​License to manufacture or trade in weapons

The German weapons law controls the handling of weapons or ammunition, which generally requires a licence.

If you would like to manufacture, process or repair firearms or ammunition commercially or independently as part of a commercial enterprise, then you need a weapons manufacturing licence. You have to keep a weapons manufacturing book, from which the type and quantity of firearms and also their whereabouts are apparent.

If you would like to purchase, sell or give firearms or ammunition to other persons commercially or independently as part of a commercial enterprise, then you need a weapons trading licence. You have to keep a weapons trading book, from which the type and quantity of firearms, their origin and their whereabouts is apparent.

Procedure

You have to file an application to be issued with a weapons manufacturing licence or/and weapons trading licence at the relevant authority. The application form is available there. Depending on what is offered by the authorities responsible for the weapons law (urban district, large district capital, association of administration or rural district office) the application is available as a download.

The relevant authorities check whether the applicant has the required reliability. For this purpose they apply for information (Kleiner Waffenschein beantragen) from the Federal Central Criminal Register (Bundeszentralregister) and the Public Prosecutor’s Proceedings Register (staatsanwaltschaftlichen Verfahrensregister) and get a statement from the local police station. You have to provide your own proof of personal eligibility, if appl., of the technical qualifications, the need and the commercial nature or commercial undertaking.

If there are reservations concerning your personal eligibility, the relevant authorities may request a certificate from a public health officer or specialist or specialist psychologist regarding your mental or physical aptitude.

Required documents

ID card or passport (for foreigners: passport)

If app. a certificate from a public health officer or specialist or specialist psychologist regarding your personal eligibility

If appl. proof of technical qualifications

Any additional documents, which you have to present, depend on the reason for your need to manufacture weapons or trade in weapons (commercially or independently as part of a commercial undertaking).