Conducting firearm inspections in Longyearbyen

The purpose of the inspections is to contribute to proper weapon ownership and ensure that information registered in the Weapons Register is correct.

The inspections will include both the storage of weapons and ammunition, as well as checking the information registered on the weapons. Among other things, it will be checked that the weapon's function, calibre and serial number match the registrations in the Weapons Register.

Affected weapon owners will be notified at least 3 days before the inspection is carried out.

The Governor encourages all weapon owners to familiarize themselves with the current rules for storing weapons and ammunition (Lovdata.no). 

We also recommend that gun owners review the information about their weapons in the digital Weapons Register. If you discover errors or omissions in registered information, this can be reported through a correction message in the Weapons Register. Errors can thus be corrected before a possible inspection.

Shared responsibility for safe weapon storage
Svalbard has extensive and necessary use of firearms, including for polar bear protection and travel outside settlements. Responsible storage and correct registration of weapons is therefore important both for the individual weapon owner and for the safety of society.

The Governor hopes that all weapon owners take the opportunity to check their own information and ensure that their weapon storage is in line with the regulations. This will contribute to a simpler and more efficient implementation of the upcoming inspections.