How to store a gun safely at home in Brazil: safes, rules and children
How to store a gun at home in Brazil: what the law requires (safe or locked place, unloaded gun), the penalty for negligent storage and tips with children.
Brazilian law requires anyone who keeps a gun at home to store it unloaded, in a safe or a secure place with a lock, and to prevent anyone under 18 or any legally incapable person from taking it. Every gun owner signs this statement when applying to buy a firearm, under Decree 11.615/2023 (Decreto 11.615/2023). Failing to take this care can be a crime, punishable by 1 to 2 years of detention and a fine (article 13 of Law 10.826/2003, the Disarmament Statute).
Warning: guns and children do not mix. When in doubt, keep the gun locked, unloaded, and keep the key or code to yourself. This text is for information only and does not replace guidance from the Federal Police.
What does the law require to store a gun at home?
To buy a firearm of permitted use, the applicant must submit, under article 15, VIII, of Decree 11.615, a statement that:
- the home has a safe or a secure place with a lock to store the firearms unloaded;
- the applicant will take the necessary measures to prevent anyone under 18 or any legally incapable person from taking the gun.
A CAC (collector, sport shooter or hunter) signs a similar document, the Collection Security Statement (Declaração de Segurança do Acervo, DSA), in applications to the Federal Police (Polícia Federal, PF), such as the CAC CRAF renewal service on gov.br.
Also keep in mind where the gun may be kept: home possession allows you to keep the gun only at your home or at a workplace you own (article 5 of Law 10.826), not at someone else's home. A CAC can register a second collection address with the PF. See how to own a gun in Brazil.
What is negligent storage ("omissão de cautela")?
It is the crime in article 13 of Law 10.826/2003: "Failing to observe the necessary precautions to prevent a person under 18 (eighteen) years of age or a person with a mental disability from taking hold of a firearm in one's possession or owned by one".
The penalty is detention of 1 to 2 years and a fine. The text of the law speaks of the person "taking hold" of the gun; it does not mention a shot being fired.
What are the rules for CACs?
Federal Police Normative Instruction IN DG/PF nº 311/2025 sets out how a collection must be stored. Under article 45, "the security of the collection is the responsibility of its owner".
Collection | What IN 311 requires |
|---|---|
Sport shooting and hunting (art. 46) | Safe, metal box or container that makes removal difficult; reinforced lock or latch with code, biometrics or key; room with masonry walls, floor and ceiling; firearms unloaded |
Collection in a restricted-access place (art. 47, I) | Sturdy walls, floor and ceiling; sturdy doors with 2 locks; bars on ground-floor or easily reached windows; items not visible from outside |
Collection in a freely accessible place (art. 47, II) | Inert firearms (missing a firing mechanism part, with a notice), secured to a masonry or concrete base by a steel bar, chain or cable of 5 mm or more |
The PF may inspect the storage place, and refusing access to the inspection can lead to suspension of the Registration Certificate (CR) (art. 50, sole paragraph). See the summary of the rules in the Federal Police IN 311.
How to choose a gun safe
The law does not approve any brand or model. To meet the statement you signed and the rules above, look for:
- a steel body and a door with no gaps that allow prying;
- a lock with code, biometrics or key, as IN 311 requires for a CAC collection;
- anchoring to the floor or wall, to make removal harder;
- a suitable size for the guns stored, without forcing the door;
- a discreet location, out of sight of visitors and away from windows.
Good practices for storage at home
These practices are safety recommendations and go beyond the text of the law:
- Always store the gun unloaded in the safe. Check the chamber before putting it away.
- Keep ammunition in another locked place, separate from the gun.
- Only the owner has the code or key. Do not leave the key next to the safe or write the code down near it.
- Never leave the gun out "just for a minute" on furniture, in a bag or in the car.
- Talk to children in an age-appropriate way: if they find a gun, do not touch it, move away and call an adult.
- Visitors and parties: check that the safe is locked before people arrive.
- Cleaning and maintenance only with the gun unloaded, in a place children cannot reach. See how to clean a pistol safely.
What to do if the gun is stolen or goes missing
File a police report (boletim de ocorrência) and notify the PF, which has a specific form for reporting firearm incidents.
- CAC: report it immediately in Sinarm-CAC (the Federal Police system for CACs) and send a copy of the police report to the PF within 10 business days (art. 81 of IN 311).
- Carry permit holders: immediately notify the nearest police unit and the PF, or the carry permit may be suspended (art. 50 of Decree 11.615).
Next step
Check today whether your storage place meets what you declared to the PF: a safe or a locked place, the gun unloaded and access limited to you. If it does not, fix that before anything else.
No comments yet