Laws on Guns, Explosives and Weapons in Singapore (Part 1)

In a world of rapidly evolving threats, the ability to control and manage dangerous weapons is more important than ever. Recognising the need for a unified and modernised approach, Singapore enacted the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (Act), which was passed by Parliament on 5 January 2021 and came into force on 1 July 2025.

Consolidating, refreshing and even replacing multiple existing pieces of legislation, the Act strengthens the regulatory regime for guns, gun accessories, explosives, explosive precursors (i.e. chemical substances that can be combined to create explosives), weapons and noxious substances – collectively referred to as guns, explosives and weapons (GEW). It tightens and clarifies controls over GEWs as well as enhances the police’s operational effectiveness, while ensuring a calibrated regulatory and enforcement framework.

To shed more light on the Act, this article will cover the following topics:

• What is the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act?
• What is defined as a “gun” under the Act?
• Criminalisation of unauthorised possession of 3D Blueprints for manufacturing guns
• New licences introduced under the Act
• Security clearance of employees (special workers) who handle guns
• What are the gun-related offences and penalties under the Act?

This article only focuses on the regulatory regime for guns under the Act. Please refer to our other article for information on the regulatory regime for explosives and weapons under the Act.

What is the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act?

How are GEWs defined under the Act?

The Act is Singapore’s primary statute for regulating GEWs. The Act governs the control, licensing, possession, manufacture, import, export, transport, storage, use, and disposal of such dangerous items. GEWs are defined under the Act, as follows:

• Guns: Under the Act, guns refer to any object capable of being aimed at a target and causing hurt or injury by either propelling a projectile (e.g. a bullet) or discharging any corrosive substance or poison with explosive force.
• Explosives: Explosives are defined as any explosive substance or device, fireworks or ammunition. This includes devices such as bombs, grenades or mines, or substances such as gunpowder and dynamite.
• Other controlled weapons: Under the Act, weapons encompass a wide variety of objects that can be used offensively, including knives, swords, spears, machetes, axes, nunchucks, bows and arrows etc. The full list of controlled weapons can be found in Schedule 1 of the Act.

To whom does the Act apply to?

The Act applies to a wide range of stakeholders beyond individual persons. The Act casts a wide regulatory net to ensure that every party involved in the lifecycle of GEWs is accountable under the law – from production and storage to eventual disposal. Key stakeholders covered under the Act include:

• Private security firms that handle guns or related equipment
• Sporting associations, such as shooting clubs that use guns in competitive or recreational settings
• Licensed traders, dealers, and manufacturers involved in the sale, repair, import or export of guns or explosives
• Collectors and enthusiasts, including those who possess antique guns or realistic replicas

What was the previous regulatory regime for GEWs? 

Prior to the enactment of the Act, Singapore’s regulatory regime for GEWs was spread across several pieces of legislation, each covering a specific aspect of control. These laws had served the country for decades since the respective pieces of legislation were enacted, but became outdated in light of modern technological advancements and evolving security threats. The pieces of legislation which were either repealed or amended as a result of the enactment of the Act are:

• Arms and Explosives Act (AEA): The AEA governed the licensing, storage, manufacture, and import/export of firearms and explosives. While it laid the groundwork for basic regulatory control, the law was introduced in the early 20th century and lacked provisions for contemporary issues such as digital fabrication, cross-border online sales, or bundled licensing for integrated businesses. The AEA has been repealed and replaced by the Act.
• Dangerous Fireworks Act (DFA): The DFA prohibited the illegal possession, sale, or use of fireworks, recognising the public safety hazards posed by unauthorised pyrotechnics. However, it was a standalone piece of legislation that dealt only with one specific category of explosives. The DFA has been repealed and replaced by the Act. The Act absorbs and expands upon the DFA’s provisions by including all classes of fireworks and other explosive materials within a single legal regime.
• Explosive Substances Act (ESA): The ESA was an act relating to explosive substances, and prohibited the making and unlawful use of explosive substances. The ESA has been repealed and replaced by the Act.
• Arms Offences Act (AOA): This legislation focused on criminal offences involving arms, providing severe penalties such as mandatory death sentences for crimes involving the use or attempted use of firearms. The Act retains many of the serious penalties introduced under the AOA, and incorporates them into a broader and more coherent legal framework. Consequently, the AOA has been amended in light of the Act.
• Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act (CESOWA): The CESOWA provides penalties relating to the unlawful possession and use of corrosive and explosive substances as well as the carrying of offensive weapons. To avoid repetition, the CESOWA has also been amended in light of the Act.

