Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Aviation Industry — Exemption) Order 2025

No. S 372

Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021

Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control
(Aviation Industry — Exemption)
Order 2025

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 87(3) of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021, the Minister for Home Affairs makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order is the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control (Aviation Industry — Exemption) Order 2025 and comes into operation on 1 July 2025.

Definitions

2.  In this Order —

“aerial work operation” means an operation of an aircraft that involves any of the following kinds of operation:

(a) an external load operation, which consists of carrying or towing a load outside the aircraft in flight, such as but not limited to glider towing, banner towing, and winching or target towing an individual during a search and rescue operation;

(b) a dispensing operation, which consists of dropping or releasing any substance or object from an aircraft in flight, such as but not limited to dropping or spraying onto the ground or water any fertiliser, water or pesticides for agricultural, horticultural or primary production purposes, cloud seeding, dropping or spraying onto the ground or water any fire retardant for firefighting or search and rescue purposes, and carrying any individual undertaking a parachute descent from the aircraft in flight;

(c) a task specialist operation, which consists of carrying out any other specialised activity using an aircraft in flight, such as for construction, photography, skywriting or other aerial advertising, scientific research, search and rescue, or forest and wildlife conservation,

and includes training for any such operation or specialised activity;

“air marshal” means —

(a) a police officer who is appointed by the Commissioner of Police under section 61(1) of the Police Force Act 2004 to serve as an air marshal on board an aircraft; or

(b) an air marshal (by whatever name called) under the law of any Protocol country with whom Singapore has an agreement relating to the deployment of air marshals on board an aircraft for ensuring the security of the aircraft and people on board the aircraft;

“air service” means a service for —

(a) the carriage of one or more passengers, mail or cargo for reward in an aircraft on a flight; or

(b) the carriage of one or more passengers, mail or cargo gratuitously in an aircraft on a flight by a person whose business includes the carriage by air of passengers or cargo for reward,

but excludes a service consisting of providing a course of training or instruction in flying an aircraft;

“aircraft” means any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air otherwise than by the reactions of the air against the surface of the earth, but not —

(a) an unmanned aircraft; or

(b) a naval, military or air force aircraft, or a State‑owned aircraft, of any country, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Defence in Singapore requests to be treated not as an aircraft for the purposes of this Order;

“aircraft operator”, in relation to an aircraft, means the person who, at the relevant time, is engaged in, or offering to engage in, conducting an air service or aerial work operation by the use of the aircraft;

“airport” means any defined area in Singapore declared under section 3 of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Act 2009 to be an airport;

“airside” means the movement area of an airport, adjacent terrain and buildings or any parts thereof, access to which is controlled;

“baggage” means the personal property of any passenger or crew that is carried on an aircraft by agreement with the aircraft operator;

“cargo” means any property carried on an aircraft other than the following:

(a) mail;

(b) stores and any goods intended for use and sale, respectively, on an aircraft, including spare parts and other articles of equipment;

(c) baggage, whether or not accompanied or mishandled;

“crew”, in relation to an aircraft, includes every individual having duties or functions on board the aircraft during its flight in connection with the flying or safety of the aircraft;

“gun part” means a major part of a gun;

“passenger” means an individual boarding or intending to board an aircraft for the purpose of travelling on board as a passenger, but excludes a participant of an aerial sports activity or flying exhibition involving that aircraft;

“Protocol country” has the meaning given by the Tokyo Convention Act 1971.

Prohibited guns, etc., not covered by Order

3.  Nothing in this Order exempts the use or handling of any of the following:

(a) a prohibited gun;

(b) a prohibited gun accessory;

(c) a prohibited explosive;

(d) a prohibited weapon;

(e) an explosive precursor.

Licence not needed by aircraft operator for airside cargo

4.—(1)  An aircraft operator of an aircraft used to conduct an air service or aerial work operation is exempt from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any gun, gun part or gun accessory carried as cargo in the course of conducting the air service or aerial work operation;

(b) sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any ammunition carried as cargo in the course of conducting the air service or aerial work operation; and

(c) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any weapon carried as cargo in the course of conducting the air service or aerial work operation.

(2)  However, the exemption in sub-paragraph (1) does not extend to any gun, ammunition or weapon that is stored, acquired by or in the possession of an aircraft operator outside of the airside of any airport.

