Contrary to popular belief, access to firearms in Poland is not a taboo subject. In the Polish law Act of May 21, 1999 "On weapons and ammunition," says that every adult, healthy and unpunished citizen can apply for a weapon permit for sporting purposes. A bit of determination, humility, perseverance and willingness will not only be useful for performing basic procedures, but will also be necessary to improve skills and achieve better results in mandatory shooting competitions.
The Polish weapon license and document authorizing the purchase of firearms is the meta of this article. Let's divide the entire marathon into two stages and focus on preparation for the start in the first one.
STAGE I
Step 1. Visit to the shooting range - first contact with the weapon
Since you came here to read this article, firearms are probably your passion / hobby. If not, the first point is directed at you and people who have never had a gun in their lives and for various reasons are interested in shooting. I would like to emphasize here that obtaining a sports license and a permit for a weapon involves costs and some obligations that are required to maintain entitlements in the future. Permitting a weapon for sporting purposes is not a reasonable solution for the mere fact of having a weapon.
Step 2. Become a member of the shooting club
As follows from art. 10 paragraph 3 point 3 of the Act "on weapons and ammunition", an important reason for possessing weapons for sporting purposes is, among others, documented membership in the shooting association. The current list of clubs affiliated to the Polish Sport Shooting Association can be found on the official website (http://www.pzss.org.pl/index.php/odnoniki/117-kluby-strzeleckie?limitstart=0). The choice of club is entirely up to you. Admission rules are determined individually by each shooting club. In addition to apply for membership, the club may require from you e.g. the candidate's internship, i.e. a certain number of visits or the number of shots fired under the guidance of a club instructor.
Step 3. Preparation for obtaining sport qualifications - Shooting patent
The permit for a weapon is issued by way of an administrative decision of the competent police authority, specifying the purpose for which it was issued, and the type and limit of the number of possessed weapons. At the beginning of the patent path, you should decide what type of weapon you want to use. This is an important reason why you should go to the shooting range again and under the guidance of an instructor learn the technique, types of professions, pros and cons of each type of weapon: pistol, rifle and shotgun. If you choose one type of weapon, this does not exclude the possibility of updating the patent in the future. There are also no legal contraindications to apply for the so-called full patent for all 3 types of firearms. Regardless of the scope of the exam, the cost is always the same, but if you have a full patent you will have to spend more on maintaining the license in the coming years.
Possession of sport qualifications (shooting patent), referred to in art. 10b of the Arms and Ammunition Act is one of three important reasons for possessing weapons for sporting purposes. To get it, all you have to do is pass a patent exam organized by PZSS. It seems easy, but ... The condition for taking the exam is a correctly completed application for taking the patent exam along with a valid medical certificate and proof of payment 400 PLN for the exam. At this stage, you must obtain the seal and signature of the manager who, on behalf of the shooting club, declares that you have completed training in legal regulations, technical construction and principles of safe use of weapons. Therefore, the easiest way is to start a conversation with the right person in the club and determine what the course / training should look like - in other words, how to make the club approve your patent application. Obtaining a medical certificate is in most cases is a pure formality and as a rule, PZSS organizes the possibility of conducting tests on the day of the exam.
Step 4. Exam for the Shooting Patent
The current schedule of patent exams organized by PZSS can be found at: http://www.pzss.org.pl/index.php/terminy-egzaminow. The exam consists in two parts: theoretical and practical. The condition of joining the practical part is passing the theoretical exam, which consists 10 questions. According to the regulations, you must correctly answer all 10 questions. Obtaining a positive result of the theoretical exam guarantees in-depth knowledge of the law on weapons and ammunition, the provisions of the Penal Code regarding crime using weapons, the principles of practicing shooting, knowledge of the construction and principles of firearms, and basic principles of safe use of weapons. After passing the theoretical part, you take the practical exam. The most difficult exam can be a shotgun exam. The condition of passing is to shoot down three out of five clays, which causes the most problems for people taking the exam. The pistol and rifle exam is relatively easy. To obtain a positive assessment, you need to obtain a satisfactory focus on the target and to present the correct and safe technique of using the weapon when performing the examiner's instructions, i.e. Load, take position, give 5 shots, unload, check the weapon and put it on the table.
