Arms Collector Card
Verified 03 February 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)
Wondering if the gun collector card is required to collect weapons? We tell you what you need to know.
It depends on the category of the weapon.
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Category D weapons
It is not necessary to have the collector card to acquire and hold category D weapons. These weapons can be bought and held freely.
Category C3, C9 or C12 weapon
You do not need a collector card to acquire and hold a C3 (defense weapon), C9 (weapon) weapon neutralized) or C12 (alarm and signaling weapon).
Consult the dedicated sheet to know the steps to be taken to buy and hold these weapons.
Other category C weapon
If you do not have a valid hunting permit or license from the Fédération française de tir, you must have the collector's card to acquire and hold category C weapons.
Reminder
The acquisition and holding of a weapon classified as category A are forbidden except for exceptions. We need a authorization to acquire and possess a Class B firearm, whether for the practice of sport shooting or in the event of a risk to his safety due to his professional activity.
The collector's card refers to a person who collects and keeps firearms category C or their elements for historical, cultural, scientific, technical, educational or heritage preservation purposes.
To apply for the collector's card, you must meet all of the following conditions:
- Be of age
- Not be registered at FINIADA: titleContent
- Do not have on your criminal record bulletin no. 2 convictions for certain offenses (murder, murder, intentional violence, rape, sexual assault, drug trafficking, etc.).
- Do not behave in a manner that would cause you or others to fear the use of the weapon.
The issuance of the weapons collector card is free of charge.
Application File
You must create a file with the following documents:
- Arms Collector Card Application Form, completed and signed
- Copy of a valid proof of identity (national identity card, passport or residence permit)
- Copy of proof of residence less than 3 months old
- Medical certificate of less than one month attesting that your physical and mental health is compatible with the possession of weapons and ammunition
- If you are undergoing or have undergone psychiatric care in a health facility, medical certificate dated less than 1 month issued by one of the following health professionals: practicing psychiatrist, hospital teacher, doctor of the psychiatric infirmary of the police prefecture for Paris, expert approved by the courts, specialized doctor
- Certificate issued by an authorized association attesting that you are a weapons collector and that you have been made aware of the rules of security in the field of weapons. You can consult the decision of 22 february 2024 listing the authorized associations and the order of 28 january 2019, which contains a model attestation in the annex.
Sending the request
You must send the application file to the prefecture of your home.
The Weapons and Explosives Section does not receive users.
By post
Prefecture of Police
Directorate of General Police
Office of Administrative Police
Weapons and Explosives Section
1 bis rue de Lutèce
75195 Paris Cedex 04
By courier
From contact form
Request Instruction
The map will help you is refused when you do not meet the requirements to have a collector card.
The map may be refused in the following situations:
- Your behavior, revealed by an investigation requested by the prefect, is incompatible with the possession of a weapon.
- You have been or are being admitted to psychiatric care without consent.
- Issuance of the card could be disturbing the order or public safety. For example, in case of non-compliance with the rules for keeping weapons.
Follow-up of the request
The silence kept during 4 months by the prefect on your request means that it is refused.
If your request is accepted, you will receive the collector's card by post.
The collector card allows the acquisition of category C weapons and deactivated ammunition but does not allow the purchase or possession of active ammunition.
To buy a category C weapon, you must contact a gunsmith, one licensed broker, or to a particularly in the presence of a gunsmith.
You must give him a file consisting of the following documents:
- Declaration on the form cerfa no. 12650
- Copy of a valid ID
- Copy of your valid collector card.
The gunsmith or broker takes care of transmitting your file to the prefecture of your home. If you have been admitted to psychiatric care without consent, the prefect may ask you to provide a medical certificate of less than 1 month issued by a psychiatrist.
Reminder
It is not necessary to have the collector card to acquire and hold weapons of category D, C3 (defense weapon), C9 (neutralized weapon) and C12 (alarm and signaling weapon).
The collector's card is a legitimate means of transport for a Category C weapon in the following situations:
- Activities related to the exhibition in a museum open to the public, the conservation, knowledge or study of weapons
- Participation in a historical re-enactment or cultural event of a historical or commemorative nature. In this case, you must also have a supporting documentfor example, confirmation of registration for the event.
You must take all measures to avoid the use of your weapons by another person.
Retention rules vary depending on the size of your collection and the type of weapons.
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General scenario
You must keep your weapons as follows:
- Either in a safe or a safe, adapted to the type of equipment held
- Either by dismantling a weapon element making it immediately unusable, which is kept separate
- Or by any other device preventing the removal of the weapon.
These rules do not apply to category C9 weapons (deactivated weapons, rendered unfit to fire).
You have 50 or more weapons
You must keep your weapons as follows:
- Either in a safe or a safe adapted to the type of material held
- Either by combining dismantling of a weapon element making it immediately unusable, and any other device preventing the removal of the weapon
These rules do not apply to category C9 weapons (deactivated weapons, rendered unfit to fire).
Your collection includes C1-(d) manual repeater striped-barrel long guns
If your collection has Striped-Barrel Manual Repeater Long-Gun (Class C1-d), you must keep your weapons as follows:
- Either in a safe or a safe adapted to the type of material held
- Either by combining dismantling of a weapon element making it immediately unusable, and any other device preventing the removal of the weapon
These rules do not apply to category C9 weapons (deactivated weapons, rendered unfit to fire).
Your collection contains weapons classified as C5 because of their dangerousness
If your collection has weapons classified as category C5 because of their dangerousness, you must keep your weapons as follows:
- Either in a safe or a safe adapted to the type of material held
- Either by combining dismantling of a weapon element making it immediately unusable, and any other device preventing the removal of the weapon
These rules do not apply to category C9 weapons (deactivated weapons, rendered unfit to fire).
The collector's card is issued for a period of 15 years.
You must send the renewal request to the prefecture of your home at the latest one month before the expiry date of the card. At the end of this period, renewal cannot be granted unless you justify the delay in filing the application by an impediment.
The renewal application file is identical to the original application file of the collector card.
The Weapons and Explosives Section does not receive users.
By post
Prefecture of Police
Directorate of General Police
Office of Administrative Police
Weapons and Explosives Section
1 bis rue de Lutèce
75195 Paris Cedex 04
By courier
From contact form
One receipt the renewal application is issued to you. It is worth provisional collector card from the end of the validity of the card until the renewal decision.
The silence kept during 4 months by the prefect on your request for renewal of the card means that it is refused.
Please note
If you did not request the renewal of the collector card when its validity ended, you must take the gun away from you in a 3 months delay. One dedicated page explains how to do the process.
The collector card can be taken away from you when its issuance or preservation could disturb the order or public safety.
The collector's card will help you shall be withdrawn in the following situations:
- You cease to qualify for a collector card
- You are registered at FINIADA: titleContent
- You're not following the rules of gun conservation.
You must return the collector's card to the prefecture and divest yourself of the weapon. One dedicated page explains how to do the process.
On the same subject
Classification of weapons
Classification of weapons and ammunition
Service Public
Ministry of the Interior