain only substances permitted by Russian law.

Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation on weapons

Responsibility for violating the legislation on the storage and use of weapons in the Administrative Code is defined in articles 20.7-20.15. They define violations of the rules for the use, sale and registration of pneumatic, gas and traumatic weapons.

The punishment under these articles is fines. Their size is determined depending on the circumstances of a particular violation of the law and varies from 1 to several tens of thousands of rubles for individuals. For legal entities, the fine can be more than 100 thousand rubles.

Requirements

An individual who applies for a license must meet a number of requirements:

Coming of age.
Availability of a medical report stating the absence of any contraindications to interaction with weapons.
No convictions for intentional crimes.
There is no repeat administrative offense.
Permanent place of residence.
Availability of a provided and correctly completed license application.
Providing all listed documents.
There are no diseases that are a direct contraindication to having a weapon. Among them:
alcoholism;
mental disorders.

Medical examination and obtaining a certificate

A medical certificate for a weapon is a guarantee of legality. The legal basis for issuing this document is Order 441, which was issued by the Ministry of Health in 2022. The certificate is issued only to adults.

To do this, a citizen must contact the registry of a medical institution, presenting a passport. There he writes an application to undergo a medical commission stating that there are no contraindications to owning a weapon. Receives a bypass sheet, on the basis of which a certificate may be issued.

The following specialists will take part in the inspection::

psychiatrist;
therapist;
expert in narcology;
ophthalmologist.

The sequence of doctors is determined by the medical institution. Refusal to issue a medical certificate is the identification of the following diseases:

substance abuse;
addiction;
epilepsy;
alcoholism;
absence of 3 or more fingers on the extremities of the hands;
visual defects.

Equipment handling courses

In order to obtain a license without any problems, the commission needs to prove that you know how to handle weapons . To do this, you need to undergo training at one of the training centers in your city. The address can be easily found on the Internet.

Having a certificate or diploma of completion of courses will indicate that you can handle weapons. It is important that the certificate be of the established form and also have the seal of a licensed organization that has the right to carry out teaching activities.

Proper storage

Before you can get your license, you must purchase a gun safe.

It is presented to the district police officer for review. Failure to do so may result in your being disqualified from issuing a license. For gas pistols, a small safe is suitable, to which children and strangers will not have access.

The district police officer can be invited to conduct an examination after installation. It is better to mount the safe to the wall in an inconspicuous place .

Gas weapon

It would seem that such an unambiguous interpretation of the law should not lead to the emergence of questions, however, regarding the authorization of this or that type of weapon, questions are still relevant.

Gas weapons are positioned as non-lethal weapons. Logically, if such a weapon does not cause significant harm to the enemy, then it should be sold freely. However, the law has its own vision on this matter. Before considering whether a permit is needed to purchase gas weapons, let’s define its features.

A shot from a gas pistol is accompanied by the release of a cloud of irritating gas. The range of such weapons depends on weather conditions. So, in strong winds or in frosty weather, the gas will have almost no effect on the attacker. The recommended distance for use is one meter.

Models that are modified to fire a rubber bullet are considered by law as weapons of limited destruction. In simple words, it is considered traumatic, even if it is currently charged with gas.

Users' interest in the legal aspect of the use of weapons is caused by practical situations when the defender exceeds the measures of acceptable self-defense and himself becomes a violator of the law. This will not happen if gas weapons are used, but some rules of use should still be followed.

The shot cannot be fired in a confined space, or in crowded places. Weapons must be kept in such a way that children have limited access to them. Gas weapons should be used only if the situation is assessed objectively.

Do I need a license

First, let's look at what users mean by license. Indeed, the law determines the need to obtain permits, but before you start processing them, you should understand their purpose.

First you need to obtain a gas weapon permit. With this permit you can buy a pistol, but you should not use it. By and large, you don’t even have the right to keep weapons yet.

Upon purchase, you must go to the licensing department and register the pistol. Then, after a certain time, you are issued a license for a gas weapon. This document allows you to carry and store a pistol.

