Permit to carry guns now up to 10 years

President Duterte has signed a bill that extends the validity of weapons registration and firearms licenses into law.

Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11766 on May 6, amending two articles of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, passed in 2013.

Licenses to possess a firearm, regardless of type or classification, and their registration must be renewed every five or ten years, at the licensee’s discretion.

Unless revoked or suspended earlier, the renewal date for both the license to possess and the registration of guns is calculated from the licensee’s birth date.

All forms of licenses to possess a handgun must be renewed every two years under the prior requirements, but firearm registration must be renewed every four years.

The license will be revoked if the weapons registration is not renewed on or before the expiration date.

After the due procedure, the firearm whose license has been revoked will be taken or forfeited in favor of the government.

Failure to renew a license or registration two times will result in the firearm holder being permanently barred from applying for any firearm license.

Permit to carry guns now up to 10 years

The application for renewal of the license or registration of the firearm must be submitted to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Office within six months of the license or registration’s expiration date.

One of the new rules stipulates that permission to carry a firearm outside of the home is valid for two years from the date of approval of the application unless it is withdrawn or suspended sooner.

Any eligible person whose life is under actual threat or is in imminent danger due to the nature of their job or business is awarded a permit by the police.

The new law broadened the definition of “imminent threat” to include elected leaders, current and past officials, and active and retired military and law enforcement employees.

The obligation to provide a threat assessment certificate is waived for those on the list.

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