Crossbows fall between sporting equipment and firearms in UK law. They are not firearms, they need no licence or registration, and yet the government announced in March 2026 that it intends to ban their sale and license existing owners. This article sets out what the law requires today and what is planned. The Crossbows Act 1987 applies in England, Wales and Scotland, and Northern Ireland is dealt with separately.
Adults in Great Britain can legally buy and own a crossbow without a licence or registration, but it is an offence to sell or hire one to anyone under 18, and a ban on sales and a licensing scheme for owners have been announced but are not yet law.
What the Crossbows Act 1987 Says?
The Crossbows Act 1987 creates three offences. Section 1 makes it an offence to sell or hire a crossbow, or a part of one, to a person under 18, unless the seller believed the buyer was 18 or over and had reasonable grounds for that belief. Section 2 makes it an offence for a person under 18 to buy or hire a crossbow. Section 3 prohibits possession by a person under 18, unless they are supervised by someone aged 21 or over.
The age limit was 17 until 1 October 2007, when the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 raised it to 18 in England and Wales. Scotland made the same change through the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007. Section 5 provides that the Act does not apply to crossbows with a draw weight of less than 1.4 kilograms, so the age rules cover only crossbows at or above that weight.
The penalties differ by offence. Selling or hiring to an under-18 carries up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine up to level 5, or both. An under-18 who buys, hires or possesses a crossbow faces a fine of up to level 3 and no prison sentence. Section 4 gives police powers of search and seizure, which the Home Office describes as covering people they have reason to believe are in unlawful possession of a crossbow.
No Licence is Needed to Own a Crossbow
A crossbow is not a firearm. GOV.UK states that, unlike firearms, there is no licensing or registration system for crossbows, so an adult can buy one from a retailer without any check by the police. No central record of who owns one exists.
That is the position that the government has now said it wants to change, which is covered below.
Where You Can and Cannot Use a Crossbow?
Using a bow or crossbow to kill or take wild animals is an offence under section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Section 4 of the Deer Act 1991 separately prohibits using any arrow, spear or similar missile to take, kill or injure deer.
Carrying one in public is not banned outright, but it carries risk. Under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, it is an offence in England and Wales to have an offensive weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, and the burden of showing that excuse falls on the person carrying it. An offensive weapon includes anything the carrier intends to use to cause injury. Unlike pepper spray, which is a prohibited weapon whatever the reason for carrying it, a crossbow is not banned in itself, so a prosecution turns on why the person had it. The court looks at the circumstances, including where the crossbow was, how it was being carried and the reason given. The maximum sentence on indictment is four years’ imprisonment.
Buying a Crossbow Online
The Crime and Policing Act 2026 amends the Crossbows Act to tighten remote sales. Section 36 gives sellers a defence only if, before the sale, they obtained a copy of the buyer’s photo identity document and a photograph of the buyer, or carried out prescribed age checks. The package must also be marked as containing a crossbow, delivered into the buyer’s hands and not left in a locker.
Section 37 adds new offences for delivering a crossbow to residential premises or a collection point, and for a collection point handing one to someone who is not an eligible person. Delivery to a home is lawful only if the item is handed to a person aged 18 or over and, where the buyer is an individual, to that individual. The most serious of these offences can lead to imprisonment, and the others are punishable by fines.
On legislation.gov.uk, these sections are marked as prospective. They were not in force at Royal Assent, and no commencement order bringing them into force appears there as of 12 October 2026. Until they are in force, the sale rules remain those in the 1987 Act.
The Planned Sales Ban and Licensing Scheme (as of 12 October 2026)
On 19 March 2026 the Home Office published its response to the 2024 call for evidence. It says the government will introduce a licensing scheme for existing crossbow owners, prohibit the sale of crossbows, and prohibit broadhead arrows. The details of each are to be subject to consultation. The response anticipates that existing owners will be able to keep their crossbows if they apply for a licence and pass suitability checks.
Several points remain open. The response does not confirm exemptions. The 2024 call for evidence had proposed exemptions for items of historical importance, historical re-enactment, sporting activities, film and theatre, museum or gallery use, and antiques over 100 years old, but the response does not say whether they will apply. It sets no timetable and names no legislative vehicle for the ban and licensing, apart from the online sales measures in the Crime and Policing Act 2026. As of 12 October 2026, no consultation or draft legislation has appeared on GOV.UK.
Until legislation passes, buying and owning a crossbow as an adult remains lawful. Anyone considering a purchase or a sale should check GOV.UK for the consultation before relying on this article, as the position could change.
Common Misunderstandings
“You need a licence to own a crossbow.” Not at present. The licensing scheme is a government plan and has not been introduced.
“Crossbows are already banned.” They are not. A ban on sales has been announced, but no legislation has been passed.
“Under-18s cannot touch a crossbow.” The Act allows possession by a person under 18 who is supervised by someone aged 21 or over. It is still an offence for an under-18 to buy or hire one.
“You can hunt with one.” You cannot hunt wild animals with one. Section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to use a bow or crossbow to kill or take them.
“Buying one online is the same as buying in a shop.” It will stop being so once the Crime and Policing Act 2026 provisions come into force. Photo-ID checks and strict delivery rules will then apply to remote sales.
How Crossbow Law Compares With Other Weapons?
Weapons law in the UK works in three broad ways. Prohibited weapons under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 are banned for civilians whatever the reason, which is the position for tasers and stun guns. Firearms need a certificate, with an exception in England and Wales for low-powered air guns and BB guns that stay under the legal power limits. Crossbows fall into a third category, which is age-restricted but unlicensed, and that is the category the government now wants to move into a licensing regime.
A firearms certificate involves police checks on the applicant, while a crossbow purchase currently involves only the seller’s own age check. That difference is the gap the March 2026 announcement is aimed at.
Quick Answers
No. There is currently no licensing or registration system for crossbows in the UK. The government announced in March 2026 that it intends to introduce a licensing scheme for existing owners, but this has not yet become law.
You must be 18 or over. It is an offence under the Crossbows Act 1987 to sell or hire a crossbow to someone under 18, and for a person under 18 to buy or hire one. Someone under 18 may possess one only while supervised by a person aged 21 or over.
Carrying a crossbow is not banned outright, but in England and Wales it is an offence under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 to have an offensive weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. The person carrying it must show the excuse.
No, not for wild animals. Section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it an offence to use a bow or crossbow to kill or take them, and section 4 of the Deer Act 1991 separately prohibits using any arrow, spear or similar missile against deer.
The government announced on 19 March 2026 that it will prohibit the sale of crossbows and introduce licensing for existing owners, with details to follow after consultation. No legislation or timetable has been published as of 12 October 2026, so buying and owning a crossbow remains lawful for adults for now.
Yes, at present, provided the seller complies with the age rules in the Crossbows Act 1987. Stricter rules on photo ID and delivery in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 are not yet in force.
