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Civilian access to handguns

What this indicator measures

Shows how the law regulates handgun ownership by private individuals: prohibited, subject to the discretionary authorisation of the authorities, granted as of right if the conditions are met, or possible without a licence.

How to read this?

“Prohibited” means civilians cannot own handguns; “No licence required” means no authorisation is needed.

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113countries with data
2026data year(s)

In brief

Civilian access to handguns: 113 countries and territories covered. Breakdown: Prohibited for civilians : 60 ; Allowed at the discretion of the authorities : 26 ; Licence granted as of right if conditions are met : 26 ; Possible without a licence : 1.

Why this indicator matters

How a country regulates handguns touches on security, individual freedom and the role of the state. Comparing these regimes shows the range of choices made by national laws.

What makes this indicator vary

The regime depends on history, hunting or sport-shooting traditions, the place given to self-defence and the level of trust in the state. Reforms often follow major events.

Reading precautions

The indicator describes the general framework, not the details: types of weapons, age requirements, checks, local rules. The law may vary between regions, and illegal weapons are not measured. Collaborative source.

Civilian access to handguns

Prohibited for civilians (60)

Allowed at the discretion of the authorities (26)

Licence granted as of right if conditions are met (26)

Possible without a licence (1)

Frequently asked questions

Where does the "Civilian access to handguns" data come from?

It comes from Wikipédia, « Overview of gun laws by nation ». Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

What is the difference between “discretionary” and “as of right”?

Under a discretionary regime, the authorities can refuse the licence even if the applicant meets the conditions. Under an as-of-right regime, the licence is granted as soon as all legal conditions are met.

Does this indicator say how many weapons are in circulation?

No. It only describes what the law allows private individuals to do with handguns. It measures neither the number of weapons, nor violence, nor how the rules are actually enforced.

Source and update

Source : Wikipédia, « Overview of gun laws by nation ». Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Justice and security