Under French law.

Legal obligations of replica owners

Before you buy equipment for combat simulation, it's important to know the conditions that allow you to acquire it freely without declaring it, and to transport it:

• It must not exceed an energy of 2 joules for adults , according to Decree n°2013-700 of July 30, 2013. Should you wish to acquire a pistol, sniper or dummy rifle that exceeds this limit, you may be asked to provide a hunting license with validation for the current year, or a valid license issued by the FFTir. These replicas do indeed fall into category D firearms, and this is also the case if you increase the potential of your equipment to exceed 2 J.
• The weapon must be carried in a case , must not contain any pellets or gas in the magazine, and the battery must be removed.
• Keep abreast of local regulations, too, as prefects are authorized to issue by laws completely prohibiting the carrying and transport of firearms in public places. So if you're thinking of strolling around town with the biggest airsoft replica in existence, be warned that you could be stopped by the police and fined.

Special provisions have been made for players under the age of 18 , who may not purchase replicas with an energy output exceeding 0.08 joules. They are therefore allowed to play games with mini electric pistols to start with, before being entitled to buy the best replicas.

Regulations governing the sale of dummy weapons

Manufacturers and sellers are also subject to a number of obligations, whatever the type of airsoft replica concerned:

• They must indicate the item's output energy (expressed in joules) on the packaging, instructions for use and on the product itself.
• The words “Distribution forbidden to minors” and “Warning: never direct fire at a person” must be clearly legible on the packaging and instructions.
• It is their duty to ensure that buyers are of legal age to purchase the equipment, and that they hold the necessary permits for category D items. Stores or websites that sell or distribute free of charge to people under 18 years of age items that exceed the authorized power may be subject to criminal penalties.