Gun laws by country

Buying and owning a firearm is regulated very differently around the world. We've written plain-English summaries for each of our launch markets — what you need to legally buy, what kinds of guns each licence allows, and the differences by state or province.

These pages are a starting point, not legal advice. Always check the most recent rules from your local police or firearms registry before buying.

Choose a country

• United States · licences
• United Kingdom · licences
• Canada · licences
• Australia · licences
• New Zealand · licences
• South Africa · licences

What we cover

• Federal / national law summary in plain English
• Each licence type, who can apply, what training is required
• A matrix showing what kinds of firearm each licence permits
• State or province differences where they matter (US, AU, CA)
• Sources and the date the page was last reviewed