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Arms trade; application for a permit
If you want to buy and sell firearms or ammunition, you need a firearms trading license.
Forms
Forms
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Formloser Antrag (mit Unterschrift)
Dieser Assistent unterstützt Sie bei der Erstellung eines formlosen Schreibens, wenn die zuständige Stelle kein Antragsformular zur Verfügung stellt.
This form can be submitted electronically (e.g. via a secure contact form using your user account with login via the electronic ID function or the ELSTER certificate) or handwritten and signed in paper form to the responsible authority.
Responsible for you
For contact details of the responsible authoritiy and local valid information select under "Select location" a location.
Procedure details
Description
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.
Requirements
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 have neither your habitual residence nor a commercial establishment within the scope of this Act.
Required documents
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Proof of reliability and personal suitability
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Certificate of competence
Fees
- 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
Special notes
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.
Legal bases
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§§ 21, 21a Waffengesetz (WaffG)Gewerbsmäßige Waffenherstellung, Waffenhandel
Appeal
Administrative court action
Related issues
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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.
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Green firearms possession card for individual persons; application
If you wish to acquire and possess weapons and/or ammunition that require a permit, you must apply for a permit from the relevant weapons authority.
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Weapons; General informationThe handling of weapons - acquisition, possession, carrying, transportation, transfer, manufacture, handling, etc. - is either free, subject to an age requirement, subject to a permit or generally prohibited. The acquisition and possession of ammunition is similarly regulated.
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Weapons; notification of the acquisition of a weapon requiring a permit
If you acquire a firearm that requires a permit or transfer it to someone else, you must notify the competent authority within two weeks.
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Weapons and ammunition; application for a permit to bring them into, through or out of the Federal Republic of Germany
Do you want to permanently export weapons or ammunition from Germany to other countries, permanently import them into Germany or transport them through Germany? Then you need a permit.
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Weapons testing; implementationThe Bavarian Proof House carries out the inspection of firearms for civilian use as part of its sovereign duties. This is purely a safety check, in which each individual weapon is checked by the employees of the Proof House.
Status: 11.03.2025
Editorial responsibility Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration
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