How to Import Shotguns from Turkey

To import shotguns from Turkey, you buy from a Turkish manufacturer or exporter that obtains Turkish export authorization, while you, as a licensed importer or authorized agency, obtain the import license or permit your country requires. The two sides are linked by an end-user certificate, commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.

Who can import shotguns from Turkey?

Commercial imports of shotguns are open to licensed firearms businesses (importers, distributors and dealers holding the licenses their country requires) and to authorized government and law-enforcement agencies. Turkish exporters generally need evidence that the consignee is authorized to import before a shipment can be approved, so the importer of record must be able to obtain that authorization at home. The same principles apply to importing other firearms from Turkey, but this guide focuses on shotguns.

Iber Arms sells only to licensed businesses and government buyers. If you are a private individual who wants a Turkish-made shotgun, the practical route is a licensed dealer or importer in your own country, who handles the import and the transfer to you under local law.

How does the export side work in Turkey?

On the Turkish side, the manufacturer or exporter applies to the competent Turkish authorities for authorization to export the specific shipment. The buyer does not apply for Turkish export authorization, but the exporter cannot obtain it without the buyer’s end-user documentation and, usually, a copy of the destination import permit.

In practice the export side involves the four elements below.

• Export authorization for the specific goods, quantities and consignee, applied for by the exporter.
• End-user documentation from the buyer confirming who will receive and use the goods. The route and the documents required can differ with the product’s classification (for example, sporting shotguns versus configurations intended for military or police use) and with the type of buyer.
• Export customs clearance through a customs broker, using the export authorization, commercial invoice and packing list.
• Transport by a carrier and forwarder that accept firearms. Not every shipping line, airline or forwarder does, so routing should be agreed before the goods are ready.

Because the export authorization covers named goods and a named consignee, the details on your import permit, the end-user certificate and the invoices must match exactly.

What documents do you need to import shotguns from Turkey?

A typical shipment of shotguns from Turkey involves the documents below. Names and formats vary by country, so use this as a checklist to review with your authority and customs broker.

Some authorities also ask for certain documents to be legalized or apostilled, or for a post-shipment confirmation of delivery. Ask your authority early what applies to you.

How does importing shotguns from Turkey work, step by step?

1. Check what you may import. Confirm the legal classification of the models and configurations you want in your country; action type, capacity, barrel length and features all matter.
2. Hold the right licenses. Make sure your firearms business license covers importing and the categories of firearm you plan to bring in.
3. Choose a manufacturer and configuration. Shortlist suppliers, request catalogs and agree a configuration that is lawful in your market.
4. Evaluate samples. Samples are firearms too, so they need an import permit on your side and export authorization on the Turkish side.
5. Agree a proforma invoice with models, quantities, prices, Incoterm and payment terms. Many authorities ask for one with the import permit application.
6. Apply for the shotgun import permit, using exactly the same model descriptions and quantities as the proforma.
7. Send the end-user certificate and a copy of the permit to the exporter, who applies for Turkish export authorization.
8. Production, test-firing and inspection run in parallel with the paperwork; arrange a pre-shipment inspection if you want one.
9. Book transport with a forwarder experienced in firearms, and settle payment as agreed.
10. Export clearance in Turkey and shipment.
11. Import clearance through your licensed customs broker, with your permit and the shipping documents.
12. Post-import obligations record-keeping, registration, marking and reporting as your law requires, before the guns are sold.

Should you use EXW, FOB or CIF Incoterms?

Incoterms are the International Chamber of Commerce’s standard trade terms that define where the seller’s costs and risk end and the buyer’s begin. For firearms, the choice also decides who handles export clearance, which is why EXW is rarely the right term.

For air freight, use terms such as FCA, CPT or CIP instead of FOB or CIF, which are meant for sea transport. Whatever the term, write it on the proforma invoice and make sure your cargo insurance covers firearms in transit.

What does each destination country require?

The table summarizes the main points for our key export markets, as general information reviewed in October 2026. Each authority publishes its own rules and forms; confirm the current position with them before ordering.

