In Türkiye, civilian access to firearms and ammunition is administered by the provincial or district security directorate (or, in some rural areas, the gendarmerie) and requires a licence appropriate to how and where the firearm will be kept or carried, and to its barrel construction. This overview explains the main licence categories, the documents typically requested during an application and the general procedure for purchasing ammunition once a licence is held. It is written for readers outside Türkiye who need to understand the framework at a general level; it does not replace official guidance.
Licence Categories: An Overview
Firearm licences in Türkiye are differentiated along two main axes: where and how the firearm may be kept or used (possession versus carry), and the barrel construction of the firearm (rifled versus smoothbore). Each licence type is obtained through an application to the relevant provincial or district security directorate, or to the gendarmerie in areas under its jurisdiction, and involves a background and security review before approval.
Possession Licence
A possession licence permits an individual to keep a specific firearm at a declared home or workplace address, without authorising it to be carried outside that address. The application is submitted to the relevant security directorate together with documents that typically include a formal petition, identity document, proof of residence, a health report, a criminal record certificate and a passport-style photograph.
Carry Licence
A carry licence extends the right to keep a firearm beyond the declared address, allowing it to be carried on the person under the conditions set by the licence. In addition to the documents required for a possession licence, applicants are generally asked for a petition addressed to the governor's office, a medical report, a psychotechnical assessment report and, in some cases, evidence of firearms-safety training. The carry licence application is subject to a more extensive review than the possession licence.
Rifled Firearm Licence
A rifled firearm licence applies to pistols and rifles with a rifled (grooved) barrel. The application follows broadly the same documentation as a possession licence — petition, identification, proof of residence, health report, criminal record certificate and photograph — and concludes with a security review conducted by the provincial security directorate.
Smoothbore Firearm Licence (Hunting Shotguns)
A smoothbore firearm licence applies to shotguns and other firearms with a smooth, unrifled barrel, and the application process requires broadly similar documentation to the rifled firearm licence. Holders of a smoothbore licence may purchase shotgun cartridges in gauges such as 12, 16, 20 and 36; readers interested in this ammunition category can review the hunting shotgun ammunition guide for further background.
Documents Required to Purchase Ammunition
When purchasing ammunition for a licensed firearm, the documents generally requested include a petition addressed to the relevant district or provincial authority, the original identity document and a copy of the firearm licence. These documents are presented to an authorised firearms dealer at the time of the ammunition purchase request. Ozkursan does not sell ammunition directly through this website; its products reach end users exclusively through authorised, regulation-compliant channels.
Ammunition Purchase Petition
An ammunition purchase petition is the formal document a licensed firearm owner submits to the competent authority to request a defined quantity of ammunition. The petition typically states the applicant's identity details, the firearm's licence number, make and model, and the calibre and type of ammunition requested. It is submitted, in person or by post, to the logistics department of the provincial gendarmerie command or to the security directorate in the applicant's place of residence.
Licence Fees and Annual Ammunition Limits
The fee payable for a licence application and the annual ammunition quantity permitted to licence holders are set under regulations that are updated periodically. For that reason, this page does not publish a specific figure for either; current figures are published by the Turkish General Directorate of Security (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü) and should be checked directly before an application is submitted.
Corporate Inquiries
For information on Ozkursan's product range and the corporate inquiry process, the Products page and the Request a Quote page provide the relevant points of contact.
Review product categories, the catalog and corporate inquiry options for current Ozkursan information.