Arms trade; application for a permit

If you want to buy and sell firearms or ammunition, you need a firearms trading license.

Permission to trade in firearms or ammunition is granted in the form of an arms trade license.

The arms trading permit may be restricted to certain types of firearms and ammunition.

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

• Proof of reliability and personal suitability
• Certificate of competence

The applicant must have the required reliability and personal suitability (see §§ 5 and 6 WaffG).

You must provide evidence of the required specialist knowledge. This does not apply if you do not manage the business, a branch or a dependent branch yourself.

The permit may be denied if you are not German within the meaning of Article 116 of the Basic Law or if you have neither your habitual residence nor a commercial establishment within the scope of this Act.

The permit must be applied for at the relevant firearms authority.

• Issuance of a weapons trading permit in accordance with § 21 Para. 1 WaffG: 100 to 2,700 euros
• Issuing a deputy permit in accordance with § 21a WaffG: 50 to 500 euros
• State examination in accordance with § 22 Para. 1 WaffG: 100 to 250 euros

The holder of a permit must notify the competent authority within two weeks of the commencement and cessation of operations as well as the opening and closing of a branch office or dependent branch.

If the commercial arms trade is to be operated by a deputy, a separate deputy permit must be applied for for this person. This also applies if someone is appointed to manage a branch office or a dependent branch. The deputy permit is linked to the associated arms dealing permit. The same requirements must be met for a deputy permit as for an arms dealing permit.