United States

Shotguns imported into the US must come in through a licensed importer, a Federal Firearms Licensee of Type 08 or 11, and each import needs an ATF Form 6 import permit. Imported shotguns must also meet ATF’s “sporting purposes” importability criteria, so some tactical configurations sold elsewhere may not be importable in that form. A shotgun with a barrel under 18 inches or an overall length under 26 inches is a short-barreled shotgun under the National Firearms Act and is subject to separate controls. If you assemble semi-automatic shotguns in the US with imported parts, the parts-count rules of 18 U.S.C. 922(r) apply. State laws, in California and New York for example, add their own feature and magazine limits. Confirm the importability of a specific configuration with ATF or your counsel before ordering.

Canada

Businesses importing firearms into Canada need the appropriate firearms business license and import permits; check with the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program and Global Affairs Canada. The RCMP sets the classification of each model (non-restricted, restricted or prohibited), recorded in its Firearms Reference Table, and several models have been prohibited since 2020, so verify the exact model before import. Magazines for semi-automatic centerfire rifles and shotguns are limited to 5 shells, which makes 5-shell (or lower) semi-auto configurations the norm for Canadian orders.

Australia

Firearms imports into Australia need import permission from the Australian Border Force plus state or territory police authorization. Classification follows the national category system. Single and double-barrel break-action shotguns are Category A. Since the 2017-18 review of the National Firearms Agreement, lever-action shotguns with a capacity of 5 rounds or less are Category B and those holding more than 5 are Category D. Pump-action and self-loading shotguns are Category C or D. Lever-release shotguns are classified differently from state to state, so check with the relevant state or territory before ordering our lever-release shotguns or any similar design.

South Africa

Firearms in South Africa are regulated by the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000, and imports need a SAPS import permit. The licensing rules shape demand. A self-defense license (section 13) excludes semi-automatic shotguns, and dedicated hunter or sport-shooter status (section 16) is the usual route for semi-automatics. Importers should plan their mix of pump-action, break-action and semi-automatic models with their customers’ license types in mind.

United Kingdom

Importing firearms into the UK as a business requires registration as a Registered Firearms Dealer (RFD) and an import license, so check with your police firearms licensing department and the UK import licensing authority. Classification decides who can buy. A Section 2 shotgun certificate covers shotguns whose magazine holds no more than 2 cartridges (2+1 in total) with barrels of at least 24 inches, while anything else needs at least a Section 1 firearm certificate. That is why 2+1 configurations with longer barrels are the mainstream choice for the UK.

European Union

Within the EU, firearms imports require national authorizations issued under each member state’s implementation of the EU firearms directive. Categories, capacity rules and licensing differ between countries even inside the EU, so an importer in Spain, Germany or Italy works with its own national authority. Many European countries are also members of the C.I.P., whose rules require civilian firearms to carry recognized proof marks; ask our export team which proof marks and certificates are available for your market. In Spain, for example, shotguns require a licencia E and a guía de pertenencia from the Guardia Civil, and semi-automatics used for hunting are usually limited to 2+1 cartridges.

Latin America

Latin American markets are typically channeled through state bodies, which changes who the importer is, as the examples below show.

• Mexico imports run through SEDENA, and civilians may buy firearms only through SEDENA’s DCAM. Under the LFAFE, shotguns with barrels shorter than 635 mm and those of a caliber larger than 12 gauge are reserved for the armed forces; verify the current version of the law.
• Colombia Indumil holds the civilian sales monopoly, so commercial supply goes through Indumil.
• Argentina firearms and their users are regulated through RENAR (formerly ANMaC); individual users hold a CLU (Credencial de Legítimo Usuario).
• Peru SUCAMEC authorizes and controls civilian firearms.
• Chile Ley 17.798 governs firearms, with registration before the DGMN and the supervising authorities.

For other destinations, including the Middle East and Asia, imports are generally made by licensed dealers or government agencies under national permits. Tell us your destination and we will explain what we need from you.

How do you choose a compliant configuration for your market?

When importing shotguns from Turkey, choose the configuration around the rules first and the specification second. The same platform can be legal in one market and restricted or prohibited in another because of the four variables below.

