Weapons and ammunition - apply for permission to take them with you

If you want to temporarily take weapons or ammunition from Germany abroad, temporarily take them to Germany or take them through Germany, you need a permit.

In order to be allowed to take weapons with you to Germany, you must prove your need, your reliability in terms of weapons law, your personal suitability and expertise. If you are a citizen of an EU Member State as well as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, the European Firearms Pass is sufficient as proof. As a citizen of a third country, you can provide proof by means of meaningful official documents from your home country with German translation. If, as a citizen of a third country, you are unable to provide any information on weapons and ammunition when submitting your application, you must do so at the latest when entering the country.

You must always state the reason why you want to take weapons and ammunition with you to Germany temporarily, for example an invitation to hunting, to a shooting sports competition or to a traditional event.

For example, if you are submitting the application for a shooting sports team, you can enter the names of all participants on a separate sheet and enclose them with the application. Permission will then be granted to all applicants together.

You do not need a permit if you are from an EU member state as well as from Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

• as a hunter up to 3 long guns and the associated ammunition,
• as a sport shooter up to 6 firearms and the associated ammunition as well as
• as a traditional shooter up to 3 single loaders or repeating long guns and the associated ammunition

want to take them with them to Germany. However, your European Firearms Pass must include the weapons you are taking with you. As a citizen of a third country, you do not have to prove your age of majority and expertise in these cases.

You do not need a European firearms pass if you, as a sport shooter or traditional shooter, want to take certain weapons with you from Austria to Bavaria or vice versa.

You also do not need permission to bring weapons and ammunition into Germany if you

• take weapons and ammunition for which you have permission to acquire and possess (weapon possession card - WBK),
• carry signal weapons and their associated ammunition on board ships for safety reasons, or
• carry weapons and ammunition on board a ship or aircraft that are constantly kept under lock and key in Germany. These weapons and ammunition must be reported immediately to the competent authority and must be re-exported from Germany within one month at the latest.

If you want to take weapons and ammunition from Germany to an EU member state, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, you will need

• the permit to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition (weapon possession card – WBK),
• a European firearms pass in which the weapons you want to take with you are registered
  as well as
• the consent of the state to which you want to take the weapons and ammunition or credible proof that no permit is required.

In addition, you must ensure the safe transport of weapons and ammunition. You can also hire a freight forwarder for this. Before taking it with you, you should find out about the conditions of the state under which it is allowed or not allowed.

If you want to take weapons and ammunition from Germany to a third country, you do not need a German permit. Again, before taking it with you, you should find out about the conditions of the state under which it is allowed or not allowed.

The competent authority is the weapons authority (district or independent city) in whose district you reside.

In Hesse, the district regulatory authorities (districts and independent cities) are responsible as weapons authorities.

• Identity card or passport (copy)
• if you are travelling to Germany from an EU member state, Switzerland, Liechtenstein or Iceland
  • European Firearms Pass (copy)
• if you are taking them to Germany from a third country
  • official documents with German translation to prove the needs, reliability, personal suitability, expertise
• if you are travelling from Germany to an EU member state, Switzerland, Liechtenstein or Iceland
  • European Firearms Pass (copy)
  • Weapon possession card (WBK) (copy)
  • Consent from the state (if required) or proof that consent is not required

If you want to take weapons and ammunition with you to Germany, you must meet the following requirements:

• You need to prove the need why you want to take weapons and ammunition with you.
• You must be of legal age.
• They must be reliable in terms of weapons law. This means that possible convictions must be more than 10 years ago and memberships in organizations banned in Germany more than 5 years ago.
• They must be personally suitable. This means that you must have legal capacity, you must not be addicted to alcohol or debilitated.
• They must have sufficient expertise to handle weapons and ammunition.

You must apply for permission to take firearms or ammunition with you at the relevant weapons authority. Submit the application along with the required documents.

The weapons authority will give you permission if you meet the necessary requirements.

There is an administrative fee of EUR 23, to which is added a surcharge of at least EUR 22 if the background and suitability test is carried out.