The driving motivation behind the modernisation of Singapore’s regulatory regime for GEWs is three-fold:

1. Threat of terrorism remains high and poses risk of violence in Singapore: According to the Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report published in July 2025, the terrorism threat to Singapore remains high overall. Self-radicalisation also remains a key threat in Singapore. In fact, in the one-year period from July 2024 to July 2025, there have been 8 instances of Singaporeans who were self-radicalised. GEWs can be used by persons with malicious intent to carry out a terrorist attack in Singapore.
2. Technological changes pose new challenges to enforcement: The above risk is coupled with the increased ease of obtaining GEWs unlawfully, because of technological changes. The emergence of technologies such as 3D printing and drones, and greater ease of access to information on the manufacturing of illegal GEWs on the Internet, has made it easier for such malicious actors to cause harm.
3. Need to optimise resources to regulate a growing industry: The number of GEW licences issued has more than doubled since the AEA was last amended in 2007, increasing from around 20,00 licences in 2010 to more than 4,000 in 2020. In particular, more arms licenses have been issued for sports shooting. There is thus an increased need to optimise the resources of law enforcement to deal with the expanded scope of licensees.

What is Defined as a “Gun” Under the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act?

As briefly explained above, under the Act, the definition of a “gun” has been substantially broadened to address modern threats and technologies. The Act includes not only what the average person could typically associate as being guns, such as pistols, rifles, shotguns and machine guns, but also:

• Less conventional firearms such as airguns, paint ball guns, electronic dart guns, tasers or spearguns, starting pistol used in sporting competitions
• Any object that would be a gun if not for some modifications that have been done to remove or add things to it
• Major component parts of guns, which are parts that are essential to the functioning of the gun. These include parts such as the firearm barrels, trigger or firing mechanisms, and magazines

This expanded definition is crucial in ensuring that regulatory loopholes are closed, particularly in the face of emerging threats such as do-it-yourself assembly of guns using 3D printed parts. Such parts would be captured under the definition of the “guns”, as they would constitute major component parts of guns. After assembly, the resultant object would also meet the definition of a “gun” if it can propel projectiles or discharge corrosive substances or poison with explosive force.

Criminalisation of Unauthorised Possession of 3D Blueprints for Manufacturing Guns

One of the most forward-looking aspects of the Act is the criminalisation of the possession of digital blueprints for the manufacture of guns or major component parts of guns. These blueprints are typically files (e.g. in CAD or STL format) that can be used with a 3D printer.

This move is a pre-emptive strike against digital firearm proliferation, reflecting global concerns about the ease of obtaining and printing weapon parts online. For example, in 2019, a right-wing extremist broke into a synagogue in an eastern German city, intending to massacre the worshippers inside. It was later discovered that the attacker had various hand-assembled weapons, including guns made up of plastic components that he created using his 3D printer at home.

Individuals who possess digital blueprints for the manufacture of guns or gun parts would be liable upon conviction to a maximum imprisonment term of 12 months, a maximum fine of $10,000, or both. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties, and may be subject to a maximum imprisonment term of 18 months, a maximum fine of $25,000, or both.

New Licences Introduced Under the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act

The Act introduces four new types of licences to regulate the lifecycle of guns more effectively:

1. Armourer (Storage) Licence: This licence authorises the licensee to store guns at approved premises. The premises must have required security infrastructure such as strong rooms and CCTV systems. Entities operating gun storage facilities must obtain this licence. Importantly, each armoury requires a separate licence, regardless of whether it is operated by the same entity.
2. Range Licence: This licence permits the operation of shooting ranges. The ranges must have proper safety measures, qualified range officers, and abide by approved range designs. A single licence will be issued to cover all ranges within a single compound.
3. Transport Licence: This licence permits the movement of guns between approved locations (e.g. from an armoury to the shooting range). The licence will only be issued to authorised entities that need to transport guns, such as shooting clubs or logistics companies specialised in gun transportation.
4. Disposal Licence: This licence allows for the proper disposal of guns through approved methods. It will only be issued to qualified entities, such as police contractors or licensed arms dealers handling end-of-life weaponry, with proper disposal procedures.

These new licences target distinct but interconnected activities in the management of guns. Previously, the activities covered under these licences were already subsumed under a broader activity and regulated. However, the Act separates these activities to require their own specific licence to ensure that at every point of the supply chain, appropriate regulatory oversight is maintained.

New licence fees and licensing conditions

With these new licensing categories, the Act also introduces new licence fees for activities such as operating an armoury, running a range, transporting guns, or disposing of them. These fees are calculated on a cost-recovery basis, meaning they reflect the administrative costs incurred by regulatory agencies rather than generating revenue. The full list of licence fees can be found on the SPF’s website, but the licence fees for the four new licences above (when applied for individually) are as follows:

• Armourer (Storage) Licence: $1,630 for 3 years tenure.
• Range Licence: $1,630 for 3 years tenure.
• Transport Licence: $300 for 3 years tenure.
• Disposal Licence: $580 for 3 years tenure.

In addition to fees, the Act allows for the imposition of licensing conditions to enhance safety and security. These may include:

• Installation of CCTV surveillance and access controls
• Requirements for inventory tracking systems
• Employee screening and training procedures
• Secure transport protocols and emergency response plans

However, the impact on the industry is expected to be minimal, as many have already implemented baseline security measures aligned with international best practices.

