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Self-defense

Renewing the gun registration (CRAF)

The possession CRAF is valid for 5 years. Renew it before it expires on Sinarm, with certificates, new reports and a R$ 88 fee per registration.

Required documents

  • Sinarm electronic renewal application, filled in and signed (more than one gun can be included)
  • Official photo ID and CPF (Brazilian taxpayer number)
  • Clean criminal record certificates from the Federal, State (or District), Military and Electoral Courts, according to the Federal Police list for your state; if no expiry date is printed, they are only valid if issued within the last 60 days
  • Proof of lawful occupation, issued no more than 60 days ago
  • Proof of fixed residence in your name, issued no more than 60 days ago, or a statement from the third-party holder with a copy of their ID
  • Psychological fitness report from a psychologist accredited by the Federal Police, no more than one year old
  • Proof of technical skill from an instructor accredited by the Federal Police, no more than one year old
  • Statement of actual need (efetiva necessidade) in the form
  • Proof of payment of the GRU (Guia de Recolhimento da União, the federal payment slip) for the renewal fee

Step by step

  1. Check your CRAF's validity

    Check the date on the document or on the Federal Police authenticity page. If your CRAF was issued with 10-year validity before 21/07/2023, it may now be valid for 5 years under art. 80 of Decreto 11.615/2023. Start the process with at least two to three months to spare.

  2. Get new reports

    Book a psychological assessment and a shooting test with professionals accredited by the Federal Police. Both must be no more than one year old on the application date, and the test must use a gun of the same type and a caliber equal to or greater than that of the registered gun.

  3. Obtain certificates and proofs

    Obtain the certificates required by the Federal Police for your state and the proofs of residence and lawful occupation close to the application date, because they are valid for only 60 days.

  4. Fill in the application and generate the GRU

    In the gov.br service Renovar Registro de Arma de Fogo (Renew Firearm Registration), fill in the Sinarm form. To renew more than one gun, use the Adicionar à lista (Add to list) option after entering each gun's Sinarm registration number. Print the application and the GRU (federal payment slip) and pay the fee.

  5. Attach the documents

    Upload them at the end of the application or under Consultar Andamento de Processos (Check Process Status). The Federal Police may request extra documents or an in-person visit. The Federal Police itself advises not to bring the gun to the police unit to renew the registration.

  6. Track and print the new CRAF

    Track the process with the application number and your CPF. Once approved, print the new CRAF on the same page. If the application is refused, you may appeal within ten days.

    Where to file the request: Renew a firearm registration on gov.br

Understand the service

Renewing the registration means asking the Polícia Federal (PF, the Federal Police) for a new CRAF (Certificado de Registro de Arma de Fogo, the firearm registration certificate) when the current one is close to expiring. For self-defense guns, the CRAF is valid for five years, and renewal requires proving again the same requirements as for the purchase: clean criminal record certificates, lawful occupation, residence, actual need (efetiva necessidade), psychological report and shooting test. The application is filed online, on Sinarm (the PF firearms system), and must start before the expiry date.

What registration renewal is

Lei 10.826/2003 (art. 5, § 2) requires the requirements of good standing, occupation, residence, technical skill and psychological fitness to be proven periodically, at intervals of no less than three years. Decreto 11.615/2023 set:

  • a validity of 5 years for the possession CRAF (art. 24);
  • that renewal must start before the period expires (art. 25);
  • that, on renewal, the requirements of items III to VII of art. 15 apply: actual need, certificates, lawful occupation and residence, technical skill and psychological fitness.

A CRAF cannot be renewed for a tampered gun, a gun with no serial number or with a scratched-off serial number. Registrations with a record of theft, robbery, loss or seizure are also not renewed, unless there is proof that the gun was released.

Who needs it

Every owner of a gun registered in Sinarm for self-defense. CAC guns (colecionador, atirador desportivo e caçador: collector, sport shooter and hunter) and guns linked to Sigma (the Army's system) follow their own rules.

My CRAF said 10 years

Before 2023, the possession CRAF was valid for 10 years. Under art. 80 of Decreto 11.615/2023, the 5-year validity began to apply to CRAFs that, on 21/07/2023, had completed less than half of the original period. The PF advises requesting a replacement copy (segunda via) to receive the document with the updated validity and checking the date on the authenticity page.

