Airsoft is a modern shooting sport. Airsoft guns themselves are legal in many parts of the world, although some countries have specific restrictions such as maximum muzzle energy, rules against using the trademarks of real firearms and special marking requirements (such as bright orange barrel tips).

There are weight limitations for parcels to different countries in Hong Kong Post. If the shipping weight of the order exceeds the weight limits of Hong Kong Post for your countries, our shipping cart is not able to calculate the shipping cost for your order. In that case, the order is needed to be shipped in 2 or more parcels and we will inform you the shipping cost immediately by e-mail after the order is confirmed.

The followings are the legal issues in Airsoft and the shipping weight limits in the Hong Kong Post and for different countries:

Austria   Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

 ~Airsoft guns and pistols are allowed, but restricted to maximal 0.08 joule for persons <18 years.
~All users that are at least 14 years old do not need their parent's permission.
~ Airsoft guns and pistols more than 0.08 joule can be purchased in specialized weapon shops only and all users have to be at least 18 years old.

Belgium   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~ Airsoft guns and pistols can only be bought at officially licensed dealers, who carry a government permit along with a certified weapon of defense (W.O.D.) to import and sell firearms

Bulgaria   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~ Airsoft is a legal sport in Bulgaria and there are no restrictions placed on the guns.
~ People between 14-18 years old nees their parents' permission. For the rest (18 and above) there are no restrictions.
~ The Bulgarian law considers Airsoft guns to be Airguns - you don't need any documents, licenses or anything else to possess them.
~ However, shooting in "protected" (quote from the law) areas is forbidden. Protected areas are schools, administrative buildings and other public property. Also, shooting with an Airgun/Airsoft gun in public areas is forbidden.
~ There are no restrictions about carrying, possessing or using Airsoft guns in Bulgaria. There are no restrictions about the age of the players (traders don't sell Airguns/Airsoft guns to minors <18 though).
~ There are no restrictions about lasers, flashlights etc. Basically, you could put anything on your gun.
~ There's no need the end of the barrel to be painted in orange (like in the United States)
~ There are no restrictions about the power of the Airguns/Airsoft guns - you could buy an 1J Airsoft as well as an 80J PCP Airgun
~ There are no restrictions about carrying Airsoft guns in public areas (it is not a good idea, however).

Czech Republic   Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

~ Airsoft guns have the same status as real firearms, yet they fit into a category where no gun license is needed.
~ The use of airsoft guns is allowed for players that are least 18 years old.
~ Airsoft guns may not have an energy greater than 16 joules.
~ The use of laser sights and flashlights is forbidden.
~ Usage and open carrying of airsoft guns in public places is highly forbidden.
~ Playing is forbidden in places which are freely accessible by civilians - it can be played only on places that are private and closed

Denmark    Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

Airsoft guns are mentioned in the Danish "Våbenlov" (Arms control legislation).

~ You have to be at least 18 years old to buy, hand over and possess airsoft guns.
~ You can use airsoft guns, on police approved sites, with a permission slip, at the age of 16.
~ A firearms certificate is not required

Finland   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~ Visible transportation of replica firearms in public areas is forbidden. All replica firearms must be covered with something, for example, a weapon case.
~ Land owner's permission is needed to play airsoft in any area.
~ Minors (under the age of 18) are able to purchase airsoft guns only with written permission from their parents

France   Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

~ Visible transportation of replica firearms in public areas is forbidden. All replica firearms must be covered with something, for example, a weapon case.
~ Land owner's permission is needed to play airsoft in any area.
~ Minors (under the age of 18) can only buy airsoft gun which are under 0.07 joules in power.
~ Airsoft gun may only have a power under 2 joules , otherwise they must be registered, as over 2 joules it is considered to be a weapon by law in Gendarmerie

Hungary   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~ The laws for airsoft in Hungary is simple. They're classified as airguns under 7.5 Joules. Fully automatic operation is legal. There is no age limit for buying, but minors (below 18) can only use them under the supervision of an adult.
~ Airsoft guns can only be sold in licensed gun shops and these guns must have the proofmark of the "Hungarian Firearm Proofing Authority" (www.mkh.hu). No proof required for private import and sale.
~ Shooting of airguns: must be confined to a railed off private property or a shooting range. No pellet/BB should leave the range or property.
~ Modification: modification of an airgun for higher muzzle energy is prohibited, but under 7.5 Joules there is no legal penalty for such act (above 7.5 Joules airguns classified as firearms which require license).
~ Transportation: unloaded, in a closed case/bag.
~ Storage: unloaded, gun separated from pellets/BBs, closed container, unauthorized persons should not have access to the gun

Indonesia   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

* In Indonesia, there are no strict rules about it, and still under consideration by the government as to whether airsoft guns are treated as "toys" or are almost equal to real guns. However, airsoft were first brought to Indonesia circa 2000 - 2001. The founders of Indonesian airsoft communities put some restrictions on airsoft games.
o For example, airsoft players are prohibited to upgrade their gun to above 100m/s, or they'll be rejected from the community.
o Anyone who wants to buy an airsoft gun, must be at least 19 years old and know the regulations and rules about the airsoft gun.

Some events have occurred that are perceived as endangering the continuity of the hobby, such as some robberies in which airsoft replicas were used.

Ireland   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~The status of Airsoft in Ireland was changed after the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, which amended the previous Firearms Acts from 1925, 1963, 1972 and 1990.

~Where once authorization or a license was required for all devices which fired a projectile from a barrel, The law now defines a firearm as (amongst other things);

an air gun (including an air rifle and air pistol) with a muzzle energy greater than one joule of kinetic energy or any other weapon incorporating a barrel from which any projectile can be discharged with such a muzzle energy

~The aim of this change was to establish a minimum power a device must have to be classified a firearm in order to eliminate the legal oddity where toy suction cup dart guns and the like were legally classified as firearms, thus bringing Ireland into line with the rest of the EU. In this case, one joule was used as the limit, as opposed to seven joules in Germany, 12 foot-pounds force (8.9 J) in the UK and so on. The one joule limit most likely arose from UK case law where it was found that energies in excess of one joule were required to penetrate an eyeball (thus causing serious injury). As a result, airsoft devices under one joule of power have been declassified and have become perfectly legal to possess and use within The Republic of Ireland. Those over one joule of power remain perfectly legal to possess and use within the Republic, so long as a firearms certificate is applied for and granted by the local Garda superintendent - but they are at this point classed legally as actual firearms.

Israel   Weight limit: 20kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

Airsoft guns are classified as "dangerous toys" which makes airsoft illegal to import, manufacture and sell. This law is not very well enforced, however, and it is possible to find retailers who import MPEG level airsoft guns and also AEG level airsoft guns.

Italy   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Airsoft guns and pistols are allowed a velocity below 100 m/s (328 ft/s) i.e. equivalent to 1 joule: under the law, airsoft guns are not classified as firearms. You can buy and sell it both from stores and from another private citizen.

~ Orange tips must be present on the barrel ends of the airsoft gun when they are imported and sold by a store. Once you own the airsoft gun, you may remove the orange tip; however, the similarity between genuine firearms and airsoft replicas is close enough to provoke interaction with law enforcement personnel if an airsoft gun is mistaken for its real counterpart. Airsoft used to commit a crime is treated as if you had the real gun, assault weapons carry an extra mandatory sentence in addition to the regular punishment for the crime committed.
~ The minimum age to purchase airsoft and/or use it during a regular match is 18, or 14 if accompanied by a parent or legal tutor.
~ Usage and open carrying of air soft guns in public places is forbidden. You can play in a private property away from public sight, or in a well-delimited private or state property after having asked the local authorities for a limited-time permit (usually from 6 to 48 hours), and having alerted the local police command, to avoid alarmed citizens calling for emergency.

Japan    Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

~ In Japan, airsoft guns are legal, but may not shoot with a muzzle energy above 0.98 joules.
~ Legal requirements are set on airsoft model manufacturers to prevent any possibility of a replica weapon being converted into an actual firearm.
* Standards include (but are not limited to) use of low-melting point metals and non-ballistic plastics in structural components and incompatibility of mechanical components with actual firearm components and mechanisms.
~ The overall litmus test used by the Japanese National Police Authority is whether the replica weapon can be made to chamber and fire an actual round of ammunition.
~ These standards have proven successful within Japan, as it has been found that criminal elements discovered that it is significantly easier to purchase an actual illegal weapon in comparison to modifying a comparatively fragile replica into a functional firearm.
~ Due to this reality, most crimes involving a threat of physical violence are often perpetrated with edged weapons, as firearms seen in public are (by default) believed to be toys by the public at large.

Luxembourg   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Registration of any sort is not required for airsoft weapons, however, they are only available for purchase to people over 18 years.

Airsoft players have established unofficial set of rules, which regulates the behavior of players, belonging to the community.

New Zealand   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Single-shot and semi-automatic (all automatic weapons require a special restricted endorsement) air-powered weapons are legal to posses and use in New Zealand, provided that the person is either over 18 years of age, or 16 with a firearms license. A person under 18 may not posses an air gun but may use one under the direct supervision of someone over 18 or a firearms license holder.

It is illegal to use these weapons in any manner that may endanger or intimidate members of the public (pointing, brandishing, etc) except where there is reasonable cause, such as an Airsoft game.

Police, New Zealand, Airguns Factsheet,  http://www.police.govt.nz/service/firearms/infosheet04.html . Retrieved on 2007-07-24

Norway   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

The Arms control legislation (Våpenforskrift) requires:

~ One to be at least 18 years old to buy, hand over, possess and use airsoft guns.
~ A firearms certificate is not required.

Poland    Weight limit: 20kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

Airsoft guns fall into the same category as paintball guns and smoothbore air-powered weapons up to 17 Joules and are available to people over 18 years of age, registration of any sort is not required. This, however, is not strictly enforced and many cheap spring replicas may be found in toy shops (due to common practice of labelling them as "toys"). Generally, the police considers airsoft replicas toys rather than "non-lethal weapons". The Polish airsoft community has formulated "Airsoft Rules", an unofficial set of rules regarding airsoft as a whole. While they are not enforced in any specific way, abiding "Airsoft Rules" is a sign of "playing fair" and belonging to the community. Excerpts from "Airsoft Rules":

~ Eye protection must be worn at all times during the game.
~ Brandishing replicas in public places is not allowed. Doing so may lead to ejection from the community.
~ Local law enforcement (police, Forest Guard etc.) must be informed earlier about every airsoft game taking place in the area.
~ Players between 16 and 18 years of age are able to participate in airsoft games only with written permission from their parents

Portugal   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Airsoft is legal in Portugal under the name of Softair. Softair falls into a specific category designated as "Arma de softair" or in English "softair gun". According to the new guns and ammunitions law (DR - Lei n.º5/2006 de 23 de Fevereiro - Regime Jurídico das armas e suas munições) some of the main excerpts are:

~ Any softair gun must be totally or partially painted in fluorescent red or yellow color;
~ Maximum energy level at muzzle exit must not exceed 1.3 Joules (or 374 fps);
~ Softair gun purchase is limited to:
~ Minimum age of 18;
~ Only for sport practice;
~ Buyer/gun owner must be registered in a softair federation;
~ Softair players/gun owners don't need to possess Public Liability insurance;
~ Other special limitations may apply to softair gunsmiths and players.

Romania   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Law nr. 295 from 2004 (Regimul Armelor ?i Muni?iilor) regulates all use of weapons and associated ammunition:

~ The law is quite unclear (in what concerns airsoft weapons) as to whether this kind of weapon classifies as "non-lethal weapon" or "toy".
~ The law regulates the use of air-powered weapons (e.g. sport/competition use, that use a metal projectile) under "non-lethal" category and solely requires that you (1) are at least 18 years old and (2) register your weapon at the police precinct nearest from your location.
~ The law specifies that usage of night vision (infrared) or laser aiming devices designed for military use is completely restricted to members of the army and associated entities even if the aiming device is used on a lower-restriction category weapon (e.g. such as on an airsoft gun). The law, however, does not restrict in any way the use of aiming devices not designed for military use.
~ The law specifies that, should you attempt to use a non-lethal or replica gun to perform (or attempt to perform) armed robbery, you shall be prosecuted as if a real gun was used.

Slovenia   Weight limit: 15kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

~ One has to be at least 18 years to buy airsoft guns.
~ If the velocity of an airsoft gun is below 100 m/s (328 ft/s) i.e. equivalent to 1 joule, it is considered to be a toy.
~ If the velocity is higher than 100 m/s (328 ft/s), the airsoft gun is classified as a section D weapon in the Firearms control legislation of Slovenia. Additionally Air Soft Clubs and National Shooters Association in Slovenia recommend that airsoft gun velocities should not be above 100 m/s (1 J)

Spain   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Airsoft guns are regarded as low power weapons and AEGs must have:

~ Semiautomatic rifles and pistols: less than 2.4 joules
~ Other automatic electric guns: less than 1.00 joules and local police validation

Sweden   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

One must be at least 18 years old to buy and own airsoft guns. If you are under 18 a license is required. Players in Sweden are often very protective about this, and do not like players under 18.

In order to possess a gas, air or spring operated firearm without a license the impact energy of a projectile fired at a distance of 3 meters must be less than 10 joules. If it is semi or fully automatic the impacet energy must be less than 3 joules

Switzerland    Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

~ Airsoft guns are not considered as subject to the weapon legislation and no permission is necessary.
~ Please note that all kinds of laser sights are forbidden.

United Kingdom    Weight limit: 30kg for each parcel in Hong Kong Post(regular airmail or EMS)

There are currently certain restrictions on the possession of airsoft replicas, which came in with the introduction of the ASBA (Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003) Amendments, which prohibit the possession of any firearms replica in a public place without good cause (to be concealed in a hard gun case or sealed container only not to be left in view of public at any time) . The prohibition of self-contained gas cartridge weapons similar to that made by Brocock can arguably apply to Moscarts and BB-Shower grenade systems, however a formal case precedent has yet to be set. There were initial concerns among the airsoft community that the Violent Crime Reduction Bill (passed an Act in November 2006, but not yet commenced) would in future prevent airsoft skirmshers from buying realistic imitation firearms. However, on the 20th of September 2006 the Association of British Airsofters (ABA) received a letter from Tony McNulty saying that he has "decided to provide a defence for airsoft skirmishing in relation to the ban on the sale etc or realistic firearms". There has been confirmation airsoft will receive an exemption. This letter has been scanned and reproduced on the ABA website [3]. Note that membership of the ABA may be required in order to view the letter.

Since then, the Bill has received Royal Assent, and while now Statute Law in the UK, is still a matter of some (at times heated) discussion in the UK Airsofting community - not least of which the question as to how the Act, and Specific Defence, will work, the process of which is still being decided upon at the Home Office, at the time of this edit (5th December 2006).

The Defence will be based on a database of skirmishers registered in a central database. A person must be a regular skirmisher (i.e. skirmish 3 or more times, and the status only applies after a two month period) in order to be registered, and the airsoft site they register/skirmish at must hold public Public Liability Insurance. Once a skirmisher is registered they receive a membership card and must produce this before buying or trading airsoft weapons. It is expected that HM Customs & Excise will also have access to the database to verify the identity of importers

United States   Weight limit: 20kg by regular airmail or 30kg by EMS for each parcel in Hong Kong Post

Airsoft is legal in many countries including the USA (except some states e.g., New York City Metro (5 boroughs), Michigan, Washington DC)
Under Federal Law,

~ Airsoft guns are not classified as firearms and are legal under federal law, as well as the laws in each state. However, in almost every major city and population center the definition of a firearm within their respected ordinances includes propulsion by spring or compressed air, thus subject to applicable laws.

~ A 6 mm minimum orange tip must be present on the barrel end of the airsoft gun to identify it as such for any commercial sales. [1]

~Airsoft guns' trademarks must be removed where the manufacturer does not have an existing license agreement with the manufacturer of the real fire arm. For example: Classic Army has a licensing agreement with Armalite, so the trademarks can stay on imported replicas of Armalite's weapons. In practice enforcement is hit or miss. You might get an "unlicensed" gun through customs with trademarks intact, while a licensed gun might be held in Customs by an uninformed customs agent.

~In addition, the similarity between genuine firearms and airsoft replicas is close enough to provoke interaction with local law enforcement personnel if an airsoft gun is carried openly in public.

~If someone were to, for example, attempt a robbery with an airsoft gun, they would be charged as if the airsoft gun were a real firearm.

New York City requires that all realistic toy or imitation firearm be made of clear or brightly colored plastics; furthermore, New York City makes possession of any air pistol or air rifle or similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or air, unlawful without a license. See New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(b) and New York City Administrative Code § 10-131(g)(1)(a)[2]. This has the effect of creating a total ban on airsoft guns since few manufacturers make such guns, and fewer players desire them. The rest of New York State is unaffected by these laws, and there are no state regulations limiting or prohibiting airsoft.

Michigan restricts the purchase of these guns so that they may only be purchased from a licensed retailer. Black Market retailers are also a source for purchasing airsoft guns in Michigan.
Texas allows Airsoft guns to be owned but most cities require that the Airsoft guns be discharged only while outside city limits.