Summary of Dominican Republic Gun Law
The Dominican Republic has a structured and comprehensive approach to its gun laws and legal framework, although it remains a complex area that not only the local citizens but foreign citizens on the country find challenging to navigate. Even though the Constitution of the Dominican Republic does not state any reference as to carry weapons and firearms generally, the Law on Firearms and Ammunition (Law No. 36) of 1984 (Ley No. 36) has specific dispositions on this subject matter. Furthermore, the Dominican Armed Forces are in charge of arm control, so tourists would need to follow the protocols established by the Dominica National Police (Policía Nacional Dominicana) and the Dominican Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de la República Dominicana) to carry an automatic or any other type of weapon .
Such rules or protocols include the presence of a federal license or permission to have the weapon, and the permit must be issued before entering the country. An additional process started on January 6, 2022, provides for a commission to evaluate each request. Also, the Dominican Republic is a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates the international trade of conventional arms. However, as explained above, the Dominican Republic has very strict regulations as to carry guns and that effectively nullify or replace the need to be a signatory of such Agreement.
This means that most tourists will be unable to bring legal arms and ammunition into the Dominican territory (even those required for hunting purposes) or transport these across the country.
Can Tourists Possess Guns in the Dominican Republic?
Foreign tourists cannot bring guns into the Dominican Republic. Those who do so, especially with a loaded gun, cannot expect or hope for a mere slap on the wrist.
The law says that foreigners cannot enter the Dominican Republic with any kind of gun. If a tourist breaks the laws, that person will face criminal charges. Gun owners should never hope that they’ll be on vacation so the Dominican Republic will ignore the bag full of illegal guns they have just flown in with. Our Dominican Republic Tourist and Travel Legal Advice representative is currently thirty days into a one year sentence in the Central Zone Correccional in La Romana for simply carrying his legally owned gun to Santo Domingo.
No business or government office anywhere in the Dominican Republic will grant papéres for any firearm that has been brought in illegally. The Dominican Republic has a very strict gun law. Anyone who does not know this breaking the law in the Dominican Republic should be certain he has no practical option other than to plead guilty to the crime he has committed.
We could go on and on providing examples of the little known aspects of the law in the Dominican Republic, but what would be the point? The point is that you cannot bring a gun into the Dominican Republic without permission and you cannot bring in a legal gun any more than you can bring in an illegal gun. Does this answer all your questions? We hope so. If you want your life returned to normal at the cost of merely paying a large criminal fine as it currently stands, then stay out of prison long enough to pay it.
Gun Permit Application Procedures
A tourist applying for a firearm permit in the Dominican Republic must go through a process which includes multiple steps. After presenting the required documentation and completing an application form, the applicant begins a process that involves interviews and physical exams. All applicants are notified of their status on a pre-established date.
Tourists interested in obtaining a firearm permit must provide hotel information, be legally registered with the Tourist Office and present a blank document from the respective gun club. The application form and other documentation require a signature, fingerprint and notarization. Once the form is filled out and all required documents are presented to the Interior Ministry, the applicant must submit to a criminal background check as well as a psychological and physical exam.
The psychological exam has specific parameters that must be met. The applicant must submit to a gun club psychologist who has been approved by the Ministry of Interior. There is no explicit definition of what type of exam is performed but according to the gun clubs that issue permits, a conversation is had with the psychologist and the applicant.
The waiting period for a permit can take varying amounts of time based on whether other permits are waiting to be processed or if there are unpredictable delays. After the Ministry of Interior approves the application and issues a permit, it becomes legal to purchase a firearm in the Dominican Republic.
This is not the case for permits that are denied. A denial carries a six-month waiting period before the applicant may reapply.
Participants who do not go through the above process do so at their own risk. Legal ramifications include potential firearms and fine confiscation, detention and/or deportation.
