European firearms pass; application

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 appropriate 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 marksman.

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 the respective countries before your trip.

When traveling, you must carry an identification document in addition to the European firearms pass as well as 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.

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In the Forms section you will find the application for a firearms license (WBK) and the application for a European firearms pass.

The links below will take you to the website of the Federal Office of Administration, where you will find forms for applications for firearms licenses, the acquisition, transfer and carrying of weapons as well as for the small firearms license. You will also find forms for reporting the loss, acquisition and transfer of weapons as well as useful information and leaflets on weapons ownership.

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

• Application for the issue of a firearms license WBK
• Application for a European firearms pass

• General Administrative Regulation on the Weapons Act (WaffVwV)
• § Section 32 (6) of the Weapons Act (WaffG)
• § Section 33 General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV)

• Applications for firearms licenses

  Link to the website of the Federal Office of Administration, where you can find forms for applications for weapons licenses, acquisition, transfer and carrying of weapons as well as for the small firearms license. There are also forms for reporting the loss, acquisition and transfer of weapons as well as helpful information and leaflets on weapons ownership.

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 permitNWR 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 firearms authority.

• Small firearms license; application
• Weapons; General information
• Weapons manufacture; application for a permit
• Shooting range; application for an operating license
• Green firearms possession card for individual persons; application
• Weapons and ammunition; application for a permit to bring them into, through or out of the Federal Republic of Germany
• Weapons; notification of the acquisition of a weapon requiring a permit
• Arms trade; application for a permit
• Shooting permit; application
• Firearms license; application
• European firearms pass; application for an extension