Laws on Prohibited, Replica and Self-Defence Weapons

Generally, the unlawful carrying of weapons is an offence punishable with jail and caning. Sometimes, a fine is incurred. This is however subject to certain conditions, all of which will be detailed below.

This article will also discuss certain provisions under the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill which will come into operation at a later date. It will cover:

• The law on carrying weapons in Singapore and a list of related weapons;
• Whether weapons can be used for self-defence;
• The possible offences for imitation or replica weapons in the future;
• What will happen to you if you are caught in possession of an offensive weapon;
• What will happen to you if you are caught in possession of a scheduled weapon;
• What will happen to you if you are caught in possession of a gun; and
• The offences and penalties related to weapon possession

What is the Law on Carrying Weapons in Singapore?

Carrying a weapon is an offence in Singapore, unless you can show a lawful purpose for carrying that weapon, or have the required licence for carrying a particular type of weapon. Examples of lawful purposes may include using the weapon:

• At work;
• For religious reasons;
• For use in a theatrical production or film-making for entertainment;
• For an ornamental display;
• For the slaughter or hunting of wild animals authorised under written law; and
• For use in gardening, or in animal husbandry or primary production.

What are Considered Weapons in Singapore? 

Both the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill and the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act state types of items that are considered weapons. They include:

• Arbalests;
• Arrows, crossbows, and bows;
• Bayonets;
• Swords, including butterfly swords, machetes, parangs, bolo, kukri or hooked swords
• Knives such as diving knives, hunting knives, kris, karambit, kirpans, dirks, butterfly knives, “balisong”, gravity knives, flick knives, switchblades, and wasp knives;
• Throwing stars and shurikens;
• Knuckledusters, including weighted or studded gloves;
• Spears and spearheads;
• Scythes, including Kama; and
• Nunchakus.

Next, an “offensive weapon” is defined in the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act as any item that is likely to cause hurt. These are items that do not fall within the above categories, but are still capable of causing hurt.

Lastly, there is a subset of offensive weapons known as “scheduled weapons”, which refer to offensive weapons stated in the Second Schedule of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act. Examples of scheduled weapons include flick knives, gravity knives, knuckledusters and swords.

Once the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill takes effect, the Bill will refer to “prohibited weapons” and “offensive weapons” as “weapons” in its provisions.

What are the weapons requiring a licence in Singapore?

The following items are controlled by the police and a licence is required for possession:

1. Firearms;
2. Air guns;
3. Airsoft guns and paintball markers;
4. Musket guns;
5. Spear guns;
6. Taser and stun guns (electroshock weapons);
7. Swords;
8. Spears and spear heads;
9. Bayonets;
10. Daggers; and
11. Pepper sprays.

For more information and illustrations, Singapore Police Force’s Police Licensing & Regulatory Department has a more comprehensive list of prohibited and controlled weapons.

Can I Carry or Possess Weapons for the Purpose of Self-Defence?

You are not allowed to carry weapons for the purpose of self-defence. Under the right of self-defence, you are allowed to defend yourself, or your property, against an offence.

However, you are not allowed to use greater force than necessary to defend yourself. Thus, the use of a weapon to defend yourself, whether the weapon is an imitation one or real, might be considered excessive if the attacker was not using a weapon against you.

Even if you do not use the weapon, possessing a weapon for self-defence (e.g., simply carrying it in your bag) will still be a criminal offence. A 32-year-old man admitted to carrying a 20cm butter knife for self-protection when he went to the home of an acquaintance. He was jailed 3 months for the possession of an offensive weapon.

Can I Carry Imitation, Replica or 3D-Printed Versions of Weapons?

Imitation or replica weapons such as imitation guns will be excluded from the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill. This is because they are deemed to be unlikely to be effective to cause injuries or death. Therefore, you can still possess your Nerf guns.

However, if a Nerf gun or any replica gun was used to commit or abet certain offences, you may be penalised for exhibiting an imitation arm, along with an offence for the main criminal act.

