Weapons legislation – Applying for a weapons trading permit

A weapons trading permit is required if you are buying or selling firearms or ammunition commercially or as a self-employed activity in the context of a business enterprise. The weapons trading permit can be limited to particular types of firearms and ammunition.

Anyone who buys, offers for sale, accepts or collects orders, rents out, lends or arranges for purchase, sale or rental of firearms or ammunition is considered to be operating a weapons trading business.

The permit expires if the activity is not taken up within a year of the permit’s issuance or if the activity was not performed for a year. Deadlines may be extended if special reasons apply.

If the weapons trading activities are to be carried out by a representative or if a person is instructed to manage a branch establishment or a dependent subsidiary, a separate representation permit must be applied for for such persons (see “More information”).

You can also access this service online

Online processing

Prerequisites

  • Intention to trade firearms or ammunition
  • Minimum age: usually 25 years
    By way of derogation, a few specific exceptions apply:
    If a personal suitability certificate is presented the minimum age is 18 instead (§6 section 3 WaffG)
  • Reliability
  • Personal suitability
  • Qualification testing
    The qualification test is taken before the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
    • The qualification test is not required if you fulfil the requirements for registration of a gunsmithy in the register of craftspeople.
  • Trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung)
  • Suitable safe weapons storage facility
    The minimum standard for storage of weapons for which a licence is required by a weapons dealer is a class I safety cabinet. Additional safety measures may be determined from case to case.
  • Natural person or legal entity
    The permit can be issued for a natural person or a legal entity. The natural persons who are authorised to represent legal entities must provide evidence that they fulfil the requirements.

Documents required

  • Application for a weapons trading permit
    • Online processing: please keep all required documents and certificates ready for upload in PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG or DOCX format. The files should be named as follows: firstname_surname_description.pdf
    • As an alternative, you may submit the application by postal mail or e-mail: please post or email the signed application and all certificates and personal documents to the weapons authority of the Berlin police.
  • Identity card or passport
    As a photocopy or photograph
  • Residence permit that allows for self-employment
    For non-EU citizens
  • Trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung)
    If available, can also be submitted at a later date.
  • Excerpt from the Trade Register
    For companies that are registered in the trade register.
  • Qualification certificate
    Test certificate from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. If available, otherwise the test must be taken and evidence must be provided at a later date.
  • Certificate of personal suitability (if you are under 25)
    You will be prompted to submit the certificate of personal suitability at a later date.
  • Certificate of safe storage
    You will be prompted to submit details of safe storage at a later date.
  • Any previous registered addresses
    If you lived outside Berlin in the past 10 years.
  • Declaration/consent of further responsible persons (submitted under separate cover)
    • If further responsible individuals are named, it is necessary for reasons related to data protection that these persons send their declaration of their suitability and consent to being named to the weapons authority in a separate email or letter.
    • Applicants will find the form for these declarations at the end of the online application form as a PDF document. Please download the form, print it and pass it on to the other responsible individuals so they can complete and send under separate cover.

Forms

Fees

The application is subject to a fee. You will receive a notification of charges. Further processing will take place after receipt of payment. Up to 50% of the costs will be charged in the event of a negative decision.

  • EUR 252.00 to EUR 597.00: depending on the scope of the application
Further charges after the permit has been granted
  • EUR 61.00: every three years, for regular reliability reviews
  • EUR 103.00: for weapons storage inspections
  • EUR 51.00: for weapons storage inspections, if the inspection is repeated after less than three years

Legal basis

More information

Your point of contact

Do it online

Download

Download page as PDF

Further information about this

back to top of page