Apply for a green firearms licence as an heir

You must apply for the green firearms possession card for heirs or for the entry of the inherited firearm in your existing firearms possession card at the relevant firearms authority. Submit the application together with the required documents.

The firearms authority issues the green firearms possession card for heirs or makes the entry in the firearms possession card if you fulfil the necessary requirements.

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.

• You must be at least 18 years old.
  
  If you are under 25 years of age, the competent firearms authority will require you to submit a specialist medical or psychological report/certificate confirming your mental fitness. You must pay for the report/certificate yourself and send the original by post to the relevant firearms authority.
  
  If you are a hunter, you do not need such a report/certificate.
   
• You must prove that it is necessary for you to continue to possess the inherited weapons and ammunition (need).
  In order to be allowed to continue to possess the inherited weapons and ammunition, you must provide the competent firearms authority with a credible reason (need). The following are generally recognised as credible reasons:
  • You are a hunter.
  • you are a marksman.
  • Your life is at high risk.
  • you can credibly explain other reasons why you wish to possess weapons and ammunition.

If you cannot credibly demonstrate a need to possess the inherited weapons, you must have the weapons subject to authorisation fitted with a blocking system. This does not apply if you already have a firearms possession licence.

• You must prove your reliability under firearms legislation. You
  may be deemed unreliable under firearms legislation if, among other things, you
  • you 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 you 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.
  • you have been in preventive police custody more than once in the last 5 years with judicial authorisation because of violence.
  • you have repeatedly or grossly violated the Weapons Act.
     
• You must prove your personal suitability. You
  may be deemed personally unsuitable if, among other things, you
  • you are legally incapable.
  • you are dependent on alcohol or other intoxicating substances, mentally ill or mentally retarded.
  • you suffer from serious illnesses, such as brain injuries, or physical impairments, such as amputations or severe visual impairment.
  • it can be assumed that you do not handle weapons or ammunition carefully or properly or that you cannot store these items carefully or that there is a concrete danger that you will endanger others or yourself.

You must demonstrate that you have sufficient knowledge of weapons and ammunition and how to handle them (expertise). In order

to demonstrate your expertise in handling weapons and ammunition, you must have completed a relevant training course. The course comprises a theoretical and a practical part. At the end of the course, you will take an examination before an authorised examination board. If you pass the examination, you will receive a certificate stating for which weapons and ammunition you have acquired expertise. You can also acquire expertise only for the weapons and ammunition that you wish to own.

You do not need to take a separate proficiency test if you can prove your proficiency in another way, e.g. if you are a hunter and have passed the hunting exam or an equivalent exam. In these cases, you only need to provide suitable proof.

• You must prove that you can store weapons and ammunition safely.
  You must store weapons and ammunition safely. This generally means that only you, as the authorised person, have access to weapons and ammunition, for example by always carrying the key with you. If you do not store your weapons and ammunition securely, you are committing an administrative offence for which a fine of up to EUR 10,000 may be imposed. In addition, your reliability under weapons law may be called into question and your firearms licence may be revoked.
  
  When submitting your application, you must provide information about both the storage location and the container in which you intend to store your 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 1 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.
  • It is also permitted to store weapons and ammunition at a gun dealer. You must provide appropriate proof of this.

• Identity card or passport (copy)
• Proof of storage, e.g. purchase contract for a gun cabinet and/or photos of the gun cabinet and installation site
• If applicable, a specialist medical or psychological certificate confirming your mental aptitude (if under 21 years of age for marksmen or under 25 years of age for other persons)
• only in the case of a community of heirs: if applicable, a declaration of renunciation that the other members of the community of heirs do not wish to possess the weapons

• § Section 20 (7) of the Weapons Act (WaffG)
• § Section 37c (1) no. 1 of the Weapons Act (WaffG)

• Authorisation to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition: Issue of green firearms possession card (WBK) for heirs
• A licence to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition (weapons possession card) must be applied for within one month of accepting the inheritance or the expiry of the deadline for waiving the inheritance.
• If the deceased was the authorised owner, permission can be granted if he is reliable and personally suitable under firearms law
• Inherited weapons must be blocked without proof of a need (see information on notification of blocking system) or rendered unusable (see information on notification of rendering unusable); however, this is not necessary if the heir has a WBK
• WBK can be issued to one heir or as a joint WBK for several heirs or a community of heirs
• Requirements are checked for everyone who is to be registered on the WBK.
• Prerequisites:
  • Minimum age: 25 years
  • Reasonable cause, e.g. hunter, marksman, person at risk (need)
  • 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
• Authorisation may also be granted to persons under 25 years of age if personal suitability is proven by expert opinion. In the case of sport shooters, possibly already for 18-year-olds (only for firearms up to calibre 5.6 mm lfB (.22 l. r.) for rimfire ammunition with a maximum muzzle energy of 200 joules (J) and single-shot long guns with smooth barrels of calibre 12 or smaller). Otherwise age limit for sport shooters 21 years; no certificate required for hunters
• When moving: no re-registration of the permit necessary
• Unauthorised handling of weapons and ammunition leads to a fine or imprisonment.
• Responsible: Weapons authority