Hunter Card: how to obtain and renew it

Summer marks the start of the main hunting season of the year. To practice this sport, which has more than 110 thousand members in Portugal, there are a series of legal requirements to follow. Mandatory documents include a hunter’s license, a weapons license, a hunting license and valid hunting insurance. But there are some tips not to forget before you start. We’ll tell you everything.

Take the hunter card

The hunter’s license is the document that allows you to hunt within the limits imposed by law. If you go hunting without a valid license you are committing an offense punishable by up to three months in prison.

To get a hunter card you need:

> be at least 16 years old;
> not be legally or judicially prevented from hunting;
> do not have a mental or physical disability that makes this activity dangerous;
> pass a specific exam for this purpose.

It is possible to register for the exam online on the website of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forestry (ICNF) or at a branch of the same organisation. To register you must present:

> Medical certificate issued less than 90 days ago which certifies the absence of mental or physical disabilities such as to make the activity carried out dangerous;
> Criminal record certificate;
> Citizen’s card.

The registration fee varies depending on whether you are over or under 25 years old. The values ​​are updated annually and can be consulted here.

The deadlines for registering for exams, as well as the locations and dates of the tests, can be found in the exam calendar. If you pass the exam you will have to pay the license issuing fee within 90 days.

Subsequently, the hunter’s letter is sent home within seven working days. To prepare for the exam, the ICNF provides some sample hunter card tests that can help you.

Renew your hunter card

The hunter’s license is valid until the holder turns 60. From that date onwards it must be renewed every 5 years. To do this you need to present:

> Medical certificate issued less than 90 days ago which certifies the absence of mental or physical disabilities such as to make the activity carried out dangerous;
> Citizen’s card;
> Criminal record certificate;
> Title (hunter’s license) to be renewed when required.

Renewal must be requested within 12 months prior to the expiration date of your hunter’s license. Exceptionally it can be requested within five years of expiry, even if the cost of renewal increases. After five years without renewal the license expires.

The request for renewal of the hunter’s license can be made online or at an ICNF desk. In both cases, the new document is sent to each within 20 days.

License to use and carry a weapon

In addition to a hunter’s license, all hunters must have a firearms license. This license is issued by the PSP and, to obtain it, you must complete the application provided by the police.
They will then have to go to a PSP or GNR police station accompanied by:

> Citizen’s card;
> Medical certificate;
> Letter or document from the hunter showing that you will use the license to hunt;
> Certificate of attendance of four hours of training on the handling, safety and storage of a weapon.

The license to use and carry weapons is valid for five years and its renewal requires a new attendance at the training course.

Having a hunting insurance policy in force is a mandatory condition for hunting. This insurance will guarantee compensation for damages caused to third parties by hunting up to €100,000.

But Tranquilidade’s hunting insurance doesn’t stop at the mandatory minimums. If you wish, you can provide additional protection for death, disability or personal accidents (care/funeral expenses or temporary incapacity) of the hunter and add compensation for accidents suffered by your dogs or any damage caused to your weapons while hunting.

To practice this sport it is not sufficient to possess a hunter’s license, have a license to use and carry weapons and have hunting insurance. It is mandatory to obtain a hunting license every year.
This license will allow you to hunt during the following Hunting Calendar and includes three models:

> National License;
> Regional License: You can only hunt in a certain hunting region;
> Driving license for non-residents in the national territory.

You can get this license at an ATM, as long as you bring your NIF and Hunter card number with you.

The issued ticket serves as a license and the hunter must carry it with him at all times when hunting.

The so-called Hunting Calendar defines the periods in which a hunter’s license holder can hunt each authorized species. In 2021/2022 it will be like this:

1. Weapons must always be transported in the trunk of cars and ammunition must be transported in bags other than weapons.
2. Always load guns with the barrel pointing towards the ground.
3. Wear a brightly colored vest when hunting, ensuring you don’t get shot by accident.
4. Wear safety glasses and earplugs when shooting.
5. And, very importantly, never drink alcohol before and during hunting because you will put your life and the lives of those around you at risk.