Weapons — Saudi Arabia
What travelers need to know about weapons in Saudi Arabia. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Weapons in Saudi Arabia: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
Do not carry weapons or ammunition into Saudi Arabia. ZATCA lists "weapons and ammunition" among the items prohibited to travellers at customs ports, together with electric shock devices of all types, fireworks of all kinds, eavesdropping devices, and anything containing a hidden camera. Only one red laser pen up to 5 milliwatts is allowed.
ZATCA introduces the prohibited list as issued together with "the fines that are imposed on anyone who attempts to enter them", but publishes no fine amounts, no schedule and no link to a schedule. No monetary figure should be asserted. The underlying Minister of Finance Decision No. 2597 (24 Rajab 1439 AH) was not locatable on a .gov.sa host.
§ Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), "Restricted or Prohibited Goods" — prohibited items carried by passengers and travellers through customs ports, implementing Minister of Finance Decision No. (2597) of 24 Rajab 1439 AH as circulated by Customs Governor Circular No. (340/21/M) of 01/08/1439 AH; page-stamped Last Update 29 May 2025. Arabic mirror verified.