Licence not needed for possessing aviation emergency and survival equipment

5.—(1)  Any person who —

(a) is an aircraft operator of an aircraft used to conduct an air service or aerial work operation;

(b) conducts in Singapore any general aviation; or

(c) provides in Singapore a course of training or instruction in flying an aircraft,

is exempt from sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any explosive substance or explosive device that is contained in any emergency and survival equipment which is carried on board the aircraft when the person is conducting the air service, aerial work operation or general aviation, or is providing that course of training or instruction.

(2)  Any individual who —

(a) pilots an aircraft used to conduct any air service, aerial work operation or general aviation;

(b) pilots an aircraft for the purpose of the individual —

(i) receiving flight training; or

(ii) taking a flight test for a pilot licence, or a pilot rating or endorsement on a pilot licence, for the individual; or

(c) is a flight instructor or flight examiner onboard an aircraft piloted by another individual for the purpose of that other individual —

(i) receiving flight training from the flight instructor; or

(ii) taking a flight test for a pilot licence, or a pilot rating or endorsement on a pilot licence, under the flight examiner,

is exempt from sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of any explosive substance or explosive device that is contained in any emergency and survival equipment which is carried on board the aircraft when the aircraft is in flight in connection with the conduct of the air service, aerial work operation or general aviation, or the conduct of the flight training or flight test, as the case may be.

(3)  For the purposes of sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) —

“emergency and survival equipment”, for an aircraft, means any of the following which is designed to be activated by an explosive substance or explosive device contained in the equipment and is required to be carried on board the aircraft in accordance with written law and, in the case of a foreign registered aircraft, also in accordance with the laws of its State of Registry:

(a) any survival equipment and signalling devices appropriate to the areas to be overflown by the aircraft;

(b) any distress signal;

(c) any evacuation slide or life raft;

(d) any parachute;

(e) any seatbelt pretensioner for use in an aircraft that is of classification code 1.4 UN Number 0503;

“general aviation” means operating an aircraft other than for the purpose of an aerial work operation or an air service;

“pilot”, used as a verb, means —

(a) to manipulate the flight controls of an aircraft during flight; or

(b) to occupy a flight control seat in an aircraft during flight.

Licence not needed by air marshal to possess gun, ammunition, etc.

6.—(1)  This paragraph applies to an air marshal —

(a) who arrives at any airport, on or after 1 July 2025, on a flight in an aircraft from a place outside Singapore; or

(b) who is due to leave an airport, on or after 1 July 2025, on a flight in an aircraft to a place outside Singapore.

(2)  An air marshal mentioned in sub‑paragraph (1) is exempt from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for having possession of, using and for importing and exporting any defined gun;

(b) sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting any ammunition for use with, any defined gun; and

(c) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any defined weapon,

in the exercise or discharge of the individual’s powers or duties as an air marshal on board the aircraft.

(3)  However, the exemption in sub-paragraph (2) applies only —

(a) to the extent the power or duty requires the air marshal to possess, handle or use the defined gun, the ammunition for use with the defined gun, or the defined weapon; and

(b) if the air marshal gives to a border authority, at least 7 days before arriving in or departing from Singapore on a flight (or a fewer number of days before so arriving or departing in the event of imminent danger or because of exigent circumstances), all of the following particulars:

(i) his or her full name and the number of his or her identity card or passport;

(ii) the flight number of the aircraft in which the air marshal arrives in or leaves Singapore, as the case may be;

(iii) the number of defined guns or defined weapons that he or she will possess on the flight, and a description of each defined gun or defined weapon;

(iv) the number of rounds of ammunition for use with each defined gun he or she will possess on the flight;

(v) the identification mark for every defined gun he or she will possess on the flight.

(4)  In this paragraph —

“border authority” means —

(a) a police officer who is deployed in the Airport Police Division of the Singapore Police Force;

(b) an officer of customs within the meaning given by section 3(1) of the Customs Act 1960 who is deployed at an airport; or

(c) the Controller of Immigration or an immigration officer appointed under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1959 who is deployed at an airport;

“defined gun” means —

(a) any handheld firearm;

(b) any major part of a handheld firearm; or

(c) any gun accessory that is designed to be or can be fitted to, or is adapted to fit, a handheld firearm;

“defined weapon” means —

(a) any knife or sharp pointed stabbing instrument (but not a sword, bayonet or spear); or

(b) any other weapon necessary for or in aid of restraining an individual’s person;

“handheld firearm” means a gun that —

(a) is designed or adapted to fire bullets, shots or other projectiles by means of burning propellant;

(b) if used in the way for which it is designed or adapted, is capable of being aimed at a target and causing hurt or injury by propelling a bullet, shot or other projectile;

(c) is designed or adapted for aiming and firing from the hand; and

(d) is reasonably capable of being carried concealed about the person of an individual.

