Gun laws in Italy

Last updated July 01, 2019

Gun laws in Italy incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country within the framework of the European Union's Firearm Directive.^{[nb 1]} Different types of gun licenses can be obtained from the national police authorities. According to a 2007 study by The Small Arms Survey Project, the per capita gun ownership rate in Italy is around 12% with an estimated 7 million registered firearms in circulation.^[1]^[2]

Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a European country consisting of a peninsula delimited by the Italian Alps and surrounded by several islands. Located in the middle of the Mediterranean sea and traversed along its length by the Apennines, Italy has a largely temperate seasonal and Mediterranean climate. The country covers an area of 301,340 km² (116,350 sq mi) and shares open land borders with France, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino. Italy has a territorial exclave in Switzerland (Campione) and a maritime exclave in the Tunisian Sea (Lampedusa). With around 60 million inhabitants, Italy is the fourth-most populous member state of the European Union.

A firearm is a portable gun that inflicts damage on targets by launching one or more projectiles driven by rapidly expanding high-pressure gas produced chemically by exothermic combustion (deflagration) of propellant within an ammunition cartridge. If gas pressurization is achieved through mechanical gas compression rather than through chemical propellant combustion, then the gun is technically an air gun, not a firearm.

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km² (1,728,099 sq mi) and an estimated population of about 513 million. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where members have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. For travel within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished. A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002 and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency.

Carry licenses

To legally purchase firearms in Italy, one must either obtain a "purchase authorization" (nulla osta all'acquisto),^[3] which allows the holder to purchase and own a firearm but not carry or use it, or be issued with a carry license first. A firearm purchase authorization is mostly used today to inherit a deceased close relative's firearms. To obtain either license applicants must be 18 or older, prove they can handle and use a firearm safely (usually by obtaining a certificate from a shooting range after attending a practical shooting course), declare to have a clean criminal record (verification will be made by the Police authorities) and must not be mentally ill or be a known abuser of, or addicted to, alcohol or illegal drugs. Other grounds for refusal of a carry license include being a conscientious objector or living with persons who may gain access to the firearms and abuse them (e.g. living with family members who are mentally ill, alcoholic or drug addicts).^[4]^[5]^[6]

A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.

National Firearms Catalogue

Italian laws prescribed that any rifled-barreled firearm imported or manufactured in Italy after 1976 should have been identified by a progressive catalogue number, assigned by a commission composed of government officials and representatives from the Italian arms industries. The role of the commission was to decide if a rifled firearm should be classified either a war firearm (arma da guerra) or a common firearm (arma comune da sparo). The national firearms catalogue described the characteristics of the weapon (barrel and overall length, number of rounds in the magazine and other technical specifications) that cannot legally be altered without resubmitting the weapon to the commission. Common firearms with certain features (sights, type of action) can be classified as sporting firearms (armi sportive), which can be used for self defence as an extrema ratio (es. during a home invasion) but which can not be carried for said purpose.

Concealed carry refers to the practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed or hidden manner, either on one's person or in close proximity. While most law enforcement officers carry their handguns in a visible holster, some officers, such as plainclothes detectives or undercover agents, carry weapons in concealed holsters. In some countries and jurisdictions, civilians are legally permitted to carry concealed handguns; in some, this may be the only legal way for a civilian to carry a handgun.

The said catalogue and the related commission has been abolished since 2012, due to the economic stability law, approved 12 November 2011; its place has been taken by the Banco Nazionale di Prova (National Proof House) in Gardone Val Trompia, which admits or rejects firearms pending importation, at the same time maintaining an electronic record of the characteristics (long or short firearm, European firearm category, manufacturer, magazine capacity, etc.) of the firearms permitted for sale.

Gardone Val Trompia is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. northern It is bounded by other communes of Marcheno and Sarezzo. It is located in the Trompia valley. Gardone received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on September 21, 2001.

Firearms and ammunition possession

All private firearms must be registered at the local police department within "72 hours", as specified by law, after purchase or transfer, although this limit goes from the time the firearm is actually taken to the place where it is to be registered (for example, the firearm may be bought at a time and withdrawn after a week from the retailer; only then the weapon will require the registration).

Citizens are allowed to own:

up to three common firearms (usually handguns, but all firearms not using hunting calibers fall into this category, such as 10-gauge shotguns, or some .22 rimfire pistols and rifles);
up to twelve weapons that have been classified as manufactured for shooting sports by the National Proof House;
an unlimited number of hunting weapons (both rifles and shotguns);
up to eight antique or historical weapons (manufactured before 1890);
unlimited numbers of single shot muzzle loader replicas, for which no registration is needed;
unlimited numbers of airguns under 7.5 Joules of muzzle energy, specifically approved by the Ministry of Interior, which require no registration as well.

