Arms trade; application for a permit

Permission to trade in firearms or ammunition is granted by means of a firearms trading license.

The arms trade license can 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.

Under the further links you will find the page reference to the Federal Office of Administration where you will find further information, forms for applications and notifications.

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

You must provide proof 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 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.

• Informal application (with signature)

  This wizard helps you to create an informal letter if the responsible office does not provide an application form.

• Issue 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 expert examination according to § 22 para. 1 WaffG: 100 to 250 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 permit must be applied for at the relevant firearms authority.

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.

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.

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