Statute Details
- Title: Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025
- Act/Authorising Power: Made under section 56 of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Act Code: GEWCA2021-S379-2025
- Legislative Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Commencement: 1 July 2025
- SL Number: SL 379/2025 (dated in the timeline as 1 July 2025)
- Made Date: 26 May 2025
- Maker: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (Pang Kin Keong)
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (Citation and commencement); Section 2 (Definitions); Section 3 (Class licensee); Section 4 (Conditions of class licence)
- Parliamentary Presentation: To be presented to Parliament under section 92 of the Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025 (“the Order”) creates a specific regulatory pathway for certain weapons that are intentionally modified to be “blunted” and are held for ornamental or curatorial purposes. In plain terms, it allows eligible persons to possess a limited category of blunted weapons without needing an individual licence for each case—provided they comply with strict conditions designed to prevent misuse, loss, theft, or public alarm.
The Order sits within Singapore’s broader weapons control framework under the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (“the Act”). While the Act generally regulates possession of weapons, this Order carves out a controlled exception: it establishes a class licence for people who possess blunted versions of certain “defined weapons” for display to the general public or for collection purposes with commemorative, historical, thematic, or heirloom value.
Practically, the Order is aimed at collectors, museums, exhibition organisers, and enthusiasts who want to own replica-like or deactivated-looking weapons for legitimate display, while ensuring that the weapons cannot realistically cause serious injury or death. The legal emphasis is not merely on ownership, but on ongoing compliance—the weapon must remain blunted at all times, and the licensee must take reasonable steps to secure it and manage public perception.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1) Citation and commencement (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal name of the Order and states that it comes into operation on 1 July 2025. For practitioners, this matters for determining when the class licence regime became available and for assessing compliance timelines for any possession or display arrangements.
2) Definitions that control the scope (Section 2)
Section 2 is critical because it defines the categories of weapons and key concepts that determine whether the class licence applies. Several definitions are particularly important:
“bayonet” is defined as a thrusting, striking or cutting weapon designed to be attached to or at the muzzle of a gun.
“blunted” means the cutting edges and points of a defined weapon are modified to be blunt and not capable of causing serious injury or death. This is a functional safety threshold, not merely a cosmetic one.
“defined weapon” is a closed list. It includes:
- (a) a bayonet;
- (b) a sword or dirk;
- (c) a sharp pointed stabbing instrument with specific blade geometry and design features, including certain push knives/push daggers, throwing knives, and trench knife/knuckleduster-style designs; and importantly, it excludes a karambit;
- (d) a spear; and
- (e) a spearhead.
The definition of “sword” includes long-bladed thrusting/striking/cutting weapons with one or two cutting edges and a hilt, and it includes certain named sword types (e.g., bolo, kukri, hooked swords) but excludes machete and parang. This exclusion can be decisive where a collector’s item resembles a sword but falls into a different category under the Act’s taxonomy.
Two additional definitions affect how the weapon may be displayed:
- “display to the general public” means display as part of an exhibition open to any member of the public as of right or by express/implied permission, whether or not a fee is charged.
- “spear” includes thrusting/throwing/striking/cutting weapons propelled by human power without devices, and it includes specific martial arts weapons such as “Guandao” or “Yanyuedao”.
3) Who qualifies as a “class licensee” (Section 3)
Section 3 is the gateway provision. It provides that, unless exempt by or under sections 87 or 88 of the Act and subject to section 66(1) and (2)(c) of the Act, every person who possesses one or more blunted defined weapons for specified purposes is subject to a class licence.
The permitted purposes are limited to:
- (a) Ornament for display to the general public or otherwise; and
- (b) Curio/collection due to commemorative, historical, thematic, or heirloom value.
Two practical implications follow. First, the class licence is purpose-bound: it authorises possession for those purposes and no other purpose. Second, it expressly authorises the class licensee to dispose of the blunted defined weapons if they are no longer required for that purpose. For lawyers advising collectors or exhibition organisers, this disposal permission can reduce uncertainty about whether sale, transfer, or deaccessioning is lawful—provided the disposal is tied to the end of the permitted purpose.
4) Conditions of the class licence (Section 4)
Section 4 sets out ongoing compliance obligations. A class licensee may possess a blunted defined weapon only if all conditions are met.
