Overview
- The Nationalrat approved the overhaul with ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos and the Greens backing it, while the FPÖ opposed it.
- The law raises the purchase age to 25 for category B firearms such as pistols and to 21 for category C rifles and shotguns, and category C now requires a weapons card or weapons pass.
- Psychological assessments become mandatory at first application and again after five years, with reliability checks for owners repeated every five years.
- The cooling‑off period between purchase and handover is extended from three days to about four weeks to deter impulsive acquisitions.
- Some measures take effect shortly and others in 2026 to allow central registry upgrades, as the Greens press for safe‑storage rules and a take‑back program and the FPÖ argues the priority should be illegal weapons and better agency data‑sharing.