Firearm possession is not illegal for tourists who go through the proper steps of the application process. It should be noted, however, that open-carry firearm laws are not recognized under Dominican law. Firearm possession regulations differ from other rules about what type of firearm tourists may purchase and if concealment is illegal.
Restrictions on Tourist Gun Usage
There are a number of restrictions concerning where tourists can enter or walk while also carrying their firearms in the Dominican Republic. One of these locations open to civilians where there is a restriction of guns is the Prehistoric Cave of Las Maravillas and the Museum of Amber in La Romana. Other areas where tourists may not have their firearms include the Larimar Mines (also in the vicinity of Barahona) as well as any other type of mine. There is also a prohibition of firearms in any archaeological site in the Dominican Republic, such as the Taino Cave in Lascaux – which tourists frequent every year in order to visit the cave believed to be the oldest in the country.
The only places that tourists can have their guns include those areas open to civilians where police and military government officials ordinarily have their firearms. This includes the country’s armed forces academies and military camps, as well as the Republic National Palace and the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
Other locations open to civilians where tourists may have their guns are the country’s national parks. However, in these parks, the guns are only "admitted in authorized, well-defined and controlled activities." The following are the national parks open to tourists with limited restrictions to tourists carrying their firearms:
Firearms license holders may also carry their guns at various sports centers, arenas, and other similar places open to the public for sporting events in the country, if they are participating in such events.
Tourist Gun Law Penalties and Charges
The penalties for violating Dominican gun laws are serious and potentially life-altering, even for otherwise law-abiding people who make mistakes or have unfortunate accidents. This is why you should be cautious about possessing or taking guns or ammunition into the DR. Penalties for possession of prohibited firearms include arrest, fines , loss of the weapon and imprisonment. The standard procedure is that the gun will be confiscated and you will be brought to the nearest police station. Even if you leave the weapon behind, you could still face arrest. In cases of accidental discharge of a firearm, we know of people who had to pay over 6,000 US dollars in fines (shortly after paying 2,000 US dollars for another wrongful discharge).
Safety Precautions Tourists Should Follow Regarding Guns
For the most part firearms are not seen in the tourist areas of the Dominican Republic such as Punta Cana and La Romana. However firearms are a tool of choice for many criminals. When traveling throughout the Dominican Republic it is important to be situated that firearms do exist. Typically firearms only come into contact with tourists in cities including Santo Domingo, Santiago, Marbella and Puerto Plata. The most important factor when it comes to dealing with firearms in the Dominican Republic as a visitor is that the government agencies will quickly side with local residents in any situation where they believe a crime has been committed. Furthermore, the gun laws of the DR are unclear at best. What this leaves is a situation where expats, tourists and locals must rely on themselves when it comes to defending themselves. As a result many people have weapons on them. Whether the gun is illegal or not is unknown. Your best bet is to avoid confrontation with anyone who has a firearm. If there is no confrontation it is likely that nothing will happen to you. When it comes to firearms, remember that gun laws are unclear and firearms are plentiful in the Dominican Republic. It is best to avoid all confrontations involving firearms while maintaining a large degree of awareness regarding your surroundings.
Tourist Gun Law Legal Representation
For tourists and expatriates who may encounter disputes or wish to take legal action in the Dominican Republic, or know someone who does, legal resources are available. Legal services range from the purely transactional to the litigation areas of practice, with many fields between. Tourists bringing suit or having a suit brought against them should understand that local counsel is necessary. The lawyers in the Dominican Republic can translate your English into Spanish language legalese for you in the case of litigation, and help you navigate the complex and sometimes bewildering laws in the Dominican Republic .
It is very easy to obtain the services of legal counsel in Dominican Republic because they are considered to be professionals within their society. Those who provide legal services usually offer free legal advice in their offices. Thus, even if you just have a quick question about local laws and whether it will cause you a problem, advise you on an aspect of life in Dominican Republic, or wish to have them review a document or handle a real estate transaction, there should be no harm in shopping around for a good lawyer who will provide you with accurate legal advice.