How strict are gun laws in Malawi?
Restrictive
Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
Malawi is one of 87 countries classified “Restrictive” for civilian gun ownership — 43% of the 202 with data. (Also searched as firearm laws.)
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
Nearby countries
- Mozambique
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Zambia
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Tanzania
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Zimbabwe
- Licensed / moderate Handguns are obtainable under license, but self-defense alone is not explicitly sufficient for a license.
- Comoros
- Highly restrictive / banned Civilians cannot obtain handguns.
- Burundi
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
Other laws in Malawi
- Death Penalty
- Not used in practice
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Every law in Malawi → · How strict are gun laws around the world? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.