Gun laws in The Bahamas are strict: civilians can legally own firearms only with a government-issued license, foreign visitors have no route to possess a gun on land, and unlicensed possession carries up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine.1Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Traveling with Firearms The Bahamian Firearms Act treats ownership as a privilege, not a right, and the licensing office has real discretion to say no.
Who Qualifies for a Firearm License
A license applicant must be a Bahamian citizen residing in The Bahamas, at least 18 years old, and free of any criminal record. Prior convictions will usually disqualify you outright. The stated purpose of the firearm has to fall within a short list the government accepts: hunting, security for a business, or something tied to your employment.2MyGateway. Royal Bahamas Police Force
Character and mental fitness also matter. A history of substance abuse or a mental health condition that raises safety concerns can lead to denial. Police conduct interviews and background checks before anything is issued.
Non-Bahamian residents and tourists cannot obtain a standard firearm license. If you are visiting the country, there is no legal path to possess a firearm on land. The only exception, described below, applies to guns kept aboard a pleasure vessel.
What Firearms Civilians Can Own
Shotguns face the lightest scrutiny and are approved mainly for hunting. Rifles are allowed but reviewed more carefully, and a 2014 amendment to the Firearms Act singled out high-powered rifles — those chambered in .22 caliber or greater with a muzzle energy of 900 foot-pounds or higher — for stiffer penalties when possessed illegally.3The Bahamas Official Gazette. Firearms (Amendment) Act, 2014
Handguns require a special license from the Commissioner of Police. You generally have to show a specific security-related need; personal preference is unlikely to be enough. The fee for a handgun license is five times what a shotgun license costs.
Automatic weapons, submachine guns, machine guns, and assault-style weapons are off-limits to civilians entirely. Any accessory designed to convert a legal firearm into something resembling a prohibited weapon is also illegal. Firearms are listed as restricted imports and can only be brought into the country with special authorization from the Commissioner of Police.4The Bahamas Customs Department. Prohibited and Restricted Imports and Exports
How the Application Works
Applications go to the Firearms Licensing Office of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, either in person or through the MyGateway online portal. You will need bills of sale for both the firearm you plan to purchase and a firearm safe. Secure storage is not optional — no safe, no license. A police character certificate and identifying documents round out the paperwork, and an in-person interview is part of the process.2MyGateway. Royal Bahamas Police Force
Fees run by firearm type:
- Shotgun: $150
- Rifle: $300
- Handgun: $750
Licenses expire on December 31 of the year they are issued, no matter when you received yours, and must be renewed annually.2MyGateway. Royal Bahamas Police Force
Where a License Lets You Carry
A Bahamian firearm license authorizes ownership and use for the specific purpose listed on it. It is not a carry permit. The Bahamas has no civilian concealed-carry system comparable to what many U.S. states offer, and carrying a firearm in public without specific authorization exposes you to the same penalties as owning an unlicensed gun.
In practice, your licensed firearm belongs in your home safe, at your licensed place of business, or in transit directly to a lawful use such as a hunting trip. Nothing about holding a license permits general carry.
Penalties for Firearms Offenses
Possessing a firearm or ammunition without a valid Bahamian license carries up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine.1Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Traveling with Firearms The 2014 amendment added distinct offenses for high-powered firearms, illegal manufacturing, and trafficking, with penalties scaled to the seriousness of the conduct.3The Bahamas Official Gazette. Firearms (Amendment) Act, 2014
The law applies equally to Bahamian citizens and foreign nationals. The U.S. Embassy has said plainly that it cannot secure the release of a U.S. citizen arrested for bringing a firearm into The Bahamas illegally.1Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Traveling with Firearms Cases are handled in Bahamian court under Bahamian law.
The Pleasure Vessel Exception
Boaters get the one narrow carve-out for foreigners. A pleasure vessel arriving in The Bahamas may carry up to three firearms — handguns, rifles, or shotguns — provided no firearm’s caliber exceeds .308. You may bring a maximum of 250 rounds of ammunition per firearm.5The Bahamas Customs Department. Pleasure Vessels
Every firearm must be declared with Bahamian Customs at your first port of entry, including serial number, manufacturer, and exact ammunition count. The weapons must then stay on the vessel, locked and secured at all times. They cannot come ashore for any reason. If an emergency forces you to leave by air, notify Bahamian police or customs, who will accompany you to retrieve the firearm, issue a receipt, and return it when you come back to the boat.6U.S. Embassy in The Bahamas. Boating in The Bahamas
Automatic weapons are prohibited on vessels just as they are on land. Failing to declare a firearm triggers the same ten-year, $10,000 penalty as unlicensed possession.1Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Traveling with Firearms
Air Travelers: A Common and Costly Mistake
Declaring a firearm to your airline and to TSA satisfies U.S. transportation rules. It does not give you permission to bring the gun into The Bahamas.1Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Traveling with Firearms Arriving at a Bahamian airport with a firearm in your checked luggage, even properly declared to the airline, will lead to your arrest and prosecution unless you obtained advance authorization from the Commissioner of Police. The pleasure-vessel exception does not extend to air travel. U.S. citizens taking a firearm abroad by any means should also register it with CBP on Form 4457 before leaving, which documents ownership for the return trip.7U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Form 4457 – Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad