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Report the transfer of firearms or ammunition from Germany as an arms dealer

If you are an arms dealer or arms manufacturer with a general transfer permit and are transporting firearms or ammunition from Germany to the EU area, the Schengen states and Northern Ireland, you must report the transfer to the Federal Office of Administration.

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Procedure details

The EU Reporting Service exists to ensure that the legal arms trade within the European Union (EU), the Schengen area and Northern Ireland can be traced. The Internal Market Information System (IMI) records reports on the transportation of weapons and ammunition throughout the EU. In Germany, the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) accepts transfer notifications for weapons and ammunition and transmits them to IMI.

Arms dealers and manufacturers can apply for a general transfer permit instead of a permit for each individual export. This is valid for 3 years. You can apply for the permit at the competent weapons authority.

Only if you are in possession of this general transfer permit are you obliged to report exports to equivalent member states directly to the BVA.

This notification includes information

  • the shipment,
  • the consignor and consignee,
  • the permit and
  • about the weapons or ammunition.

  • You have a general, valid shipment permit.
  • The recipient Member State has consented to the shipment or granted an exemption.

  • Required Documents
    • general movement authorization
    • prior consent or exemption from the consent of the Member State of destination

You can report the shipment online or by post.

If you want to report the shipment online:

  • Open the online service. You can identify yourself as follows:
    • as a private individual with the online ID function of your ID card, the electronic residence permit or the eID for EU citizens
    • as a private individual with the ELSTER certificate via the BundID
    • as an organization with the company account based on ELSTER
  • Complete the application and upload the required documents.
  • Submit the declaration online.

If you want to report the shipment by post:

  • Apply for the transfer notification form from the relevant firearms authority.
  • Fill out the form, sign it and send it together with the required documents by post to the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).

The BVA will check your notification and transfer the information to the Internal Market Information System (IMI). You will receive the confirmed notification by post.

Es fallen keine Kosten an.

The general movement permit must not be older than 3 years.

The notification and movement must take place within the period of validity of the import permit.

1 bis 7 Tage

  • Action before the administrative court

Status: 27.11.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bundesverwaltungsamt
Source: Federal Portal