• Action type break-action, lever, pump and semi-automatic shotguns often fall into different legal categories; Australia is the clearest example.
• Magazine capacity limits such as 2+1 for a UK Section 2 certificate, 5 shells for semi-automatics in Canada, or the Australian capacity thresholds.
• Barrel and overall length for example, the US NFA thresholds of 18 inches of barrel and 26 inches overall, or Mexico’s 635 mm barrel threshold.
• Features pistol grips, collapsible stocks, detachable magazines and similar features can affect importability or classification in some jurisdictions.

Because capacity and barrel length are configurable on most Iber platforms, we can build market-specific variants such as 2+1 or 4+1 capacities, 47 cm (18.5″) and 51 cm (20″) barrels for markets with length thresholds, or longer field barrels from 61 cm (24″) to 76 cm (30″). Short-barrel models with 26 cm (10.2″) barrels are supplied only to military, law-enforcement and other authorized buyers. Browse our pump-action, semi-auto, over/under, single barrel, lever action and magazine-fed ranges, or let our export team propose a configuration for your market.

What are the most common mistakes when importing shotguns?

1. Ordering before checking the classification. A configuration that is routine in one country can be restricted or prohibited in yours. Check the exact model first.
2. Applying for permits late. Permit processing is often the slowest part of the timeline. Apply as soon as the proforma is agreed.
3. Mismatched documents. Model names, gauges, quantities or consignee details that differ between the proforma, the import permit and the end-user certificate can stop a shipment.
4. Forgetting that samples need permits. A single sample gun needs the same authorizations as a container load.
5. Choosing EXW by default. It puts export clearance on the buyer, which rarely works for firearms. FCA, FOB or CIF are usually better fits.
6. Using a forwarder without firearms experience. Not every carrier accepts firearms, and late rejections cost time.
7. Ignoring state, provincial or territory rules. National approval does not guarantee a model can be sold everywhere in the country.
8. Overlooking magazines and spare parts. In some markets, magazines and certain parts are controlled or limited in their own right. Plan spare magazines, choke tubes and wear parts within your permits.
9. Budgeting only for the ex-factory price. Freight, insurance, duties, taxes, broker fees and compliance work all add to the landed cost.
10. Working with a supplier you cannot verify. Ask which processes happen in the supplier’s own factory, and ask for samples and evidence such as factory videos.

How long does it take to import shotguns from Turkey, and what does it cost?

There is no standard timeline. The total depends on permits on both sides, production and transport, and the permit stages are usually the least predictable. The main factors are listed below.

• Processing times of your national (and state or provincial) authority for licenses and import permits
• Time to obtain Turkish export authorization once complete end-user documents arrive
• Whether you order a standard configuration or a customized or private label build
• Order size and the number of variants
• Availability of firearms-capable carriers on your route, and sea versus air freight
• Customs clearance and any inspection at destination

Costs work the same way. Beyond the ex-factory price, budget for freight, insurance, permit and broker fees, import duties and taxes, and any marking or registration your law requires. Ask your customs broker for a landed-cost estimate based on the proforma invoice.

How does Iber Arms support importers?

We have exported shotguns since 2010 and completed more than 2,800 export shipments from our factory in Beyşehir, Konya. Here is what that means for importers.

• Export documents handled we obtain Turkish export authorization and prepare the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, and we tell you early which end-user documents we need.
• Compliance-ready configurations capacities, barrel lengths and stock options chosen for your market’s rules.
• Samples available for evaluation, so you can test before you commit.
• Orders of any quantity start with a small or mixed order and scale up.
• A broad range 100+ models and configurations across about 15 product families in 12 gauge, 20 gauge and .410 bore, including tactical shotguns and our newest models.
• Your own brand private label and OEM manufacturing for importers who want a house brand.

To understand what you are buying, see how our shotguns are made, read are Turkish shotguns good? and browse our overview of Turkish shotgun manufacturers.

Reviewed by the Iber Arms technical & export team — October 2026. General information, not legal advice.