Step 5. Shooting license
The third important reason for possessing weapons for sporting purposes is the license of the Polish sports association. The document entitles to participate in shooting competitions organized by PZSS. You will receive the license soon after receiving the patent. In this way you completed most of your marathon. However, before you start triumphing at the finish line, remember, you haven't become an athlete for this one moment. The sport license is valid for one calendar year. To keep your third valid reason for having a weapon, you must renew it. The condition for extending the license is participation in the competition. At least 4 times a year in leading weapons competitions. If you have a full patent for shooting, you must participate in 8 competitions a year (4 + 2 + 2). For this reason, it is worth taking the patent exam and withdrawing the license at the beginning of the calendar year, leaving a time buffer for participation in all required competitions.
STAGE II
Step 1. Medical examinations and an important reason for having a weapon for the administrative procedure department (WPA) at the provincial police headquarters.
When applying for a sports weapon license, you must prove that you are not a threat to yourself or public order, and provide a valid reason for having a weapon. In the first stage of the marathon for permission, you took care of an important reason in the form of all qualifications for practicing active sports.
- Membership in a shooting association
- Qualification of sport "Shooting Patent"
- License of the Polish sports association
Then you need to do psychological and psychiatric examinations. A medical certificate is one of the proofs of mental health, which means that you are not a threat to yourself and public order. Another important element is the criminal record issued by the national criminal record. You do not have to do that. WPA will apply for such a certificate.
Step 2. Application for a firearms license
Proper preparation of the application can significantly reduce the time for issuing a positive decision, so it is important to attach to it all the necessary information (you can download the application template HERE - Polish version). 
You are applying for permission to sport weapon shooting, think about the number of weapons and divide them into different types. You must take into account that the police distinguish three types of weapons: shotgun, rimfire and central fire, and not as in the case of PZSS, pistol, rifle and shotgun. When applying for permission, you should clearly indicate why you need so many pieces of a given type, e.g. two guns and two central fire rifles - a total of 4 central fire weapons; three guns and four rimfire rifles are a total of seven weapons of this type. The justification for each of them should be the appropriate sports competitions. Publishing information about where you intend to store weapons from the list will not hurt. Inform in the application about your membership in the club and PZSS. Explain that your shooting patent and license exempt you from having to pass an exam before a police authority. Although you attach medical certificates, it doesn't hurt to write: "I do not belong to the persons mentioned in art. 15 paragraph 1 points 2-4 of the Act of 21 May 1999 On Weapons and Ammunition (Journal of Laws 53, item 549, as amended). "Finally, please indicate that if your application is successful, you waive your right to inspect the case file. This will save you two weeks between issuing a positive decision and obtaining a sports weapon license.
Step 3. Completing documents for WPA Police
Attachments for WPA Police must be sent in an appropriate form. Complete the documents according to the following list:
- Notarized copy of an identity document
- Notarized copy of the shooting patent
- Notarized copy of the shooting sport license
- Original certificate confirming membership in the shooting club
- Original psychiatrist's certificate
- Original certificate from a psychologist
- Confirmation of stamp duty payment.
- Two your pictures in 3cm x 4cm format
- Application for a permit for sport firearms
You can send a set of documents by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt to the address of the Provincial Police Headquarters, the Administrative Proceedings Department appropriate for your place of residence. If you want, you can provide documents in person. In this case, make a copy of the application and ask the WPA police to sign it. This is a preferential action if you lose your report (yes, it happens with the police)
The official responsible for examining the application has one month to make a positive decision on the assumption that he has a set of documents. It is possible that WPA will not receive a response from the National Criminal Register. Then you will receive information that the proceedings have been extended for another month. It may happen that the WPA sends a request for information about the competition, shooting results or special achievements. This is information that cannot influence the official's decision. Pursuant to the Act, the WPA is not entitled to demand them and make the issue of a license subject to their issue. The best solution in this situation is to participate in at least several competitions before submitting the application. Although you have no legal obligations, having such documentation may dispel any WPA doubts, saving you time to exchange additional correspondence. Otherwise, support your answer with the judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court II OSK 2211/12.
