Hunting license

To be allowed to hunt in Hesse, you must:

1. be the holder of a valid hunting license and
2. be authorized to hunt in a hunting district.

With the official hunting license, the hunter can prove his or her expertise and the basic permission to hunt.

The lower hunting authority of the district in which you are registered is responsible for issuing hunting licenses.

When applying for a hunting license, please bring along

• a valid identity document,
• current passport photo(s) - please ask the relevant hunting authority in advance how many passport photos are required
• the certificate of successful completion of the hunting examination,
• confirmation of sufficient hunting liability insurance (€500,000 for personal injury, €50,000 for damage to property), and
• means of payment for the administrative fee and the hunting tax.

Before a hunting license is issued, a background check must also be carried out.

Due to special regulations, hunting licenses for foreigners can be issued without proof of having passed a hunting examination.

In order to obtain a hunting license for foreigners, proof of expertise must be provided, for example by presenting a foreign hunting license.

Youth hunting licenses can be issued to young people between the ages of sixteen and eighteen.

Are usually available from the lower hunting authority.

The prerequisites for the issue of a (one-year or three-year) hunting license are

1. that the applicant has reached the age of 16,
2. the applicant can prove that a hunting examination has been passed,
3. appropriate hunting liability insurance in accordance with § 17 Para. 1 No. 4 of the Federal Hunting Act and

that there are no grounds for refusal, such as lack of physical aptitude or reliability, against the applicant.

In order to obtain a hunting license in Hesse, you must apply for it at the responsible lower hunting authority at the district office or the magistrate in the case of independent towns.

None

If the applicant submits the application to the lower hunting authority with all the necessary documents and the district administration does not have to carry out any further checks, the hunting license can usually be issued directly. If a check is required under the Weapons Act, processing may take longer.

The following table shows the administrative fees to be charged:

As at 1.05.2017

Annual
hunting license

Three-year hunting license

Youth annual
hunting license

Daily hunting license for foreigners

Issue fee

40,00 €

95,00 €

18,00 €

15,00 €

The following table shows the hunting tax to be levied at the same time, which is used to promote hunting in Hesse:

As at 1.05.2017

Annual
Hunting license

Three-year hunting license

Youth annual
hunting license

Daily hunting license for foreigners

Hunting fee

40,00 €

95,00 €

18,00 €

15,00 €

When issuing a hunting license valid in the federal territory to foreigners, special provisions apply, which the lower hunting authority will provide information about in individual cases.

Between the ages of 16 and 18, a so-called youth hunting license is issued. This entitles the holder to hunt in the company of a parent or guardian or an authorized supervisor. The accompanying person must have hunting experience. Participation in social hunts as a shooter is not possible.