Licence not needed by transit or transfer passenger or aircraft crew

7.—(1)  A transit passenger or a transfer passenger arriving, on or after 1 July 2025, at an airport in an aircraft from a place outside Singapore on a scheduled flight of a passenger air service is exempt while in Singapore from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting any gun, gun part or gun accessory;

(b) sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act to be authorised by a licence for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any explosive or explosive precursor; and

(c) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any weapon or noxious substance,

where the gun, gun part, gun accessory, explosive or explosive precursor, weapon or noxious substance (as the case may be) is and remains the checked baggage of the transit passenger or transfer passenger, and is neither a carry‑on article nor carried on the person of the transit passenger or transfer passenger.

(2)  A member of the crew of an aircraft who arrives, on or after 1 July 2025, at an airport in an aircraft from a place outside Singapore on a scheduled flight of a passenger air service and who leaves Singapore within 24 hours after the arrival in Singapore on an aircraft with the same or different flight number as the firstmentioned aircraft, is exempt while in Singapore from —

(a) sections 11(1) and 14 of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any gun, gun part or gun accessory;

(b) sections 22(1) and 24(1) of the Act for storing or having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any explosive or explosive precursor; and

(c) sections 29(1) and 31 of the Act for having possession of, and for importing and exporting, any weapon or noxious substance,

where the gun, gun part, gun accessory, explosive or explosive precursor, weapon or noxious substance (as the case may be) is and remains the checked baggage of the crew member, and is neither a carry‑on article nor carried on the person of the crew member.

(3)  However, the exemption in sub-paragraph (1) or (2) does not extend to any transit passenger, transfer passenger or member of the crew of an aircraft who, after arriving in Singapore at an airport, intentionally leaves the airside of the airport or intentionally enters any landside area of the airport.

(4)  For the purposes of this paragraph —

“air passenger ticket” means a ticket or other record (in electronic form or otherwise) on the basis of which an individual is treated as being entitled to travel as a passenger on a particular flight or flights, regardless of the number of seats on the flight for that passenger;

“checked baggage”, for a transit passenger, transfer passenger or a member of the crew of an aircraft who arrives at an airport from a place outside Singapore on a scheduled flight, means any baggage of the transit passenger, transfer passenger or member of the crew (as the case may be) that is checked‑in before the start of the scheduled flight;

“passenger air service” means an air service for the carriage of one or more passengers for reward and excludes an air service for the carriage of wholly or mainly mail or cargo;

“scheduled flight” means a flight on a scheduled journey within the meaning given by the Air Navigation (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations (Rg 2);

“transfer passenger” means a passenger entitled under a single air passenger ticket to depart from Singapore —

(a) within 24 hours after the passenger’s scheduled time of arrival by air in Singapore;

(b) on an aircraft with a flight number that is different from the flight number of the aircraft in which the passenger arrives in Singapore (called the arriving aircraft); and

(c) for an immediate destination that is in a country that is not the country in which the passenger boarded the arriving aircraft,

and includes such a passenger who, because of a delay for reasons beyond the passenger’s control or the control of the aircraft operator of the flight concerned, leaves Singapore instead at another time on the departing flight specified in his or her air passenger ticket or on another flight that is provided by the aircraft operator as a replacement of the flight specified on his or her air passenger ticket;

“transit passenger” means a passenger entitled under a single air passenger ticket to depart from Singapore —

(a) within 24 hours after the passenger’s scheduled time of arrival by air in Singapore;

(b) on an aircraft with the same flight number as the aircraft in which the passenger arrives in Singapore (called the arriving aircraft); and

(c) for an immediate destination that is in a country that is not the country in which the passenger boarded the arriving aircraft,

and includes such a passenger who, because of a delay for reasons beyond the passenger’s control or the control of the aircraft operator of the flight concerned, leaves Singapore instead at another time on the departing flight specified in his or her air passenger ticket or on another flight that is provided by the aircraft operator as a replacement of the flight specified on his or her air passenger ticket.

Made on 23 May 2025.

PANG KIN KEONG

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs,
Singapore.

[112/2/029; AG/LEGIS/SL/121C/2020/5]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 92 of the Guns, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021).