Night and thermal vision in Italy: what does the law say in 2026?

Over the past two years, Italy has seen one of Europe's most significant legislative relaxations regarding night vision and thermal imaging equipment, driven by the urgent need to manage wild boar populations. However, given the interplay between general civil law, hunting regulations, and reform proposals still under parliamentary debate, the legal framework remains prone to misinterpretation. Here is a precise overview, current as of summer 2026.

Night vision or thermal vision: what are we talking about?

Two distinct families of technologies often fall under the same generic term "night vision":

• Light intensification (night vision / light intensification devices): the device electronically amplifies residual light (moonlight, starlight, near-IR) to produce an image. This is the NNVT tube technology that we distribute at Silicate Systems.
• Thermal imaging: the device detects temperature differences and requires no light source, not even ambient light.

This distinction is central to Italian law, as the law does not treat these two categories in exactly the same way depending on the intended use.

Purchase and possession for private use (uso privato)

This is the most misunderstood yet most reassuring point: unlike a firearm, a night-vision or thermal-imaging device is not subject in Italy to the mandatory declaration of possession (*denuncia di detenzione*) required by Article 38 of the TULPS (*Testo Unico delle Leggi di Pubblica Sicurezza*). Accessories of this type—much like caliber reducers or optical scopes—are explicitly excluded from this requirement under Italian legal interpretation and administrative practice.

In practical terms, for non-hunting civilian use (observation, night hiking, amateur astronomy, boating, private security), an adult private individual in Italy may:

• freely purchase a night-vision or thermal imaging device, without a firearms license or prior authorization;
• possessing it at one's home without declaring it to the Questura or the Carabinieri;
• use it for observation, provided it is not mounted on a firearm.

This last point is essential: it is the mounting of the device on a weapon—not its mere possession—that triggers the legal regulations.

Use in hunting (*caccia*): a framework that has evolved significantly

This is where Italian regulations have changed the most recently, and it is also the most sensitive point.

The historical principle: prohibition.

Traditionally, pursuant to Law No. 157 of 11 February 1992 on wildlife protection and the Bern Convention, the use of image converters or magnification devices for the night hunting of mammals was prohibited—whether for aiming (sights) or for illuminating the target.

The 2024 reform: an opening for the wild boar

Law No. 101 of July 12, 2024, introduced a new paragraph (2-ter) to Article 13 of Law 157/1992. It authorizes—strictly within the context of the selective culling of wild boar (*prelievo selettivo del cinghiale*)—the use of night-vision sighting devices, including digital ones, excluding those classified as military-grade equipment (*materiale di armamento*) under Law No. 185/1990 on arms control.

In plain terms, since 2024:

• Permitted: handheld or weapon-mounted thermal or light-intensifying sight, but exclusively within the framework of a selective wild boar culling plan, subject to authorization and a specific protocol.
• Prohibited: the same use for any other species or outside a regulated selection plan—this remains night poaching.
• Permitted without specific restriction: the use of an observation device (not mounted on the weapon) to spot wildlife—including during conventional hunting activities—provided it does not serve as a sighting device.

The 2026 reform: towards an expansion still under discussion

A broader reform bill concerning Law 157/1992 (known as the "hunting bill") passed the Senate in late June 2026 and is proceeding through the Chamber of Deputies. The text proposes authorizing the use of optical and optoelectronic devices—including night-vision and thermal imaging equipment, but excluding military-grade models—for the selective hunting of ungulates (not limited to wild boar). As of summer 2026, the bill has not yet been definitively enacted; it is not currently law, and we recommend checking its status before making any purchasing decisions specifically related to this intended use.

Professional use

Law enforcement agencies (Polizia di Stato, Carabinieri, Guardia di Finanza), civil protection services, and mountain rescue units use night-vision and thermal imaging equipment without specific restrictions related to the civilian context while carrying out their duties—a practice that falls under a distinct professional equipment regime.

Purchases from France or another EU country: customs and VAT

For an Italian buyer ordering a device assembled in France, or for any European buyer ordering for delivery to Italy:

• No customs formalities: the free movement of goods within the European Union applies. No import declaration, no customs duties.
• VAT: The applicable VAT is that of the destination country, managed directly at the time of purchase on platforms compliant with the European distance selling regime.
• Origin of NNVT tubes: the NNVT image intensifier tubes we distribute are manufactured by JPNV outside the scope of US ITAR regulations—which significantly simplifies formalities compared to US-origin devices subject to US export controls.

To learn more about this topic, consult our dedicated guide: Buying Night Vision Gear in the US or Europe in 2026: ITAR, Customs, and VAT.

Summary table

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a permit required to buy night-vision goggles in Italy? No. Unlike a firearm, no weapons permit or prior authorization is required for their purchase or civilian possession.

Can I use a night-vision monocular to observe wildlife during a standard hunting trip? Yes, provided the device is handheld and not mounted on the weapon as a sighting device.

Can I mount a thermal sight on my rifle for night hunting wild boar? Only within the framework of an authorized selective culling plan, in accordance with Law 101/2024. Outside of this context, it is prohibited.

Is the 2026 reform already applicable? No, in the summer of 2026 the text is still under discussion in the Chamber of Deputies after its adoption by the Senate. The applicable law remains that of Law 101/2024.

In summary

Italy clearly distinguishes between unrestricted civilian use—purchase and observation without any formalities—and use for hunting, which is strictly regulated and currently limited to the authorized selective culling of wild boar. This approach—more permissive than it might seem regarding observation—makes it a rapidly growing market for lightweight, high-performance devices such as our LNVM monoculars and LAB-NVS binoculars, which can be shipped from France to Italy without customs formalities.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For questions regarding specific uses—particularly in the context of hunting—please consult a lawyer specializing in firearms law or your regional hunting federation.