How strict are gun laws in Bulgaria?
Restrictive
Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
Bulgaria is one of 87 countries classified “Restrictive” for civilian gun ownership — 43% of the 202 with data. (Also searched as firearm laws.)
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
Nearby countries
- North Macedonia
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Serbia
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Romania
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- Greece
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Albania
- Licensed / moderate Handguns are obtainable for self-defense with proof of threat, but long guns are shall-issue for hunting and sport.
- Montenegro
- Licensed / moderate Montenegro allows long guns on a shall-issue basis but requires may-issue permits for personal protection.
Other laws in Bulgaria
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
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A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.