Night Vision and Thermal Imaging in Slovakia: What Does the Law Say in 2026?

2026 guide — the Weapons Act, night boar hunting, and the African Swine Fever exception: what Slovak law actually allows.

Slovakia is one of the more open countries in Central Europe when it comes to night vision and thermal imaging. Owning an observation device is straightforward, but using one for hunting — especially night shooting of wild boar — follows a more nuanced regime than it first appears, built around two separate laws: the Weapons Act and the Hunting Act, both layered since 2019 with health-driven exceptions tied to African Swine Fever (ASF).

The legal framework: two distinct laws

The Weapons and Ammunition Act (zákon č. 190/2003 Z. z.)

This is the text that legally defines night vision and thermal imaging equipment under Slovak law. It explicitly distinguishes two categories of device:

• night vision device (nočné videnie): a device fitted with an electro-optical converter that produces a visible image from residual light, optionally assisted by an infrared illuminator (laser or diode);
• thermal imaging device (termovízia): a device that produces a visible image of the distribution of thermal fields across the observed surface.

This legal definition primarily serves as the basis for regulating their use as firearm accessories — it does not, by itself, classify the device as a weapon.

The Hunting Act (zákon č. 274/2009 Z. z.)

The second text governs permitted hunting methods. Its Section 65 lists prohibited practices, which — under normal circumstances — include night hunting using powerful observation or aiming optics, or artificial light sources used to illuminate a target. In plain terms: hunting at night with a thermal scope or a rifle fitted with a light-intensifying sight is, by default, an offence.

Civilian possession: an open regime for observation use

For a private individual looking to buy a night vision monocular or a thermal camera for observation purposes, with no intention of mounting it on a firearm, no permit is required. These devices do not fall within weapon categories A to D under the zákon o zbraniach, and buying, transporting, or owning them for observation, hiking, astronomy, or property security requires neither a zbrojný preukaz (firearms permit) nor any specific declaration.

It is only when a device is intended to be mounted on a firearm that the regime changes.

Weapon mounting: the zbrojný preukaz becomes mandatory

Owning and using a firearm in Slovakia requires a zbrojný preukaz, issued by category (self-defence, hunting, sport shooting, collecting), following a theoretical and practical exam before a licensing board and submission of a medical fitness certificate.

A night vision or thermal device intended to equip a hunting rifle is then treated as a firing accessory: its use requires the hunter to hold a hunting-category zbrojný preukaz, for the relevant firearm to be duly registered, and — for actual night use — for the conditions set by the Hunting Act to be met (see below). There is no separate individual authorisation procedure for the accessory itself: it is the general hunting framework that determines whether its field use is lawful.

Night hunting: the African Swine Fever exception

This is the most specific — and least understood — part of the Slovak picture. The Hunting Act in principle bans the use of night vision and thermal imaging for hunting. But since African Swine Fever (ASF — africký mor ošípaných, AMO) appeared on Slovak territory in 2019, the national veterinary authority (Štátna veterinárna a potravinová správa SR, ŠVPS), acting alongside the Ministry of Agriculture, has issued an annual derogating order mandating intensive wild boar culling across all hunting grounds in the country.

For the period it sets, this order explicitly authorises the methods normally banned under Section 65 of the Hunting Act — night vision, thermal imaging, artificial light sources — exclusively for shooting wild boar (adults and sows), as part of disease eradication efforts. These intensive-culling windows are renewed season after season (for example, from mid-January to end of June, depending on the year) and can be revised by the Ministry at any time.

Practical consequence: night hunting of wild boar with thermal or night vision equipment is not a permanent right in Slovakia, but a health-driven tolerance renewed by order. Hunters must check, season by season, that the order currently in force actually covers the relevant period and territory before any night outing. Other species (predators, small game) are not covered by this exception and remain subject to the general prohibition, barring specific regional provisions.

Summary table

What to check before buying

• A monocular or NVG binocular for observation use (hiking, security, astronomy, boating) can be bought and owned freely in Slovakia, with no formalities.
• Mounting on a hunting rifle requires a hunting-category zbrojný preukaz and strict compliance with the Hunting Act.
• Night boar hunting with thermal equipment is legal only within the window set by the veterinary order currently in force — check each season with the Slovenská poľovnícka komora (Slovak Hunting Chamber) or the regional veterinary authorities.
• Any other night-time hunting use (predators, other big game) remains prohibited under Section 65 of the Hunting Act, unless stated otherwise.

For observation, technical hiking, or professional use (security, search operations, agriculture), a lightweight housing such as the LNVM or the LAB-NVS, fitted with an original NNVT tube, can be carried and used across Slovakia without any restriction specific to night vision itself. For hunting use, checking your situation against the zbrojný preukaz requirement and the current ASF order remains essential.

⚠ Legal Disclaimer: This document is provided for informational purposes only. Legislation changes quickly, particularly the derogating orders tied to African Swine Fever, which are revised every season. Consult a qualified legal professional or the competent authorities (police, Slovenská poľovnícka komora, ŠVPS) before any acquisition or use.