Airsoft law in the UK

Power limits, UKARA, two-tone guns, the age to buy and carrying in public.

Last updated Thu 5 Nov 2026

Not legal advice. This is a plain summary of the law as we read it. Laws change, so check before you buy, travel or play, and follow your site's own rules. For power limits by gun, see the calculators.

01The short version

Legal to ownYes

Legal limit, full auto1.3 J

Legal limit, semi-auto or single shot2.5 J

Age to buy18

In publicNeeds a reasonable excuse

Yes in England, Wales and Scotland. Airsoft guns are legal to own and use at a site. Selling, importing or making realistic imitation firearms is restricted, which is why shops ask for UKARA, and carrying one in public without a good reason can get you arrested. Keep it in a bag on the way to a game. Northern Ireland has its own firearms law, so ask your site there.

The Acts on this page cover England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland's is the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, so check that separately if you play there.

02Power limits in law

An airsoft gun is not classed as a firearm while its muzzle energy is no more than 1.3 J for a gun that can fire on full auto, or 2.5 J for any other airsoft gun, and it is designed to fire only plastic BBs of 8mm or less (Firearms Act 1968, section 57A). It still counts as an imitation firearm if it looks like a real gun. This covers England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own firearms law, so ask your site there.

Above those limits it is no longer an airsoft gun in law. Sites usually set lower limits.

03What sites allow

CQB330 fpsNo MED

AEG or rifle, outdoor350 fpsNo MED

DMR450 fpsMED 20m

Bolt-action sniper500 fpsMED 30m

Typical limits on a 0.20 g BB. These are the sites' own rules, not the law. MED means minimum engagement distance, the closest you can shoot someone.

Typical UK site figures, not a national standard. Every site sets its own limits, so check with the site before you go.

04Realistic guns and UKARA

Selling, importing or making a realistic imitation firearm is an offence unless a defence applies, such as buying it to play airsoft at a site that holds public liability insurance (Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, sections 36 and 37, and the 2007 Regulations). That is why a shop asks for proof that you play.

The UK Airsoft Retailers Association runs the database shops use to check you are a registered player (a skirmisher). You register through a UKARA site once you are 18 or over and have played three games there over at least two months, the third one 56 days or more after the first.

05Two-tone guns

Without a defence, a shop can only sell you an imitation that is not realistic in law because its size, shape or main colour is unrealistic for a real gun. An unrealistic colour means mainly bright red, orange, yellow, green, pink, purple or blue, or see-through. An unrealistic size means under 38mm high and 70mm long (Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, section 38, and the 2007 Regulations).

If you are 18 or over you can buy a two-tone gun, one that is mostly a bright colour so it does not look real. A realistic one needs a legal defence, such as playing at an insured site. Shops usually check that through UKARA.

06The age to buy

You must be 18 to buy an imitation firearm. Selling one to anyone under 18 is an offence, and so is buying one when under 18 (Firearms Act 1968, section 24A).

07Carrying your gun in public

Having an imitation firearm in a public place without lawful authority or a reasonable excuse is an offence, and it is for you to prove the excuse (Firearms Act 1968, section 19). Keep it in a bag or case on the way to and from a game, but a bag on its own is not a legal excuse.