Can You Legally Own a Gun in Colombia? Permits, Limits, Penalties

Gun ownership in Colombia is legal only as a narrow exception: the government holds a constitutional monopoly on firearms, and private possession requires an explicit permit from the state. Only Colombian citizens can apply, so foreign residents and visitors cannot legally own a gun in the country. Even for citizens who qualify, the rules under Decree 2535 of 1993 sharply limit what you can buy, how much ammunition you can keep, and whether you can carry it outside your home.¹

Foreigners Cannot Apply

Before anything else: if you are not a Colombian citizen, this article’s rules do not open a door for you. The Department of Control of the Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives Trade (DCCAE) does not issue firearm permits to foreigners, regardless of visa status or length of residence. Bringing a personally owned firearm into the country, or acquiring one inside it, is not a legal option for non-citizens.

Possession Permit vs. Carry Permit

Colombian law splits firearm authorization into two very different documents, and treating them as interchangeable is how gun owners end up in prison.

A possession permit (tenencia) lets you keep a firearm at your registered home or business. It is valid for ten years, after which you must reapply and requalify.

A carry permit (porte) lets you transport a firearm on your person outside those premises. It is valid for three years on paper. In practice, successive administrations have renewed a nationwide ban on civilian carry permits by presidential decree, so most civilians cannot obtain one at all.

A possession permit gives you no right to move the gun beyond the address it is registered to. Transport it without a valid carry permit and you face the same criminal exposure as someone with no permit whatsoever.

Who Qualifies

Colombian citizens who want a firearm permit must meet each of the following:

At least 18 years old.
A clean criminal record with no convictions.
A medical certificate of psychophysical aptitude from an authorized institution.
A demonstrated legitimate need, such as a specific personal-defense threat, sport shooting, hunting, or collecting.
Completion of a certified weapons handling course with a recorded practical demonstration.

You will also need a valid cédula de ciudadanía and proof of employment or income. Every firearm must be registered with the Colombian military through DCCAE, and the only lawful seller of firearms to civilians is the state-owned manufacturer INDUMIL.

What Civilians Are Allowed to Own

Decree 2535 sorts civilian-legal firearms into personal defense, sporting, and collection categories, each with technical limits that are stricter than most newcomers assume.

Personal Defense Weapons

Under Article 11 of the Decree, a personal defense firearm must meet all of these specifications:¹

Revolvers and pistols: maximum caliber 9.652mm (.38 in.), maximum barrel length 15.24cm (6 in.), semi-automatic or repetition function only, and magazine capacity of no more than 9 rounds (10 for .22 caliber).
Carbines: non-automatic .22 S, .22 L, or .22 LR only.
Shotguns: barrel length of 22 inches or less.

All of those specifications are cumulative. A pistol that satisfies the caliber cap but exceeds the 6-inch barrel limit is not a personal defense weapon under Article 11 and falls into a different, harder-to-permit category.

Sporting Weapons

Article 12 covers competition pistols and revolvers meeting International Shooting Sport Federation standards, shotguns with barrels longer than 22 inches, non-semiautomatic hunting rifles of any caliber, and black powder firearms.¹ A sporting permit requires proof of membership in a recognized shooting club or hunting organization.

Collection Weapons

Firearms held for historical, technological, or scientific interest fall under Article 13 and require a separate collection permit; they are intended for display, not use.

Restricted and Prohibited Firearms

Article 9 defines restricted weapons as those that may only be authorized in exceptional circumstances at the government’s discretion. That category includes .38 caliber revolvers and pistols that fall outside the personal defense specifications, automatic pistols, and sub-machineguns, and in practice these permits go almost exclusively to certain security professionals.¹ Military-grade weapons, fully automatic rifles, and anything beyond the caliber and function limits above are flatly prohibited for civilians. There is no legal civilian route to owning an assault rifle or military firearm in Colombia.

Ammunition Limits

Even with a valid permit, ammunition is capped every six months:

Pistols and revolvers: 100 rounds
Rifles: 200 rounds
Shotguns: 300 rounds

All ammunition must be bought through INDUMIL. No legal private ammunition market exists.

Where Guns Are Prohibited

The Constitution itself bars firearms at political rallies, elections, and sessions of public assemblies or groups.² Guns are also generally prohibited in government buildings, schools, airports, and places of worship. With the civilian carry ban in force, most gun owners will only ever keep their firearm at the home or business where it is registered.

Penalties

Possessing or carrying a firearm without proper authorization is a criminal offense under Article 365 of the Colombian Penal Code, which covers manufacture, trafficking, carrying, and possession of firearms, parts, and ammunition. Sentences run from roughly 80 to 180 months in prison (about 6.5 to 15 years), along with substantial fines, and rise sharply for military-grade weapons compared with an unregistered personal defense firearm kept at home. Police checkpoints and searches are routine, and any firearm found outside a registered address without a valid carry permit creates immediate criminal exposure for the person holding it.

1
Función Pública. Colombia Decreto Ley 2535 de 1993 – Normas sobre Armas, Municiones y Explosivos
2
Constitute. Colombia 1991 (rev. 2015) Constitution