Trade in weapons - apply for a licence

In most cases, a licence is required to handle weapons or ammunition. Do you want to purchase, sell or transfer firearms or ammunition to others commercially or independently as part of a commercial enterprise? Then you need a firearms trading licence.

• Identity card or passport (for foreign nationals: national passport)
• Proof of specialised knowledge
• possibly an official or specialist medical certificate or a specialist psychological certificate
• Any other documents that you must submit depend on the reason for your need (commercial or self-employed as part of a commercial enterprise).

In order to obtain a firearms trading licence, you must

• be at least 18 years old.
• be reliable.
• be suitable.
  The required personal aptitude is not possessed, for example, by persons who are reasonably suspected of being legally incompetent, addicted to alcohol or mentally ill.
• have the necessary expertise.
  The required proof of professional expertise
  • the most important firearms and firearms regulations,
  • the type, construction and handling of common firearms and ammunition

can be obtained by taking an examination at the Stuttgart Region Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Specialist knowledge is deemed to be available if you fulfil the requirements for the registration of a gunsmith's business in the register of craftsmen.

• prove the need for the issue of a gun trade licence.
  The need (a reasonable cause) may arise from a personal or economic interest that is to be particularly recognised, for example as an arms dealer.
• exercise the arms trade commercially or independently as part of a commercial enterprise.

Waffengesetz (WaffG):

• § 5 Zuverlässigkeit
• § 6 Persönliche Eignung
• § 21 Gewerbsmäßige Waffenherstellung, Waffenhandel
• § 21a Stellvertretungserlaubnis
• § 22 Fachkunde
• § 37 Anzeigepflichten der gewerblichen Waffenhersteller und Waffenhändler

Allgemeine Waffengesetz-Verordnung (AWaffV):

• § 15 Umfang der Fachkunde

Gesetz über das Nationale Waffenregister (Waffenregistergsetz -WaffRG):

• § 9 Datenübermittlung der gewerblichen Waffenhersteller und Waffenhändler an die Waffenbehörden

• Objection
• For further information, please refer to the information on legal remedies in the respective ruling

You must apply to the competent authority for a firearms trading licence. Depending on the location of your business premises, the district office, the municipal administration (in urban districts and large district towns) or the administrative community is responsible. The application form is available there. Some authorities offer the application form for download.

Note: The competent authority will check whether you have the necessary reliability. In particular, it will obtain the following information:

• Information from the Federal Central Criminal Register
• Information from the central public prosecutor's register of proceedings
• Statement from the State Office of Criminal Investigation
• Statement from the Federal Police Headquarters
• Statement from the Customs Criminal Police Office
• Statement from the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution

The weapons authority responsible at will also check your personal suitability. For this purpose,it will obtain the following information:

• Statement from the State Office of Criminal Investigation
• Statement from the Federal Police Headquarters
• Statement from the Customs Criminal Police Office

If the competent authority has concerns as to whether you are personally suitable, it can obtain a

• an official or specialist medical certificate or
• a specialised psychological certificate.

You must provide proof of your expertise, need and professional status yourself.

The licence expires if the licence holder has not commenced the activity within one year of the licence being granted or has not exercised it for one year. The time limits may be extended for special reasons.

The amount of the fees depends on the municipal fee regulations. Please enquire with the responsible authority.

The holder of a firearms trading licence must immediately notify the competent authority electronically of the following handling of finished firearms whose acquisition or possession requires the licence:

The obligation to notify also applies if a blocking system is installed or unlocked.

Proxy licence
Do you wish to appoint a proxy or a person to manage a branch or dependent branch office for your firearms trade requiring a licence? Then you will need a deputy licence. This licence will only be issued if the deputy also has the necessary reliability, personal suitability and specialist knowledge.

Notification obligations
As the holder of a firearms trading licence, you must notify the competent authority of the following changes within two weeks:

• the commencement and cessation of operations and
• the opening and closing of a branch or dependent branch office.

As part of the notification of commencement or opening, you must also specify the persons authorised to manage the business or branch. You must also report the appointment or departure of a person responsible for managing the business or branch. In the case of legal entities, the change of a person authorised to represent the company by law, articles of association or partnership agreement must be notified.