Apply for permission to bring firearms or ammunition to, through or from the Federal Republic of Germany

If you want to temporarily take weapons or ammunition abroad from Germany or temporarily take them with you to Germany or take them through Germany, you need a permit. In order to be allowed to take weapons with you to Germany, you must prove your need, your reliability under weapons law, your personal suitability and expertise. If you are a citizen of an EU member state as well as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, the European Firearms Pass is sufficient as proof. As a citizen of a third country, you can provide the evidence by means of meaningful official documents from your home country with a German translation. If, as a citizen of a third country, you are unable to provide any information on weapons and ammunition when submitting your application, you must do so at the latest when you enter the country.

You must always state the reason why you want to temporarily take weapons and ammunition with you to Germany, for example an invitation to a hunt, to a shooting sports competition or to a traditional event.

For example, if you are applying for a shooting sports team, you can enter the names of all participants on a separate sheet and attach them to the application. The permit is then granted to all applicants together.

You do not need a permit if you are coming from an EU member state as well as from Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

• as a hunter, up to 3 long guns and the corresponding ammunition,
• as a sports shooter, up to 6 firearms and the associated ammunition, as well as
• as a traditional shooter up to 3 single-shot rifles or bolt-action long guns and the associated ammunition

to Germany. However, your European firearms pass must include the weapons you are taking with you. As a citizen of a third country, you do not have to prove your legal age and expertise in these cases.

You do not need a European firearms pass if you want to take certain weapons with you from Austria to Bavaria or vice versa as a sport shooter or traditional shooter.

You also do not need a permit to bring weapons and ammunition to Germany if you:

• take weapons and ammunition with you for which you have permission to purchase and possess them (weapon possession card – WBK),
• carry signal weapons and their ammunition on board ships for safety reasons, or
• Carry weapons and ammunition on board a ship or aircraft that are kept under lock and key at all times in Germany. These weapons and ammunition must be reported immediately to the competent authority and must be re-exported from Germany within one month at the latest.

If you want to take weapons and ammunition from Germany to an EU member state, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, you will need

• the permit for the acquisition and possession of weapons and ammunition (weapon possession card – WBK),
• a European firearms pass, in which the weapons you wish to take with you are registered, and
• the consent of the country to which you intend to take the weapons and ammunition or credible proof that no permit is required.

In addition, you must ensure the safe transport of weapons and ammunition. You can also hire a freight forwarder for this purpose. Before taking it with you, you should find out about the conditions of the state under which it is allowed or not.

If you want to take weapons and ammunition from Germany to a third country, you do not need a German permit. Again, before taking it with you, you should find out about the conditions of the state under which it is allowed or not.