A handgun is a short-barrelled firearm that can be held and used with one hand. The two most common handgun sub-types in use today are revolvers and semi-automatic pistols.

Shooting sports is a collective group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using various types of ranged weapons, mainly referring to man-portable guns and bows/crossbows.

Ammunition is also regulated. While each licensed individual can keep 1500 rounds of hunting ammunition, only 200 rounds of handgun ammunition are allowed. A license to store additional 1500 rounds of pistol ammunition can be obtained, provided specific requirements are met. Ammunition purchases must also be registered.

Trade and ownership of deactivated and replica (non firing) firearms is unrestricted, although every deactivated firearm must be accompanied by a deactivation certificate in conformity to the Italian law.

Firearm collector's license

A Firearm Collector's License allows the bearer to keep at home an unlimited number of weapons, but they usually cannot be used or moved, their ammunition cannot be bought and, if the number of owned weapons is high, the owner may be requested to keep them in a safe room; exact details may vary according to the local police department's policy. Holders of a Special Firearm Collectors License can own a higher number of weapons but are forbidden from using or moving them and from buying ammunition. In certain cases, they are required to house the weapons in a safe room that meets police specifications.

Carry guns in public places

In Italy it is illegal to carry weapons in public places, but the law provides the following exceptions:

Hunting license

A hunting license, along with a special hunting permit issued by the region of residence, allows to carry hunting weapons only during the hunting season and only within game preserves. When transporting them outside game reserves, the shotguns must be kept unloaded and locked in their case.

A hunting license is a regulatory or legal mechanism to control hunting.

The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the Republic of Italy, constituting its second NUTS administrative level. There are 20 regions, of which five have a broader amount of autonomy than the other 15 regions. Under the Italian Constitution, each region is an autonomous entity with defined powers. With the exception of the Aosta Valley, each region is divided into a number of provinces.

Firearms allowed for hunt are:

All smooth bore guns, with a gauge not bigger than 12, overall length more than 60 cm and a barrel length more than 30 cm.
Rifled bore guns, firing a bullet with a diameter more than 5.6mm or a case longer than 40mm, overall length more than 60 cm and a barrel length more than 30 cm.

Shooting sports license

With a shooting sports license, citizens are allowed to transport (unloaded and stored in a proper case) firearms from their home to an authorized shooting range or to another safe place to practice shooting, which, in case of a private place, must be reasonably distant from roads and inhabited areas, and not accessible by unauthorized people. Just like any other gun license, the shooting sports license is valid nationwide: the shooter can thus transport his/her gun anywhere through the national territory, although said guns can only be used in the aforementioned designated places and must never be left unattended during transportation.

Concealed carry license

A concealed carry license allows a citizen to carry a handgun for personal defense; this license is usually much harder to obtain than the other two firearm licenses, must be renewed yearly (while the hunting and shooting sports licences are valid for 6 years), and the applicant has to provide a valid reason to carry a concealed gun (e.g. a salesperson of valuable goods such as jewelry). A special carry license is released to private security personnel; this license differs from the standard carry licenses in that it has to be renewed every two years and a lower tax to pay for the release. Open-carry of handguns is not explicitly forbidden by the law, but it is de facto permitted only to on-duty security personnel. The prefects, magistrates can buy and carry guns for self-defense without Concealed Carry License.

Limitations

Italian gun laws pose restrictions to the kind of firearms, calibers and magazine available to civilians. Semi-automatic firearms can be bought by licensees without additional restrictions. FORBIDDEN: Noise Suppressor as well as Semiautomatic pistols in 9mm Parabellum are restricted for the civil market. Full-automatic/select-fire firearms (machineguns), grenade launchers, suppressors, destructive devices and all other kinds of military weapons and ammunition, semiautomatic pistols in caliber REGULATED CALIBER: 9mm Parabellum is permitted for revolver and rifle only; 5.56×45mm NATO is forbidden but .223 Rem is permitted; 7.62×51mm NATO is forbidden but 308 WIN is permitted). REGULATED ACCESSORIES: magazine with capacity greater of 20 rounds for pistols or 10 for rifle are not traced but need to be denounced as weapons within 72 hours from the purchase as per article 38 of the amended Public Security Act (TULPS)^[7]^{[ circular reference ]}.

Police forces

National police officers are always allowed to carry their handguns without territorial or time restrictions, but are required to carry them concealed when they are off duty. Submachine guns can only be carried while on duty.

Local police officers are generally allowed to carry their handguns (concealed when off duty), but only within their territorial limits.

Security guards can be allowed by the prefect to carry weapons when on duty and without territorial limits, upon request; usually this permission is granted to cash-in-transit security officers, as well as to private security personnel guarding banks, shopping malls and other facilities (in recent years, even some public offices and hospitals in Italy have contracted private security personnel for 24/7 protection).

