Surge in Civilian Firearm Permits Reflects Poland’s Growing Security Awareness

Poland issued a record 45,900 firearm permits in 2024, underscoring a rising sense of personal and national security urgency following Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine. This marks a steady increase from 40,900 new licenses issued in 2023 and 37,400 in 2022—the year Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

According to data reported by Rzeczpospolita, the number of legally registered firearm owners in Poland now exceeds 367,000, while the total number of licensed weapons approaches one million. For context, in 2017 there were just 463,800 firearms registered nationwide—a sharp contrast reflecting the shift in public sentiment.

Criminology expert Professor Brunon Hołyst attributes this trend directly to the war across Poland’s eastern border. “People feel uncertain about the future. The rise in gun ownership reflects a desire to feel protected, both personally and in terms of property,” he noted in an earlier interview.

Former lawmaker and ex-police officer Jerzy Dziewulski added a psychological dimension to the trend, suggesting that firearm ownership is increasingly linked to status and personal identity—especially among men. He also pointed out that recent legal reforms have significantly lowered the barriers to obtaining a weapon.

The uptick in civilian armament coincides with broader national defense efforts. Polish authorities are in the process of designing optional military training programs for adult men as part of an evolving strategy to strengthen domestic preparedness. While final details are still under discussion, the overall direction is clear: Poland is actively recalibrating its civil and defense policies in response to a rapidly changing security landscape in Central and Eastern Europe.