Brazil Supreme Court upholds new firearm registration deadlines

The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) has unanimously ruled that the shortened expiration periods for firearm registration certificates (CR) and firearm registration certificates (CRAF) established in 2023 apply to documents issued before the decree was enacted.

Under Decree 11.615/2023, which aimed to reform firearm control policies, registration validity was reduced from ten years to three years for collectors, sport shooters, and hunters, and to five years for other categories. The ruling follows appeals by the Union against decisions from the Federal Regional Court of the 5th Region (TRF-5), which had previously argued that applying the new deadlines to existing documents violated acquired rights and legal certainty.

The STF determined that these registrations are administrative authorizations subject to permanent public control, meaning holders do not have a vested right to maintain original expiration periods. The court noted that the reduction is intended to increase the frequency of inspections regarding the acquisition and maintenance of firearms.