The guns carried by police forces are usually the property of the national or local government authority from which they depend; National Police officers are usually assigned a pistol for an indefinite time, while gun assignment specifications for Local Police forces may vary from indefinite to limited, according to local regulations.

Notes

↑ The English words 'politics' and 'policy' are both translated by the single Italian word 'politica': discussion of this topic with an Italian speaker should recognize that for the Italian there is no automatic distinction between 'politics' and 'policy'.

Related Research Articles

Gun laws and policies regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification and use of small arms by civilians. Many countries have restrictive firearm policies, while a few have permissive ones. According to GunPolicy.org, the only countries with permissive gun legislation are: Austria, Azerbaijan, Chad, Republic of Congo, Honduras, Micronesia, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Switzerland, Tanzania, the United States, Yemen and Zambia, although several other countries including Canada and the Czech Republic, despite theoretically being restrictive, are shall-issue countries. Countries with a strong gun culture may afford civilians a right to keep and bear arms, and have more-liberal gun laws than neighboring jurisdictions. Countries which regulate access to firearms will typically restrict access to certain categories of firearms and then restrict the categories of persons who may be granted a license for access to such firearms. There may be separate licenses for hunting, sport shooting, self-defense, collecting, and concealed carry, with different sets of requirements, permissions, and responsibilities.

In the United Kingdom, access by the general public to firearms is tightly controlled by laws which are much more restrictive than the minimum rules required by the European Firearms Directive. It is less restrictive in Northern Ireland. There is some concern over the availability of illegal firearms.

Gun laws in Finland incorporates the political and regulatory aspects of firearms usage in the country. Both hunting and shooting sports are common hobbies among Finns. There are approximately 300,000 people with hunting permits and 34,000 people belong to sport shooting clubs. Over 1500 people are licensed weapons collectors. Additionally, many reservists practice their skills using their own semi-automatic rifles and pistols after the military service.

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Gun laws in California regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of California in the United States.

Gun laws in New York regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of New York, outside of New York City which has separate licensing regulations.

Gun laws in Oklahoma regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Oklahoma in the United States.

Gun laws in Honduras refers to the regulation of the commerce, ownership, possession and use of firearms by the citizens and residents of Honduras. Hondurans have remained passive on the control of proliferation of firearms in the country. Escalation in crime and the use of firearms in the commission of crimes and homicides has brought political and public discourse to consider regulation of arms.

Gun laws in Hawaii regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Hawaii, United States. Hawaii's gun laws are among the most restrictive in the country.

Gun laws in Indiana regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Indiana.

Gun laws in Maine regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Maine.

Gun laws in Massachusetts regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States.

Gun laws in Michigan regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Michigan.

Gun laws in New Jersey regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of New Jersey. New Jersey's firearms laws are among the most restrictive in the country.

Gun laws in Pennsylvania regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States.

Gun laws in Tennessee regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Tennessee in the United States.

References

↑ "Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City - Chapter 2:Completing the Count: Civilian Firearms". Small Arms Survey. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
↑ "Guns per 100 residents". EduTube.org. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
↑ "Autorizzazione all'acquisto di armi e munizioni". poliziadistato.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 September 2014.
↑ "Sintesi del diritto delle armi (A brief essay on gun law)" (in Italian). www.earmi.it. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
↑ "Gun and Firearms Laws, Justice, Culture and Crime in Foreign Countries" . Retrieved 24 July 2010.
↑ Dave Kopel & Carlo Stagnaro. "Gianni, Get Your Gun" . Retrieved 24 July 2010.
↑ it:Testo unico delle leggi di pubblica sicurezza

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[policy-1] The English words 'politics' and 'policy' are both translated by the single Italian word 'politica': discussion of this topic with an Italian speaker should recognize that for the Italian there is no automatic distinction between 'politics' and 'policy'.

[2] "Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City - Chapter 2:Completing the Count: Civilian Firearms". Small Arms Survey. Retrieved 24 July 2010.

[3] "Guns per 100 residents". EduTube.org. Retrieved 24 July 2010.

[4] "Autorizzazione all'acquisto di armi e munizioni". poliziadistato.it (in Italian). Retrieved 22 September 2014.

[5] "Sintesi del diritto delle armi (A brief essay on gun law)" (in Italian). www.earmi.it. Retrieved 24 July 2010.

[6] "Gun and Firearms Laws, Justice, Culture and Crime in Foreign Countries" . Retrieved 24 July 2010.

[7] Dave Kopel & Carlo Stagnaro. "Gianni, Get Your Gun" . Retrieved 24 July 2010.

[8] t:Testo unico delle leggi di pubblica sicurezza