Chile relaxes weapon accreditation renewals until July 2027

The General Directorate of National Mobilization has streamlined the renewal process for five-year firearms ownership or possession certifications, allowing applications to be submitted at any Supervisory Authority in the country. The measure, adopted through Exempt Resolution No. 1,985, dated August 12, 2026, is effective from its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile and extends until July 31, 2027.

The decision responds to numerous observations from users of Law No. 17,798 on Arms Control, who reported long waiting periods for appointments at Supervisory Authorities, particularly in the Metropolitan Region. The agency attributed the congestion to the high volume of renewal requests submitted continuously and the limited capacity, both in terms of resources and personnel, of the supervisory offices.

Scope of the measure

The streamlining applies exclusively to the renewals of previously granted firearms ownership or possession certifications. Certifications linked to firearm registration applications are excluded from this authorization and maintain their ordinary regime.

• The measure is effective from its publication in the Official Gazette until July 31, 2027.
• Applications may be submitted at any of the Arms Control Law Supervisory Authorities existing in the country.
• It only applies to the renewals of certifications, not to the registration of firearms.

Regulatory framework

The five-year certification is provided for in Article 5 A of Law No. 17,798, which requires authorized owners or possessors to certify every five years their knowledge of the conservation, maintenance, and handling of firearms, as well as physical and psychological fitness for their use. The method for carrying out this certification is detailed in Articles 77 and following of the Complementary Regulations of the Arms Control Law.

The resolution is further based on Law No. 18,575, the Constitutional Organic Law on General Bases of State Administration, which mandates meeting public needs in a continuous and permanent manner, and Law No. 19,880, on the bases of administrative procedures, which urges the simplification and speed of formalities.

Signature and dissemination

The resolution was signed by Pedro Araya Améstica, Brigadier General and General Director of National Mobilization, reporting to the Undersecretariat for the Armed Forces of the Ministry of National Defense. The document orders a copy to be sent to all Supervisory Authorities and its publication on the institutional website and in the Official Gazette.

The measure seeks to alleviate pressure on the Metropolitan Region offices and ensure that gun owners can keep their authorizations current without being adversely affected by system saturation. For the thousands of users of the Arms Control Law, it represents an administrative reprieve of nearly one year to regularize their status at the office most accessible to them.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,547, Thursday, September 10, 2026, Section I (Laws, Regulations, Decrees and General Order Resolutions), p. 1-2 (official reference: CVE 2866860).