Who can get permission

To answer this question, you should again turn to the legislation. The Weapons Law defines the basic requirements for citizens who apply for obtaining permits:

Availability of permanent or temporary registration.
Age of majority.
No criminal record.
Absence of administrative penalties under articles related to violation of public order.
Compliance of medical indicators.

Procedure for obtaining a license

Obtaining a license for a gas weapon will take several weeks, but if you follow the algorithm, you can simplify this procedure. Before visiting the licensing department for the first time, you should prepare in advance.

First, let's make sure that there will be no obstacles from the department. Compliance with the basic requirements is established. The next step is to undergo a medical examination. The peculiarity of a medical certificate for a weapon is that it must contain two notes: from a psychiatrist and from a narcologist. The modern certificate form 002-О/у allows you to make these entries.

If the clinic does not have such doctors, then you will have to visit dispensaries. The issued certificate is valid for one year, so there is no need to worry about its relevance.

For weapons that need to be licensed, only citizens who have completed training and passed an exam will be able to obtain permits. Those who are renewing a previously issued license are only required to take the exam again, since the certificate of completion of the courses is issued once.

Special centers provide training, but in order to avoid becoming a victim of the ubiquitous scammers, you should first familiarize yourself with the accreditation for conducting educational activities.

The issues covered in the courses cover several topics simultaneously. This is, first of all, a legal basis, as well as safety precautions when handling weapons.

There is also a practical part where the citizen will learn how to load, unload and aim a weapon. The exam is also divided into theoretical and practical.

You should take the collection of remaining documents seriously. If any of them is missing, you will receive a refusal in response to the submitted application. Check the list again.

Copies of completed passport pages.
2 photographs measuring 3 cm by 4 cm.
Certificate of completion of courses.
A certificate confirming successful completion of the exam.
Medical certificate.
Receipt confirming payment of the state duty.

Submitting an application

The stage of submitting an application requires separate consideration. It indicates your personal data, as well as the immediate reason for contacting the OLRR. When visiting the department in person, the application must be filled out by hand according to the sample provided. Many departments are transferring the ability to contact electronic services.

Now a citizen must register an account on the government services portal and use electronic recording.

An almost identical procedure awaits you if you contact the multifunctional center, only in this case the staff will provide all possible assistance. After confirming your consent to the provision and processing of data, your application will be registered.

On the government services portal, you can complete the application submission procedure as fully as possible. The fact is that it is possible to provide documents by uploading scans of the listed papers onto the form. It should be remembered that you will still have to obtain permission from the department.

Registration cost

The cost of obtaining a license directly depends on the place of residence and registration of the citizen. If a person has the entire package of documents, you can spend a small amount. A state fee of 500 rubles will be charged for issuing a license.

The citizen will also have to spend money on:

registration of a medical card;
photos;
taking courses.

As a result, the cost will vary from 8,000 to 15,000 rubles.

Documentation

A completed application with the specified passport data.
Original and photocopy of passport.
Two 3 x 4 color photographs.
Medical certificate in form 0-46-1 (currently 002-о/у). It should contain the following marks:
ophthalmologist;
therapist;
conclusion that there are no contraindications to owning a weapon.
Receipt for payment of state duty.

How to get it in 2022?

At home, prepare a package of documents in advance. The application can be completed at home.
Pass a medical examination in advance.
You must submit the package of papers directly to the licensing and permitting department. If this is not the case, then go to the nearest police station, where they will accept your documents or clearly tell you where to go.

Departments of the Department of Internal Affairs are authorized to accept documents from citizens for weapons. It is better to submit documents in person. In this case, if there is something wrong with your package, you will be notified immediately. A citizen can correct the situation in a short time.

Also, documents can be sent by mail. However, this is riskier as you will spend a lot of time waiting for a response.

You can receive the service on the State Services portal if you have an appropriate registered profile.

For this purpose in the list.
Be sure to read the description of the service.
Click “get service” if you agree to the terms.
The portal will ask you to fill out a form, which will be formed into an application and sent to the relevant government agency closest to your place of residence.
The status of your application can be tracked in your personal account.
Upon review, an SMS will be sent to your number. You will be invited on the appointed day with a package of documents to a government agency for further processing.

