Weapons

Obligation to notify at the border

All weapons, parts of weapons, ammunition and parts of ammunition must be declared to the customs office on importation, exportation and transit.

Weapons according to the Weapons Act

Firearms like pistols, revolvers, rifles, pump action guns, lever action guns, self-loading guns (shotguns and rifles);
compressed air and CO2 weapons that develop a muzzle energy of at least 7.5 joules or that can be mistaken for real firearms due to their appearance;
imitation, blank cartridge and airsoft weapons that can be mistaken for real firearms due to their appearance;
butterfly knives, throwing knives, knives whose blade can be opened by means of an automatic mechanism that requires the use of one hand only, with an overall length of more than 12 cm and a blade longer than 5 cm;
daggers with a symmetrical blade no longer than 30 cm;
devices that are intended to injure a person, in particular knuckledusters, simple or spring batons, throwing stars and slingshots with arm support;
all electric shock devices (stun guns) and spray devices with irritants according to Appendix 2 Weapons Ordinance (WV), except pepper sprays.

Prohibited weapons

It is in particular prohibited to import the following weapons:

Automatic firearms and automatic firearms converted to semiautomatic small arms
Daggers, throwing knives, butterfly knives, switchblade knives and other knives with automatic release mechanism or a spring assisted opening mechanism
Beating weapons, throwing weapons and slings
Electric shock devices
Weapons disguised as everyday objects (e.g. walking stick or camera)
Silencers and laser and night-vision devices

Permits

Weapons¹⁾ which are not classified as prohibited require a permit.

A permit is required for:

Carrying a weapon in public (permit for carrying weapons)
Importing, exporting or transiting weapons, parts of weapons, ammunition and parts of ammunition.

¹⁾ Weapons include self-defence sprays containing the irritants CA, CS, CN or CR.

Reliefs from duties and/or taxes

A) Weapons and ammunition for hunting and shooting

Two personal hunting weapons¹⁾ or target shooting weapons²⁾ or one hunting weapon and one target shooting weapon with the corresponding ammunition which are temporarily imported or exported for hunting or target shooting (along with supporting evidence) are admitted free of tax³⁾.

“Supporting evidence” includes, for example, the following proof: shooting programmes, invitations to events, hunting permits and hunting ground leases.

¹ “Hunting weapons” denote weapons which are clearly recognizable as such to experts, in particular single- or multi-barrel firearms with smooth-bore barrels (shotguns) or with rifled barrels (hunting carbines and harquebuses), single or multiple shot, as well as combination guns (over/under shotgun-rifles).

² “Target shooting weapons” denote small arms of all calibers (e.g. target shooting pistols) which are clearly recognizable as such to experts.

³ Ammunition acquired abroad by residents of Switzerland requires a permit in all cases and is exempt from tax only up to the allowance of SFr.300.

B) War weapons and ammunition for shooting competitions or training:

Personal war weapons with the corresponding ammunition which are temporarily imported or exported for shooting competitions or training (along with supporting evidence) do not require a permit.

The weapons must subsequently be re-imported or re-exported.