Weapons manufacture; application for a permit

Permission to manufacture, process or repair firearms or ammunition commercially or independently as part of a commercial enterprise is granted by means of a firearms manufacturing license.

The firearms manufacturing license may be restricted to certain types of firearms and ammunition.

For firearms or ammunition covered by the permit, the firearms manufacturing permit includes the permit for temporary or permanent transfer to holders of a firearms manufacturing or firearms trade permit and for acquisition for the purpose of firearms manufacturing. In the case of gunsmiths entered in the Register of Craftsmen, the firearms manufacturing license includes permission to trade in firearms.

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.

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.

The applicant must have the required reliability and personal suitability (see §§ 5 and 6 WaffG).

They must meet the necessary requirements in accordance with the German Crafts Code (Handwerksordnung) if they are operated as a trade.

The permit may be refused if you are not a 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.

• Issue of a weapons manufacturing 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

• §§ Sections 21, 21a of the Weapons Act (WaffG)

  Commercial arms manufacture, arms trade

• 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.

The holder of a license 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.

NoneIf the commercial manufacture of firearms 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 firearms manufacturing permit. The same requirements must be met for a deputy permit as for a gun manufacturing permit.

• European firearms pass; application
• Weapons; General information
• 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
• Arms manufacture and/or arms trade; notification of commencement or cessation of operations
• Weapons; notification of the acquisition of a weapon requiring a permit
• Arms manufacture and/or arms trade; notification of the opening or closure of a branch or subsidiary