Information on the subject of weapons and prohibited items

The handling of weapons in the Federal Republic of Germany is regulated by the Weapons Act, which was given its current structure by the Act on the Revision of Weapons Law of October 11, 2002 and replaced the previous Weapons Act from 1976. As a special law on averting danger, it serves to protect public safety and order and is intended to help minimize or exclude dangers that can arise from the handling of weapons.
The aim is therefore in particular to regulate the private acquisition and possession of weapons and to prevent the illegal trade in and possession of weapons. The General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV) supplements these regulations as a further legal basis. Furthermore, the weapons authorities are required to enforce the Weapons Act uniformly through the General Administrative Regulation on the Weapons Act (WaffVwV).

Weapons law

In many cases, the handling of weapons, in particular firearms and equivalent objects, requires an official permit. Although the Weapons Act is a federal law, its implementation is the responsibility of the federal states. In North Rhine-Westphalia, a jurisdiction ordinance stipulates that the district police authority in whose area the habitual residence of the gun owner or applicant is located is generally responsible for implementing the weapons law and issuing permits.

+++ ATTENTION: Changes to the Weapons Act since September 1, 2020 +++

The Weapons Law Office of the Hagen PP points out that from September 1, 2020, various changes to the Weapons Act will come into force as follows:

The purchase of a sport shooter's weapon possession card has been limited to 10 weapons. (

Exchangeable magazines/magazine cases with a magazine capacity of more than 10 cartridges for long guns and 20 cartridges for handguns that were purchased before July 13, 2017 must be reported to the weapons authority by no later than September 1, 2021.

For magazines/magazine cases acquired after July 13, 2017 but before 01.09.2020, an application must be submitted to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) by 01.09.2021 regarding the old possession of one or more prohibited magazines or magazine cases. The corresponding form can be found on the homepage of the PP Hagen.

The handling of salute weapons (modified long weapons) is subject to notification from September 1, 2020.

Firearms that were rendered unusable as decommissioned weapons before June 28, 2018 are considered old decommissioned weapons. Weapons that were deactivated after June 28, 2018 require a deactivation certificate from the firearms dealer and the firearms office. Furthermore, these decommissioned weapons must be registered.

Arrow launchers are treated in the same way as firearms. A permit to possess them must be applied for by 01.09.2021 at the latest.

Would you like to apply for a small firearms license online? You can find the form here.