Bundled licences

To reduce the regulatory burden on businesses, the Act introduces “bundled licences”. Businesses which undertake multiple regulated activities (e.g. transport, repair, supply and storage) can make a single application for all requisite licences, instead of applying for separate licences for each activity. The main benefit of this for both businesses and regulators is that there will be few applications to make and process respectively. Additionally, for businesses, having to make only one application will result in the incurring of lower fees overall, compared to having to apply for multiple licences. A different set of fees applies for applicants of bundled licences. To illustrate the difference in fees:

• An applicant applying for separate transport, repair, supply and storage licences will incur a total fee of $2,760, comprising:
  • Transport Licence: $300
  • Repair Licence: $250
  • Supply Licence: $580
  • Armourer (Storage Licence): $1,630
• On the other hand, the same applicant applying for a bundled licence covering all four activities will only incur a total fee of $2,410

Security Clearance of Employees (Special Workers) Who Handle Guns

The Act also introduces security clearance requirements for employees who handle guns, especially those working in high-security environments such as armouries or ranges. To streamline this process:

• A flat fee is charged per application, regardless of the number of individuals submitted
• The fee is applicable only for new employees
• Existing employees who were already approved before 1 July 2025 do not need to be re-screened
• There is no recurring fee – employees are screened once upon employment
• However, if an employee changes employer or if the company fails to renew its licence, the previous clearance becomes void, and the individual must be re-screened

This system not only ensures that guns are handled by trustworthy individuals but also promotes cost efficiency and administrative convenience for employers. As part of the security clearance process, the employees have to provide a whole host of information and may even have to attend an interview with the licensing officer. The information to be provided includes:

• The employee’s personal details
• Whether the employee has been investigated or charged with any criminal activity relating to GEWs in the past 10 years
• Whether an application for a protection order, expedited protection order or mandatory treatment order has been made under the Protection from Harassment Act against the employee in the past 10 years
• The employee’s physical or mental fitness to handle GEWs responsibly
• The employee’s competency in handling GEWs

What are the Gun-Related Offences and Penalties Under the Act?

The Act covers various gun-related offences and stipulates penalties for each of these offences. The main gun-related offences and their penalties are covered below.

Possession and use of guns

Under the Act, the unauthorised possession of guns or gun parts is a serious criminal offence. This includes both operational guns and items that can be used to assemble one, such as barrels, firing mechanisms, or ammunition. The legislation is deliberately broad to capture any potential risk, even where the weapon is non-functional or incomplete. The unauthorised use of guns is also criminalised.

The penalties imposed depend on whether the gun involved is a prohibited gun or not. Under the Act, prohibited guns refer to guns that are particularly dangerous by reason of their design, construction or any other fact, or by reason of their size, can be more readily concealed or particularly suited to unlawful use. Examples of prohibited guns could include small handguns which are easily concealed, or fully automatic machine guns which can produce rapid, repeating fire and for that reason are particularly dangerous. The applicable penalties also differ if only gun parts or gun accessories are involved.

The different penalties are set out in the table below:

Manufacturing, trading or supplying guns

In addition to end-users, the Act targets others involved in the supply chain. Anyone caught manufacturing, trading or supplying guns without proper authorisation faces harsh penalties as well:

• Manufacturing: Under the Act, the manufacturing of guns, gun parts or gun accessories refers to the assembly or testing of those items.
• Trading: Trading of guns, gun parts or gun accessories refers to the importing or exporting of such items.
• Supply: Supplying of guns, gun parts or gun accessories includes the acts of selling, exchanging, offering for sale, displaying, offering as a prize or reward, giving away for the purpose of advertisement, etc.

Individuals convicted of manufacturing, trading or supplying guns without proper authorisation are subject to the same punishments as those listed above for the possession and use of guns.

Other serious offences: Abetment, attempts, and corporate liability

The Act extends criminal liability beyond direct perpetrators. Under the Act, those who abet, conspire, or attempt to commit a gun-related offence are punishable as though they had completed the offence themselves. This ensures that planners, facilitators, and lookouts in gun-related crimes are treated just as severely as the person who pulls the trigger.

For example, if a person provides logistical support or helps to hide a gun used in a robbery, they can be charged with abetment of unlawful possession or use of a gun, facing the same penalties. Similarly, someone who conspires to smuggle guns, even if the operation is foiled before execution, is liable as if the crime had succeeded.

Significantly, the Act also introduces corporate liability provisions. Companies can now be held criminally responsible for offences committed by employees or agents acting on their behalf or within the scope of their duties. This includes licensed dealers, transport firms, and security providers. If a company fails to conduct proper due diligence, secure its weapons, or prevent unauthorised use, it may face substantial fines, licence revocation, and even criminal prosecution of its officers. For example, if the employees of a company with a gun manufacturing licence are found to also be trading the guns manufactured by the company on the side, and it is discovered that the company had suspicions of such activities but failed to investigate or put a stop to them, the company may be liable for the unauthorised trading of guns, alongside the individual employees.

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In conclusion, the  Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act strengthens the regulatory regime for GEWs. Specific to guns, the Act expands the definition of guns, introduces new gun licences, and consolidates the gun-related offences and their penalties in one piece of legislation.

If you are charged with an offence under the Act, you can consider seeking further guidance and advice from a criminal lawyer. The lawyer will be able to advise you on whether you have any viable defences against the charge, and can even represent you in court proceedings.