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Shooting permit; application

You must apply for a permit if you want to shoot with a firearm requiring a permit or without a permit. In particular, hunters are exempt when hunting and marksmen when shooting at authorized shooting ranges.

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Procedure details

If you want to shoot with a firearm requiring a permit or without a permit, you must always apply for a permit beforehand. You can apply for a permit for a single shot or a permanent permit.

In general, firearms are objects that are intended for attack or defense, signaling, hunting, distance injection, marking, sport or play and in which projectiles are propelled through a barrel.

It is recommended that you inform yourself in detail about the regulations of firearms law before submitting your application.

If possible, you must state in the application where you wish to shoot, e.g. address, district. If you are shooting on behalf of an enclosure operator, you must submit the operator's permit/contract and, if necessary, provide further information about the enclosure operator.

You do not require a permit to shoot with a firearm if you

  • want to shoot at a shooting range, for example at your shooting club;
  • want to shoot as a hunter in the authorized practice of hunting or want to shoot animals that are subject to nature conservation law and have a corresponding permit from the nature conservation authority;
  • want to shoot as a traditional marksman at an event at which it is customary to carry weapons for a special occasion and the head of the traditional marksmen's association has been granted a valid exemption permit in accordance with § 16 Para. 3 WaffG;
  • want to shoot with a long gun at shooting ranges at an approved sporting event, for example a biathlon competition;
  • want to use weapons that can only fire cartridge ammunition during a theater performance or similar or to scare away pest birds;
  • want to shoot with compressed air, spring-loaded weapons andCO2 weaponswith less than 7.5 joules, which are marked with an "F" sign, with the consent of the holder of the domestic authority in a fenced area, for example for paintball activities;
  • want to signal the start or beginning of a competition at sporting events with alarm weapons or signal weapons on behalf of the organizers, if such signaling is required;
  • fire signal weapons during emergency and rescue exercises, if this is part of the exercise.

You may be refused a shooting permit if you have not lived in Germany within the last 5 years.

In order to obtain a shooting permit, you must

  • be of the appropriate age and
  • your need,
  • Your reliability under firearms law,
  • your personal suitability,
  • liability insurance covering personal injury and property damage to the value of 1 million euros



If you handle weapons and ammunition without a firearms permit, this may constitute a criminal offense.

  • You must have a valid permit for the purchase and possession of a weapon (e.g. hunting license or gun ownership card).
  • You must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must prove that it is necessary for you to shoot with a weapon (need).

    You must provide a credible reason to the competent weapons authority. As a rule, a credible reason is recognized if you
    • want to shoot animals in a (game) enclosure for (game) meat production;
    • are a fruit or wine grower or run a fish farm and want to drive away (deter) pest birds;
    • are a veterinarian.

You can also specify other requirements, which will then be examined by the competent authority.

  • You must prove your reliability under firearms law.

    The issue of a shooting permit requires your reliability. You may be deemed unreliable under firearms law if, among other things
    • if you have been sentenced to a prison sentence of at least 1 year within the last 10 years and have been a member of or supported a prohibited organization in the last 10 years.
    • if it can be assumed that you misuse weapons or ammunition or handle them improperly, do not store these items carefully or hand them over to persons who are not authorized to do so.
    • if you have been in preventive police custody more than once in the last 5 years with judicial authorization due to violence.
    • if you have repeatedly or grossly violated firearms legislation.
  • You must prove your personal suitability.

    You may be deemed personally unsuitable if, among other things
    • You are legally incompetent.
    • you are dependent on alcohol or other intoxicating substances, mentally ill or mentally retarded.
    • you suffer from serious illnesses, such as brain injuries, or physical impairments, such as amputations or severe visual impairment.
    • it can be assumed that you are unable to handle weapons or ammunition carefully or properly, or that you are unable to store these items carefully, or that there is a concrete danger that you will endanger others or yourself.
  • You must have liability insurance that covers personal injury and property damage up to a lump sum of 1 million euros.

  • The following documents are required:
    • Identity card or passport (copy)
    • Weapon ownership card or hunting license
    • Proof of a need
      • For example order of an enclosure operator, activity as a wine/fruit grower
      • Licensing as a veterinarian
    • Proof of liability insurance in the amount of 1 million Euro (lump sum for personal injury and property damage)

You must apply for a shooting permit from the relevant firearms authority. Submit the application together with the required documents.

The weapons authority will grant you the permit if you meet the necessary requirements.

The fees for issuing a shooting permit are between EUR 25 and EUR 250. They depend on the scope and administrative effort involved in the application process.

none

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 application to the relevant weapons authority.

Compulsory action before the administrative court

Status: 03.07.2024
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration
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