Apply for a firearms possession licence for hunting associations

You must apply for a licence to purchase and possess weapons and/or ammunition that require a permit from the relevant weapons authority. Submit the application together with the required documents.

Please contact the firearms authority in your district. If you live in Dessau-Roßlau, please also contact the firearms authority. If you live in Halle or Magdeburg, please contact the respective police department.
 

• The hunting association must be a legal entity, i.e. registered in the register of associations, for example.
   
• The person responsible must be at least 18 years old.
   
• The responsible person must be trustworthy in terms of firearms legislation. They may be deemed
  
  untrustworthy in terms of firearms legislation if, among other things,
  • they have been sentenced to at least one year's imprisonment within the last 10 years or have been a member of or supported a banned organisation in the last 10 years.
  • it can be assumed that they misuse weapons or ammunition or handle them improperly, do not store these items carefully or hand them over to persons who are not authorised to do so.
  • if they have been in preventive police custody more than once in the last 5 years with judicial authorisation because of violence.
  • if they have repeatedly or grossly violated the firearms law.
     
• The responsible person must be personally suitable. The
  
  responsible person may be deemed personally unsuitable if, among other things,
  • she is legally incapable.
  • she is addicted to alcohol or other intoxicating substances, mentally ill or mentally retarded.
  • she suffers from serious illnesses, such as brain injuries, or physical impairments, such as amputations or severe visual impairment.
  • it can be assumed that he or she cannot handle weapons or ammunition carefully or properly or cannot store these objects carefully or that there is a concrete danger that he or she will endanger others or himself or herself.
     
• The responsible person must prove that they have sufficient knowledge of weapons and ammunition and how to handle them (expertise). In order
  
  to prove their expertise in handling weapons and ammunition, they must have completed a relevant training course. The course comprises a theoretical and a practical part. At the end of the course, an examination is taken before an authorised examination board. If the examination is passed, the responsible person receives a certificate stating for which weapons and ammunition the expertise has been acquired. The responsible person can also acquire expertise only for the weapons and ammunition that they wish to acquire and possess as a hunting association.
  
  Expertise can also be demonstrated by passing a hunting examination.

• You must prove that you can store weapons and ammunition safely.
  
  This generally means that only authorised persons may have access to weapons and ammunition. If you do not store your weapons and ammunition safely, you are committing an administrative offence for which a fine of up to EUR 10,000 may be imposed. In addition, this may cast doubt on the reliability of the person responsible under firearms law and result in the hunting association's firearms licence being revoked.
  
  When submitting your application, you must provide information about both the storage location and the container in which you intend to store the weapons and ammunition. The storage requirements are based on Section 13 of the General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV). In case of doubt, please contact your local authority. As a general
  
  rule, you can refer to the following guidelines:
  • Ammunition subject to authorisation must be stored 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 licence. 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 may 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 guns, up to 10 handguns and ammunition in a gun cabinet with resistance grade 0 in accordance with the DIN/EN 1143-1 standard weighing over 200 kilograms.
    • You may store an unlimited number of long guns and handguns as well as ammunition in a gun cabinet with resistance grade I in accordance with the DIN/EN 1143-1 standard.
  • The following regulations generally apply to the location where you may set up the gun cabinet:
    • You may also store up to 3 long guns in buildings that are not permanently inhabited, such as a hunting lodge or a weekend home. 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 authorised to own weapons, you may store the weapons in a shared weapons cabinet.

• Identity card or passport (copy)
• Extract from the register of associations
• Proof of expertise (responsible person)
• Proof of storage, e.g. purchase contract for a gun cabinet and/or photos of the gun cabinet and installation site

• § Section 10 (2) of the Weapons Act (WaffG)
• § Section 4 of the Weapons Act (WaffG)
• § Section 36 of the Weapons Act (WaffG)
• § Section 13 General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV)

Online services available: not known

Forms available: not known

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance required: No

• Authorisation to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition: Issue of weapons possession licence (WBK) for hunting associations
• Prerequisites:
  • Registered in the register of associations
  • Appointment of a responsible person
  • Responsible person:
    • No criminal record (reliability)
    • No legal incapacity, mental illness or dependence on drugs (personal suitability)
    • Knowledge of firearms regulations
    • Safe handling of weapons and ammunition
    • Skills in shooting with firearms (may not be required if only weapons that cannot be fired are collected)
  • Secure storage
• Unauthorised handling of weapons and ammunition leads to a fine or prison sentence
• Responsible: Weapons authority