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SwissAirsoftLaw
Military material

Military material and uniforms

The Ordinance on the Personal Equipment of Army Members (VPAA, SR 514.10) governs what may be done with personal army material. Especially relevant for airsoft players are Art. 21 and 22 VPAA.

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Important legal notice

This is not legal advice. The information on this website is for informational purposes only. For legal questions, contact your cantonal weapons office, fedpol, or the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG). Laws and ordinances may change - always check the current legal texts on admin.ch.

Official sources

Translation in progress

This page was machine-translated from the German original and may contain inaccuracies. The German version and the official legal text on admin.ch always take precedence.

NOT allowed to be worn in airsoft

The following parts of personal army equipment may not be worn for sporting purposes or misappropriated (Art. 21 / 22 VPAA):

  • Tenue B (current Swiss army field uniform)
  • Combat uniform (GT)
  • Combat helmet
  • Respirator mask

Generally allowed

  • Army T-shirts
  • Luggage (backpacks, bags, as long as they do not form a recognisable Tenue B / GT)
  • Rank insignia and name tags - provided no misuse of rank towards outsiders
  • Civilian replicas and surplus clothing that does not match the current Swiss tenue

Persons discharged from service

People discharged from the army who have kept their personal equipment may continue to possess it within the VPAA framework - but the ban on wearing it as a uniform remains.

Misuse of rank

Wearing military ranks without actually holding them is not permitted (misuse of rank). Within a pure airsoft setting among peers the risk is low - in public or towards third parties it is relevant.

Foreign uniforms

Foreign uniforms (e.g. US Multicam OCP, British MTP, German Flecktarn) are generally allowed in Switzerland, provided they are not supplemented by symbols of banned organisations (observe StGB, Art. 261bis StGB on racial discrimination).

Police and federal emblems

Insignia of the Swiss police, the army in official function, and sovereignty / authority symbols are off-limits across the board.

Source

Ordinance on the personal equipment of army members (VPAA), SR 514.10: fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2003/661/de