Firearms import

PERMIT FOR TEMPORARY NON – COMMERCIAL IMPORTATION OF FIREARMS OR AMMUNITION

TEMPORARY IMPORTATION OF SPORTING FIREARMS PROCEDURES AND CONTROLS – INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING COMPETITION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

In general, the section 46 of the Czech Firearms Act (Act No. 119/2002) determines that all travellers wishing to temporarily import essential parts of these firearms firearms of category A, B or C in terms of this Act (these categories are described in the sections 4 – 6 of the Act) and ammunition for these types of firearms into the Czech Republic shall hold a Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition (so called zbrojní průvodní list pro tranzit / dočasný dovoz).

A foreign traveller / sporting shooter wishing to apply for this permit must complete a prescribed application form (which is available at the Embassy / Consular Office of the Czech Republic or on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic www.mvcr.cz; as regards this application form, please note that this form must be printed in colour).

The completed and signed application form shall be submitted to the Embassy / Consular Office of the Czech Republic. Sporting shooters arriving by air can also submit the application to the Police Office at the international airport in the Czech Republic (immediately after their arrival) – but as a general rule, it is highly recommended to submit the application form to the Embassy / Consular Office of the Czech Republic and obtain the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition in advance of the trip.

This application shall be accompanied by an officially verified letter of invitation issued by the organizer of shooting competition (it means a letter of invitation with a signature verified by a Czech public authority).

Once the properly completed application and the letter of invitation are submitted, the competent Czech authority shall examine the conditions under which the temporary importation is to be carried out, in particular with regard to security. Where the competent Czech authority authorizes such temporary importation, it shall issue a Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition.

In general, the validity of the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition will relate to the duration of the visit in the Czech Republic (the maximum validity period is three months).

As regards the applicants / sporting shooters wishing to temporarily import their sporting firearms / essential firearm parts or ammunition for these sporting firearms into the Czech Republic for the purpose of taking part in international shooting competition, these applicants are exempt from the obligation to pay prescribed administrative fee for issuing a Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition.

EUROPEAN FIREARMS PASS
The Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition is not in principle necessary in order to travel with
sporting firearms of category B or C in terms of the Czech Firearms Act
essential parts of these sporting firearms
appropriate quantity of ammunition for these sporting firearms

for the purpose of taking part in international shooting competition, on condition that the sporting shooter:

is in possession of the European Firearms Pass and all temporarily imported firearms / essential firearm parts are listed on this document
can establish the reason for the journey (it means this person must have an officially verified letter of invitation)

ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE BY AIR
On arrival at the international airport in the Czech Republic and on final departure from the Czech Republic, the foreign sporting shooter shall contact the Police Office at the airport and submit the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition or the European Firearms Pass to the designated police officer. On this occasion, all transported firearms / essential firearm parts / ammunition shall be checked by this designated police officer.

Please note that all sporting shooters:
arriving at the international airport in the Czech Republic from third countries and
wishing to travel with their firearms / essential firearm parts or ammunition through the territory of the Czech Republic as well as through the territory of other Member state(s) of the European Union / European Economic Area or Swiss Confederation
shall submit to the Police Office at the international airport (on the occasion of police control at external border of the EU) valid firearms authorizations issued by all countries of planned transit / temporary importation.

Airlines:
Airlines have their own rules on transportation of firearms and ammunition on airplanes. For example, some airlines restrict the maximum quantity of ammunition that can be carried. For this reason, it is always wise to check with the airline all conditions. It is highly recommended to obtain from the airline a written information indicating that the airline has no objection to planned transportation of firearms or ammuniton.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE BY CAR / RAIL
On arrival as well as on final departure from the Czech Republic, there is no formal police control at the border crossing points.

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
In general, the holder of the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition / the holder of the European Firearms Pass has rights and obligations similar to those of the holder of the Czech Firearms Permit (so called zbrojní průkaz) in terms of the sections 28 and 29 of the Czech Firearms Act.

During the visit to the Czech Republic, all holders of the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition / all holders of the European Firearms Pass shall always carry this document whenever they have the firearms / essential firearm parts or ammunition with them and shall be able to show this document (preferably along with an officially verified letter of invitation) whenever they are asked to do so by the competent Czech authorities.

All holders of the Permit for Temporary Non – Commercial Importation of Firearms or Ammunition / all holders of the European Firearms Pass who temporarily import firearms / essential firearm parts / ammunition are subject to the general requirement for safe storage and transportation in terms of the section 58 of the Czech Firearms Act. Their firearms / essential firearm parts and ammunition must be under their direct supervision.

CONTACT

Official documents and “ZPL” forms for download:

• zpl_guide.pdf – Official document of Police of Czech Republic – TEMPORARY IMPORTATION OF SPORTING FIREARMS PROCEDURES AND CONTROLS – INTERNATIONAL SHOOTING COMPETITION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
  
  
• zpl_cze.pdf – Application for the issue of the firearms waybill for permanent export, permanent import, and transit of firearms and ammunition
• zpl_eng_sample.pdf – only for reference, you need to use the czech version