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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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Procedure details

You must always apply for a green firearms possession card if you wish to acquire a firearm requiring a permit (e.g. by purchasing it from a dealer) and cannot meet the special requirements for the issue of a yellow or red firearms possession card (see "Related topics"). If you meet all the application requirements, you will be issued a green firearms possession card and a purchase permit (a so-called preliminary entry) will be entered on it. If you already have a gun ownership card, further weapons can be entered there. The permit to purchase a weapon is issued for a period of one year, the permit to possess a weapon is usually issued for an unlimited period.

As a rule, sport shooters may only acquire two weapons within six months.

If, as a hunter, you have already acquired a long gun that requires a permit, you must report the acquisition within 14 days and, if you do not yet have a gun ownership card, apply for one to be issued. If you already have a gun ownership card, you must apply for the acquired weapon to be entered in the gun ownership card together with the notification of acquisition (see "Related topics").

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

To obtain a green firearms possession card, you must

  • be of the appropriate age and
  • prove your need,
  • be reliable under firearms law and
  • personal suitability,
  • your expertise in handling weapons and ammunition and
  • provide evidence of the safe storage of weapons and ammunition.

  • You must be at least 18 years old.

    For sport shooters
    • a minimum age of 18 years for the purchase of
      • Firearms up to a caliber of 5.6 mm lfB (.22 l.r.) for rimfire ammunition, if the muzzle energy of the projectiles is 200 joules or less, and
      • Single-shot long guns with smooth barrels with caliber 12 or smaller, provided that sport shooting with such weapons is permitted by the approved sporting regulations of a shooting sports association (§ 14 para. 1 sentence 2 WaffG);
    • a minimum age of 21 years for other (large-caliber) firearms.

If you are under 25 years of age, you will be asked by the competent firearms authority to submit a specialist medical or specialist psychological report/certificate on your mental aptitude. You must pay for the certificate yourself and send the original by post to the relevant firearms authority.

The obligation to submit a certificate of mental aptitude does not apply to hunters and marksmen who only wish to acquire the weapons specified in Section 14 (1) sentence 2 WaffG.

  • You must prove that you have a special personal or economic interest to be recognized in acquiring and possessing weapons and ammunition (need). such an interest is generally recognized if
    • you are a hunter and can credibly demonstrate that you need the firearms and ammunition for hunting.
    • you have been a member of a sports club that is a member of a recognized shooting sports association for one year and the weapon to be purchased is approved for a sporting discipline in accordance with the sporting regulations of the shooting sports association. You must also prove that you have practiced shooting sports regularly in the past twelve months (at least once a month or at least 18 times within a year).
    • your life is at great risk.
    • you can credibly demonstrate other reasons why you wish to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition.
  • You must be reliable under firearms law.

    You may be deemed unreliable under firearms law if, among other things
    • you have been sentenced to at least one year's imprisonment within the last 10 years or have been a member of or supported a prohibited organization in the last 10 years.
    • 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.
    • you have been in preventive police custody more than once in the last 5 years with judicial authorization due to violence.
    • you have repeatedly or grossly violated firearms legislation.
  • You must be personally suitable.

    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 prove that you have sufficient knowledge of weapons and ammunition and how to handle them (expertise).

    To be able to prove that you have expertise in handling weapons and ammunition, you must have taken part in an appropriate training course. The course comprises a theoretical and practical part. At the end of the course, you will take an examination before an authorized examination board. If you pass the examination, you will receive proof of the weapons and ammunition for which you have acquired the certificate of competence. You can also obtain the certificate of competence only for the weapons and ammunition that you wish to acquire and possess.

    You can also prove your competence by passing a hunting examination.
  • You must prove that you can store weapons and ammunition safely.

    This generally means that only you as an authorized person may have access to weapons and ammunition. If you do not store your weapons and ammunition securely, you are committing an administrative offense for which a fine of up to EUR 10,000 can be imposed. In addition, your reliability under firearms law may be called into question and your firearms possession card may be withdrawn.

    When applying, you must provide details of the storage location and the container in which you wish to store weapons and ammunition. The storage requirements are based on § 13 of the General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV). In cases of doubt, please contact the authority responsible for you. In principle, you can use the following guidelines as a guide:
    • You must store ammunition requiring a permit in a sheet steel cabinet/container with a swing bolt lock or an equivalent locking device.
    • You need a gun cabinet to store long guns and handguns that require a permit. The type of gun cabinet you need depends on the number and type of weapons and/or ammunition you wish to purchase and own.
      • You can store an unlimited number of long guns, up to 5 handguns and ammunition in a gun cabinet with resistance grade 0 in accordance with the DIN/EN 1143-1 standard weighing up to 200 kilograms.
      • You may store an unlimited number of long weapons, up to 10 short weapons and ammunition in a gun cabinet with resistance grade 0 in accordance with the DIN/EN 1143-1 standard weighing over 200 kilograms.
      • In a gun cabinet with resistance grade I in accordance with the DIN/EN 1143-1 standard, you may store an unlimited number of long weapons and handguns as well as ammunition.
    • The following regulations apply to the location where you may set up the gun cabinet:
      • You may also store up to three long guns in buildings that are not permanently inhabited, such as a hunting lodge or a weekend house. However, you need a gun cabinet with resistance grade I for this.
      • If you live in a shared household with another person who is also entitled to own weapons, you may store the weapons in a shared weapons cabinet.
    • It is also permitted to store weapons and ammunition with a weapons dealer. You must provide appropriate proof of this.

  • Required Documents:
    • Identity card or passport (copy)
    • Certificate of the shooting sports association, hunting license, proof of endangerment or proof of other need to possess weapons
    • Proof of expertise
    • Proof of storage, e.g. purchase contract for a gun cabinet and/or photos of gun cabinet and place of installation
    • If applicable, a medical or psychological certificate of mental fitness (if under 25 years of age).

You must apply for the green gun ownership card at the relevant firearms authority. Submit the application together with the required documents.

The firearms authority will issue the green firearms possession card if you meet the necessary requirements.

The fees for issuing a gun ownership card are between 30.00 and 180.00 EUR. The district administrative authority responsible for you will be happy to provide you with more details.

As a rule, you need a weapons permit issued by the responsible district administrative authority before acquiring a firearm. Holders of valid German hunting licenses can acquire typical hunting long guns, but they must be registered on a weapons ownership card within two weeks of acquisition. Heirs also have one month after acceptance of the inheritance or expiration of the period prescribed for disclaimer to apply for a weapons possession card. However, upon the death of the previous owner, possession of the weapons must be reported to the competent authority without delay.

Administrative court action

Status: 05.02.2025
Editorial responsibility Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration
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