Weapons and ammunition

The German Weapons Act covers firearms and similarly classified objects, certain portable objects, and ammunition (Annex 1 Part 1 Weapons Act (Waffengesetz).

This legislation also applies when transferring or carrying firearms and ammunition from one EU Member State to another.

Transferring or carrying weapons within the EU

Transferring means the transportation of a weapon across a border with the intention of leaving it abroad or changing its ownership (through sale, for example).

Carrying during a journey means carrying firearms and ammunition temporarily across a border with the intention of using them abroad (in a competition, for example) without relinquishing possession of them.

Special cases:

• For hunters, marksmen, and traditional shooters who are taking weapons and ammunition with them into another EU Member State, or who are bringing weapons and ammunition from another Member State to or through Germany, it is sufficient to have a European firearms passport, provided that the remaining conditions specified in Art. 32 (3) of the German Weapons Act are fulfilled. They must be able to show a reason for carrying the firearms and ammunition; for example, an invitation to a competition or a competitor’s entry ticket.
• Holders of domestic authorisations to acquire or possess firearms and ammunition (for example, a firearms licence) do not need any other firearms documents when carrying weapons and ammunition to or through Germany.

In the special cases listed above, it is not necessary to always carry the firearms explicitly mentioned in section 32 of the German Firearms Act together with the ammunition intended for them. They can be carried separately from each other.

The licence must already have been issued by the competent German weapons authority before the transfer or carrying of the items to or from Germany. You should therefore investigate whether your intended transfer or carrying of firearms and ammunition is permitted.

Although the same customs regulations apply in EU Member States, they have differing firearms regulations. Should you intend to transfer or take firearms and ammunition from one EU Member State to another you would be well advised to find out about the current regulations from the local competent authorities.

Illegal possession of weapons

You should be aware of the fact that weapons that are freely available abroad may not be transferred or brought into Germany, or only under certain conditions. Transferring or bringing firearms or ammunition into Germany is punishable with imprisonment for up to five years, and for up to ten years in particularly serious cases.

Weapons and ammunition banned under Annex 2 Part 1 of the Weapons Act include, but are not limited to:

• fully automatic firearms (submachine guns and automatic rifles)
• butterfly knives, fist knives, flick knives
• steel rods, clubs or knuckledusters
• star-shaped discs (throwing stars) unless exclusively designed for decoration, that is, not presenting any hazard of inflicting injury
• choking weapons (known as nunchakus or soft nunchakus)
• precision catapults, and associated wrist supports and similar devices

Transfer or carriage not requiring an authorisation

Adults may transfer or carry certain weapons and ammunition into or through Germany without an authorisation.
For example, the transfer or carriage of the following into or through Germany without authorisation is permittet:

• Compressed air weapons, spring-operated weapons, and weapons of which the projectile is powered by a cold propellant gas, such as air rifles for sale to the general public as well as soft-air and paintball weapons which impart no more than 7.5 joules to the projectile and which bear the approval mark of an "F" in a pentagon
• Guns firing blank or irritant cartridges, or signal guns which conform to an approved type pursuant to Section 8 of the Test Firing Act and which - including their ammunition - bear the "PTB" mark or which comply with the legislation of another EU Member State which it has notified to the European Commission in accordance with Art. 4 Para. 2 of the Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2019/69 of 16 January 2019 laying down technical specifications for alarm and signal weapons unter Council Directive 91/477/EEC on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons as a measure implementing that Directive
• Crossbows

Participation of Customs

While the issue of permits or authorizations under firearms legislation falls within the area of competence of municipal public affairs offices, district administrations, or the district police authorities, the customs administration monitors the movement of goods on the exterior borders of the European Union and domestically by means of mobile inspections pursuant to Section 33 of the Weapons Act (WaffG). The non-observance of firearms legislation is always followed by the initiation of a criminal justice procedure and the confiscation of the imported objects, firearms, or ammunition.

Further information

The competent authorities (for example, city or municipal public affairs offices, district administrations) can answer any questions concerning the transfer or possession of firearms.

For individuals who are not resident in Germany the competent authority for the issue of the authorisation to transfer or import firearms is:

• the authority (city or municipal public affairs office, district administration) in whose district the individual(s) concerned will be staying or intend to stay (for example, the district where the hunt or event will take place), or
• insofar as this - in the case of transit, for example - cannot be precisely specified, in the district in which the border is crossed.

Competent authorities in terms of weapons legislation