Declaring found or acquired firearms made simple – National Police

This was explained by Deputy Head of the National Police Oleksandr Fatsevych during a live broadcast, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Citizens can declare all categories of firearms they find or receive from the Defense Forces for the country’s protection. We have streamlined the declaration procedure to the maximum. First, one must call 102 or contact the nearest police unit or their district officer. Each territorial police unit has teams specifically tasked with weapon declarations and database entries. Citizens need to provide an ID, tax code, a photo, an insurance policy, and the firearm for declaration. Police officers will instruct over the phone on how to safely transport the weapon and set a time to visit the police unit. The declaration process takes up to an hour. We check the databases to ensure the weapon is not stolen, criminally used, or linked to a crime. After verification, a declaration receipt is issued, and the citizen may leave with the weapon," Fatsevych explained.

He also emphasized that refusal to declare weapons can result in up to seven years of imprisonment.

Declared weapons do not become the property of the citizen and may only become personal property after the war, once converted to hunting firearms.

"After martial law ends, individuals who declared weapons can legally convert them into hunting firearms, submit the necessary documents to the police, and claim ownership. At that point, the weapon will become their personal property. Until then, declared weapons are not the personal property of citizens," Fatsevych noted.

As reported by Ukrinform, Ukrainian civilians have been allowed to use weapons they find and register during the war.

In August 2024, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law improving the procedures for acquiring, declaring, and handling firearms.