Condition (a): the weapon must remain blunted at all times.
This is a continuing obligation. If the weapon’s modifications degrade, are altered, or are reversed such that it becomes capable of causing serious injury or death, the condition would be breached. Advisers should consider whether the licensee needs documentation of blunting modifications and whether periodic checks are prudent.
Condition (b): reasonable steps to prevent loss, theft, and unauthorised access/transfer.
The licensee must take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure the weapon is not lost or stolen and is not accessible or transferred to anyone else who is not authorised by or under the Act to possess it. The Order includes an illustration: if the weapon is kept in a container with a keyed lock or keyed padlock, the licensee must ensure the keys are not lost or stolen and are not accessible to unauthorised persons.
This condition is likely to be a focal point in enforcement. “All reasonable steps” is fact-sensitive; what counts as reasonable may depend on the nature of the premises, the frequency of access, and the security measures actually implemented.
Condition (c): reasonable steps to protect other people from alarm.
This addresses public perception and safety. The licensee must take reasonable steps to protect others from alarm relating to the class licensee’s possession of the blunted weapon for the permitted purpose. In practice, this can involve how the weapon is stored, displayed, and communicated to visitors or the public—particularly where exhibitions are open to the general public.
Meaning of “authorised by or under the Act” (Section 4(2))
For the purpose of preventing unauthorised access/transfer, the Order clarifies that “authorised by or under the Act” means authorised to possess the blunted defined weapon without committing an offence under the Act because of:
- a provision in the Act;
- a licence or class licence; or
- an exemption under sections 87, 88 or 89 of the Act.
This clarification is important for advising on transfers between collectors, museums, or exhibition partners. It signals that the relevant question is not merely whether the recipient claims to be authorised, but whether the recipient’s possession would be lawful under the Act’s structure (licence, class licence, or exemption).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is concise and structured around four provisions:
Section 1 sets out the citation and commencement date.
Section 2 provides definitions that determine the scope of “defined weapons”, “blunted”, and key concepts such as “display to the general public”.
Section 3 identifies who becomes a class licensee and for what permitted purposes.
Section 4 imposes the conditions that must be satisfied for lawful possession under the class licence, including security, maintenance of blunting, and management of public alarm.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The class licence regime applies to every person who possesses one or more blunted defined weapons for the permitted purposes in Section 3—namely ornamental display (including display to the general public) and curio/collection value (commemorative, historical, thematic, or heirloom). It is not limited to businesses; it can apply to individuals, provided the conditions are met.
However, the Order contains carve-outs and cross-references. It does not apply where a person is exempt by or under sections 87 or 88 of the Act, and it is also subject to section 66(1) and (2)(c) of the Act. For practitioners, this means the analysis should start with whether the client’s situation is better characterised as an exemption case rather than a class licence case, and whether any additional restrictions in the Act apply to the particular category of possession.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is significant because it provides a legally workable framework for ornamental and curatorial possession of certain weapons—without requiring a bespoke licence for each holder—while still maintaining the Act’s overarching safety and control objectives. For collectors and exhibition organisers, it reduces regulatory friction, but only within a tightly defined boundary: the weapons must be blunted, the purpose must be ornamental/curatorial, and the licensee must comply with security and public-facing obligations.
From an enforcement perspective, the conditions in Section 4 create clear compliance checkpoints. The “blunted at all times” requirement is a substantive safety standard. The “reasonable steps” security obligation (including key control where locks are used) is a practical measure that can be assessed through evidence such as storage arrangements, access logs, and physical security. The “protect other people from alarm” condition introduces a public-safety and reputational dimension, which may require careful planning for exhibitions and display settings.
For legal practitioners, the Order also offers a structured way to advise on lawful disposal and lawful transfers. Section 3 authorises disposal when the weapons are no longer required for the permitted purpose, and Section 4(2) clarifies what counts as lawful authorisation for possession by others. These points are particularly relevant when advising on deaccessioning, gifting, lending for exhibitions, or transferring items to another collector or institution.
Related Legislation
- Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021 (authorising Act; relevant cross-references include sections 56, 66, 87, 88, and 89)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Ornamental Use — Class Licence) Order 2025 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.