Over 20,000 have licence to keep firearms

There are 21,133 people who are licensed to keep firearms, according to information tabled in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri.

A breakdown of licence holders by firearm category shows that 12,845 people possess a hunting gun licence, while 14,746 people have a firearms licence for target shooting (Targets A, B, A Special). The minister said an individual may hold more than one type of licence.

A further 8,694 hold a Target B licence and 8,216 hold a firearms collectors’ licence (Collector A and B).

Camilleri was replying to parliamentary questions submitted by Opposition MP Graziella Attard Previ. The information was tabled last week.

In a similar PQ earlier this year, Camilleri revealed that by the end of December 2024, 21,931 individuals held a firearms licence.

It is unlawful in Malta to possess or carry a firearm unless in possession of a licence issued by the police, following a specific course and relevant verifications. To apply for a licence, the individual has to be a member of a shooting or collectors’ club.

The Arms Act, which regulates the possession of firearms and weapons, also prohibits the importation and exportation into or from Malta respectively of any firearm or ammunition unless the person is licensed to do so.

The law also obliges those applying for a firearms licence to specify the premises where the firearms and ammunition are to be kept. The licence shall only be granted on condition that the approved firearms and ammunition are kept separate in a locked safe at the identified location. The firearms have to be kept unloaded at all times.

The law also sets conditions on how firearms and ammunition should be transported on the way to the firing range and back.