On the other hand, ornamental weapons, which currently are exempted from the licensing requirement, will need a class licence under the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill in the future, as they have the potential to cause harm. Such ornamental weapons include ornamental swords and daggers.

Under the class licence scheme, there will be certain criteria and conditions relating to possession of the licensed weapon to adhere to. If you do so, you will then be automatically treated as licensed and will not need to apply for an individual licence to possess such weapons.

The Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill also renders unlicensed possession of 3D digital blueprints for a gun or major gun parts an offence, punishable either by a fine of up to $10,000 or a jail term of up to 1 year, or both.

What Happens If You’re Caught in Possession of an Offensive Weapon?

If a police officer has reasonable grounds to believe that you are in possession of an offensive weapon (i.e. any item that is likely to cause hurt), he may stop and search you or your vehicle without a warrant for it.

If he finds the weapon, and you have no lawful purpose for possessing it, you may be charged with an offence punishable by up to 3 years’ jail and at least 6 strokes of the cane. The weapon may also be disposed of.

What happens If You’re Caught in Possession of a Scheduled Weapon?

If the weapon found on you was a scheduled weapon, you may be found guilty of an offence for carrying a scheduled weapon if you cannot prove that you were carrying it for a lawful purpose. This applies regardless of whether you possess a required licence for the weapon.

For example, a man was charged for wielding a drawn samurai sword on the train. Although he was a sword-fighting teacher, he wielded his sword outside his dojo and outside of lesson hours. Such an offence is punishable by jail of up to 5 years and at least 6 strokes of the cane for a first-time offence.

What Happens If You’re Caught in Possession of a Gun?

Additionally, once the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill comes into effect, if the weapon found on you was a gun, you can be liable to a fine up to $10,000 for each fully assembled gun, and jail for a term up to 5 years.

Currently, unlawful possession of a gun is an offence punishable with a jail term between 5 to 10 years, and with at least 6 strokes of the cane.

If you were to come into possession of a gun, major part of a gun, gun accessory or weapon either by way of inheritance or by excavation, you should promptly surrender it to the police. Should you fail to do so, you can be liable to a fine of up to $10,000, jail for a term of up to 6 months or to both for a first-time offence once the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill comes into effect.

If you are licensed to possess a gun, major part of a gun, gun accessory or weapon, you need to keep them safely and securely. You must also ensure that these items are not lost or stolen, or that anyone who is not licensed to possess these items does not come into possession of your item.

Should this happen, or if the item is lost, stolen or destroyed, you must inform the authorities immediately. Failure to reasonably secure the items, ensure that they are not lost or stolen, or to promptly inform the authorities will lead to a fine of up to $10,000, jail for a term of up to 12 months or to both.

What are the Offences and Penalties Related to Weapons in Singapore?

The Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act regulates the handling of offensive and licensed weapons. The following table provides a list of offences and penalties under this Act:

The Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Bill, when in force, will also regulate the handling of guns, explosives and weapons. The following table provides a list of offences and penalties under this Bill:

The Arms Offences Act regulates the unlawful possession, the carrying and the usage of arms. An “arm” under the Arms Offences Act generally refers to any type of gun or pistol that can discharge either shots, bullets or any type of missiles. Bombs and grenades are also included in this definition. An imitation arm refers to anything that bears a resemblance to a genuine arm.

The following table provides a list of offences and penalties under the Arms Offences Act:

Examples of scheduled offences under the Arms Offences Act include:

• Participation in an unlawful assembly
• Rioting
• Commission of murder or culpable homicide
• Causing hurt (including grievous hurt)
• Theft
• Wrongfully confining another person
• Criminal intimidation
• Abduction or kidnapping
• Extortion
• Housebreaking
• Robbery
• Preventing or resisting arrest
• Vandalism
• Mischief

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As seen from this article, Singapore’s weapon control laws are tight, and the punishments for unlawfully possessing a weapon are severe.  If you have been charged with a weapons-related offence, you should engage a criminal lawyer to seek legal advice on your case and representation in court if necessary.