Common mistakes that delay the application

  • Leaving it to the last week: reports and certificates take time and the clock is running.
  • Psychological report or shooting test more than one year old.
  • Proofs more than 60 days old.
  • Forgetting to update your address before renewing.
  • Assuming the old 10-year CRAF is still valid without checking the new date.
  • Not following the electronic notifications.

What happens if the registration expires

Keeping a gun with an expired registration makes the possession irregular. Under art. 26 of Decreto 11.615/2023:

  1. The PF notifies the owner electronically.
  2. The owner has 60 days to renew, transfer the gun to another person who meets the requirements or surrender it to the PF for compensation.
  3. If there is no response, a revocation procedure for the CRAF is opened, with seizure of the gun, accessories and ammunition, and the owner may be charged with the crimes in arts. 12 and 14 of Lei 10.826/2003.
  4. While the irregularity lasts, the owner cannot buy guns or ammunition nor issue or renew a passport.

If your registration has already expired, do not transport the gun and seek guidance to regularize it as soon as possible.

After the application

With the new CRAF, keep the document with the gun. Keep your registration details up to date (the decree requires reporting changes within 15 days) and note the next expiry date.

What changed recently

  • 21/07/2023: Decreto 11.615/2023 reduced the validity of the possession CRAF from 10 to 5 years and created the 60-day notification procedure for expired registrations, with a ban on buying guns and obtaining a passport.
  • 06/01/2025: the PF updated its official guidance on what happens to those who do not renew their registration.
  • 01/07/2025: the PF also began serving CACs (Portaria DG/PF nº 19.040/2025). Self-defense guns remain in Sinarm Defesa Pessoal, a system separate from Sinarm CAC.
  • 2026: the official service page was updated on 29/07/2026, with a fee of R$ 88,00 and an average review time of 30 calendar days.

Disclaimer

This guide is for information only and does not replace the official rules or advice from a professional. Rules change: before any application, check the current version of Lei 10.826/2003 (Estatuto do Desarmamento, the Disarmament Statute), Decreto 11.615/2023 (as amended by Decreto 12.345/2024), Instrução Normativa 201/2021-DG/PF and the official service pages on gov.br and on the Polícia Federal website.

Sources

Regulations and official pages used in this guide. Always check the version in force.

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers to the most common questions about this service.

How often do I need to renew my gun registration?

The self-defense possession CRAF (firearm registration certificate) is valid for 5 years, under Decreto 11.615/2023. Renewal must be requested before it expires, proving the purchase requirements again.

How much does it cost to renew the CRAF?

The Federal Police fee is R$ 88,00 per registration, paid via GRU (the federal payment slip). Add the psychological report and the shooting test with accredited professionals, whose prices are capped by art. 11-A of Lei 10.826/2003.

Do I need to take the psychological exam and shooting test again to renew?

Yes. On renewal, you prove psychological fitness and technical skill again, with reports issued by professionals accredited by the Federal Police, no more than one year after the assessment.

What happens if my gun registration expires?

The Federal Police notifies the owner, who has 60 days to renew, transfer or surrender the gun for compensation. If nothing is done, the CRAF is revoked, the gun is seized and the owner is barred from buying guns and ammunition and from issuing a passport while irregular.

Do I need to bring the gun to the Federal Police to renew the registration?

No. The Federal Police advises citizens not to bring the gun to the police unit to renew the registration: the application is electronic, on Sinarm. The station may request extra documents or a scheduled visit for verification.

Can I renew several guns in the same application?

Yes. The Sinarm form lets you include more than one gun with the Adicionar à lista (Add to list) option. Each gun has its own CRAF and its own fee.

Read also

See the full guide

Other Self-defense services

  • Firearm registration (CRAF)

    The CRAF proves the firearm is registered to you with the PF. Apply within 15 days of the invoice; valid 5 years, it only allows possession.

  • Transfer of firearm ownership

    Selling, donating or inheriting a firearm between private individuals needs prior Polícia Federal approval. The recipient must meet purchase requirements.