On how to obtain a permit and license for a weapon:
hunting;
traumatic;
cold;
emasculated;
sports,
see the linked articles.

On average, consideration of an application and registration of a weapons license is carried out within a month and a half . In this case, the application is considered within one calendar month from the moment the documents are received by the government agency.

During the review, a huge number of requests and checks will be carried out to determine the presence or absence of factors that will prevent the issuance of a license. At this moment, a local police officer may visit you and check your living conditions, surroundings, and the presence of a safe. Only based on positive inspection results will a license be issued.

Purchases of weapons must only be made at an officially licensed store.

When purchasing a weapon, you need to keep all documents, as well as receipts issued for it. After purchasing a weapon, it must be registered in the same licensing department.

The citizen is given about 14 days from the moment the weapon was purchased.

Extension

The license is valid for 5 years. Therefore, it needs to be systematically extended. To do this, you need to contact the department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at your place of residence no later than 3 months before the expiration date of the document. It is necessary to collect a package of documents required to renew the license . This:

current medical report;
weapons documents for technical verification;
completed statement.

Based on the verification of documents and weapons, LRO employees make a decision on renewal or refusal.

For more information about renewing your weapons permit, read the article at the link.

Who can become the owner

Without a license, such a means of self-defense cannot even be purchased. Therefore, buying a pistol and obtaining a license have the same requirements:

citizenship of the Russian Federation;
the applicant's age is over 18 years;
he has no criminal record;
stable mental health;
visual acuity is above 0.2 in the worse eye and above 0.5 in the best (if the functionality of only one eye is preserved, the acuity should be above 0.7). Vision pathologies can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses;
The applicant does not use narcotic or psychotropic substances.

Thus, the medical commission consists of three doctors: a narcologist, a psychiatrist and an ophthalmologist. Recently, there has been a tendency to tighten medical control when obtaining certificates for weapons and driving a car.

For example, sometimes applicants for the right to own a weapon are required to obtain head tomography results. You won't be able to bypass the medical board. Doctors' opinions are combined into a single certificate - 046-1.

Responsibility for storage, use without permission

If it turns out that you store gas weapons at home without a license, then punishment will follow in accordance with Article 20.8 of the Code of Administrative Offences. A fine will be imposed, the amount of which reaches 2,000 rubles. In some situations, the fine will increase to 5,000 rubles. It is possible that a citizen will be denied a license for an indefinite period.

There is no criminal liability for storing gas weapons without a license. However, for selling such weapons you can get Article 222 of the Criminal Code.

Is it possible to avoid a fine if you overstay your weapons permit? Find out from the article at the link.

Despite the fact that gas weapons are a means of self-defense, they can still cause significant harm to health. This means that the state must be notified of its desire to acquire and possibly use gas weapons. For this you need an officially issued license. Despite the fact that you have the right to self-defense, no one cancels your responsibility to other citizens.

Do I need a permit for a gas pistol?

Based on Art. 13-FZ N 150, you must obtain permission to purchase a gas pistol. The range of provisions covered by this article of the federal law includes the rules:

Storage and transportation. In a place protected from unauthorized persons: a safe or a box equipped with a lock (checked by district police).
Wearing. According to the amendments, which come into force in 2022, it is prohibited to bring gas pistols to educational and medical institutions and to public events.
Behaviors. Carrying a handgun while intoxicated may result in loss of license or confiscation of the weapon.
Purchasing and receiving gifts. A pistol cannot be purchased or given as a gift without prior permission. Such a violation risks arrest and confiscation of the purchased weapon.

The level of responsibility for violating the norms of this article is determined by the Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO) and provides for the following types of punishments (Article 20.8. clause 4. - clause 4.1):

Fine from 500 to 2 thousand rubles.
Fine from 2 to 5 thousand rubles. with irrevocable confiscation of both the pistol and ammunition from the property.