Step 4. Gun permit - privileges and duties
On the basis of the permit alone, you won't be able to even buy ammunition in a gun shop, that's not all the formalities. The permit for sporting weapons allows the storage and transport of the appropriate type and quantity of weapons indicated in the license and application for a purchase certificate. You are probably wondering about the meaning: I can't buy but I can store and transport? For example, a gun permit gives you the right to borrow a gun from a friend and according to the loan agreement and administrative decision (gun permit) you can legally go to the shooting range as part of training and even compete. However, there are certain conditions that you must meet, you can read about them in the ordinance of the Minister of the Interior of August 26, 2014. On the storage, carrying and registration of weapons and ammunition. I assume that at this stage of your involvement in shooting sports you will not buy more than 50 weapons. Above this amount you would have to build a suitable warehouse. Let's focus on the basic arsenal necessary to realize our passions and our own ambitions. According to the regulation, a safe of at least class S1 should be obtained in accordance with PN-EN 14450. It is a waste of time to delve into the details of this certificate and in-depth parameter analysis. Go to the nearest specialized store and choose a product in which you can place the target amount of weapons. The weapon in the safe is stored unloaded with the magazine detached. Other rules apply to transport. To the satisfaction of all owners from November 1, 2014. Sports weapons can be transported loaded, in a case or holster, as close as possible to the body and in the least visible way. It is worth noting that the legislator's goal was not to create a wild west on the streets of the Republic of Poland, but to secure weapons against unauthorized access by other people or theft. Remember that pretending to be a cowboy and showing your weapon to others in a public place means losing your license! Regular health monitoring is another responsibility of the holder of the Polish weapon permit. Every 5 years you must update the psychiatrist's certificate and psychologist's certificate at WPA Police. All your duties can and will be subject to police control. This function is performed by the district command appropriate for the place of residence.
Step 5 Certificate authorizing the acquisition of firearms and registration of firearms in the police
You are at the finish of the marathon. Your diploma will be a certificate entitling you to buy firearms, the medallion will be your gun holder book ID, and the trophy will be the weapon you dreamed of.
Based on the weapon permit (document - administrative decision) you submit an application for a certificate authorizing the purchase of firearms. This document entitles you to buy weapons in a licensed store (e.g. TargetZone.eu :)) The cost of issuing a single certificate is 17 PLN. You can apply for one certificate entitling you to purchase as many weapons as you have in your permission. However, it is reasonable to apply for several certificates for individual weapons. This will allow you to make purchases in different stores and on different days. The certificate itself is issued for an infinite period. Regardless of the volume of purchases, the seller will keep your certificate in the archive. If you have a certificate entitling you to buy 20 weapons and you decide to buy 1 item, you will not be able to buy the remaining 19 items until you receive another purchase certificate.
You go to the store with the original weapon purchase certificate, ID card and stuffed wallet. Most issued certificates authorize the purchase of a specific type of weapon along with ammunition. In this case, especially during the first purchase, you should also stock up on ammunition. The document authorizing the purchase of ammunition in the future will be the weapon owner ID. To receive a weapon holder red ID, you must register the purchased weapon with the WPA police within 5 calendar days. The gun holder ID will be issued up to 14 days after registration, but this is usually done immediately.
With proper involvement, both stages should last from 10 to 14 months. After achieving the goal, the word "satisfaction" takes on a new meaning. You have received permission for sporting weapons and this is undoubtedly a source of pride. However, this is not all. You have entered a new world built by people with passion. Exchange experience, improve your qualifications, earn diplomas. I support you from now on!
Do you have any questions?
Which of the steps is not understood by you?
Do you need help getting a qualification?
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