European firearms pass; application

If you want to take your firearms with you within the European Union (EU) or to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, you will need a European firearms pass.

The European firearms pass allows holders of firearms possession cards to temporarily take weapons and ammunition with them when visiting another EU member state or Schengen state. It only allows short-term, cross-border transportation of your weapons for a purpose that is covered by your legal firearms requirements (e.g. hunting trip, participation in a shooting event).

The European firearms pass is valid for 5 years and can be extended twice for 5 years at a time.

Only weapons for which you have a valid permit to purchase and possess (gun ownership card) are entered in your European Firearms Pass. A maximum of 10 weapons can be entered in the European Firearms Pass.

You may take the corresponding ammunition with you for the registered weapons, but only as much as you are likely to need. Experience has shown that you will need less ammunition as a hunter than as a sport shooter.

Not every weapon that is registered in the European Firearms Pass may automatically be taken abroad. The respective firearms regulations of the host country and all countries through which you are traveling must be observed. Appropriate permits from countries to be visited must be obtained in advance. Therefore, please inform yourself comprehensively about the firearms regulations applicable in each country before your trip.

In addition to the European firearms pass, you must also carry an identification document and the firearms ownership card in which the firearms are registered. It is also advisable to carry an invitation from the hunting club or the hunting license for the country or confirmation of registration for a shooting competition.

The European firearms pass is not an import document and does not entitle you to take firearms or ammunition abroad permanently. You will need other permits for this.

• Identity card or passport (copy)
• Weapons possession card
• current photograph (not older than 1 year, at least 45 x 35 millimeters in size, with a light background)

You must have a valid permit for the purchase and possession of the weapons (e.g. weapons possession card) that are to be entered in the European firearms pass.

You must apply for the European firearms pass at the competent firearms authority. Submit the application together with the required documents.

The firearms authority will issue you with the European firearms pass if you meet the necessary requirements.

You can use the NWR identification numbers (NWR ID) to complete the application more quickly:

• Your personal NWR ID (P or F NWR ID) for your personal details
• the permit NWR ID for the firearms permit (E-NWR ID)
• the weapon or weapon part NWR ID (W or T NWR ID).

You can obtain the NWR IDs on request from the relevant weapons authority.