If, as an heir, you wish to acquire and possess firearms and/or ammunition that require a permit, you must apply for a permit from the appropriate firearms authority. You must apply for the permit within one month after you have accepted the inheritance or after the deadline for renouncing the inheritance has expired.

In general, firearms are objects intended for attack or defense, signaling, hunting, long-range injection, marking, for sports or games, and in which projectiles are propelled through a barrel or in which solid objects are fired at a target, with their propulsive energy derived from muscle power or another energy source and stored or held by a locking mechanism (for example, crossbows, arrow-firing devices).

A distinction is made between firearms requiring a permit and those that do not. To carry firearms that do not require a permit, you need a Small Firearms License (see further information). All firearms that are not alarm, irritant, or signal weapons bearing

a PTB mark enclosed in a circle. A detailed list of firearms for which you need a Firearms Possession Card to acquire and possess can be found in Appendix 2 of the Firearms Act.

If, as an heir, you hold a Firearms Possession Card (WBK), you can have the firearms listed on it. If the deceased had a permit to possess the inherited firearms, you will receive the permit provided you are deemed reliable and personally suitable under firearms law.

If, as an heir, you cannot demonstrate a legitimate need to possess the inherited firearms, you must render them inoperable or have them fitted with a blocking device (see “Further Information”). If no commercially available blocking device exists for the inherited firearms, you must provide proof of such a device. You must have all modifications to the inherited firearms verifiably performed by a qualified professional and report them to the appropriate authority. However, you are not required to have the firearms disabled if you hold a firearms ownership card.

As a community of heirs, you may also apply for a joint permit. If not all members wish to inherit the firearms, those individuals must declare that they are renouncing their inheritance. To obtain the permit, you—or all members of a community of heirs—must each demonstrate a need for the firearms, and the requirements will be reviewed for each applicant.

It is recommended that you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the provisions of firearms law before submitting your application.

To obtain a permit to acquire and possess firearms and ammunition subject to licensing, you must

• be of the required age and
• demonstrate your need,
• your reliability under firearms law,
• your personal suitability,
• your expertise in handling firearms and ammunition, and
• the safe storage of firearms and ammunition.

Age

If you are under 25 years of age, the competent firearms authority may require you to submit a medical or psychological evaluation/certificate from a specialist regarding your mental fitness. You must pay for the evaluation or certificate yourself and mail the original to the relevant firearms authority (a copy or email will not be accepted).

If you are a hunter, you do not need such an assessment or certificate.

As a sport shooter, you must be at least 18 years old. You are then authorized to possess firearms up to a caliber of 5.6 mm lfB (.22 l. r.) for rimfire ammunition with a muzzle energy of no more than 200 joules (J) and single-shot long guns with smooth barrels of 12 gauge or smaller.

For other firearms, the minimum age for sport shooters is 21, provided you can submit a medical or psychological evaluation/certificate from a specialist confirming your mental fitness.

Justification

To be permitted to acquire and possess firearms and ammunition, you must provide the competent firearms authority with a credible reason (need). A credible reason is generally recognized if

• you are a hunter and hold a hunting license (daily or annual hunting license). If, as a hunter, you wish to acquire and possess only long guns and two handguns, no further proof of need is required.
• You have been a member for at least one year of a sports club that is a member of a recognized shooting sports association and in which shooting with such firearms is permitted in accordance with approved shooting sports regulations. The shooting sports regulations are approved by the Federal Office of Administration. In addition, you must provide proof that you have participated in training on a regular basis (at least once a month or at least 18 times within a year).
• Your life is at significant risk
• You can credibly demonstrate other reasons why you wish to acquire and possess firearms and ammunition.

Reliability Under GunLaws

You may be deemed reliable under firearms law, among other things,

1. if, within the last 10 years, you have not been convicted of a crime resulting in a final sentence of at least one year of imprisonment, and if, within the last 10 years, you have not been a member of or supported a banned organization.
2. if it cannot be assumed that you will misuse or handle firearms or ammunition improperly, fail to store these items securely, or transfer them to persons who are not authorized to possess them.
3. if, within the last 5 years, you have not been placed in preventive police custody more than once, with a judge’s authorization, due to violent behavior.
4. if you have not repeatedly or grossly violated firearms laws.

Personal Suitability

You may be deemed personally unsuitable if, among other things

1. you are legally incompetent.
2. You are dependent on alcohol or other intoxicating substances, mentally ill, or mentally disabled.
3. you suffer from serious illnesses, such as brain injuries, or physical impairments, such as amputations or severe visual impairment.
4. it can be assumed that you are unable to handle weapons or ammunition with care or properly, or that you are unable to store these items securely, or that there is a concrete risk that you might endanger others or yourself.

Expertise

1. To be permitted to acquire and possess firearms and ammunition, you must demonstrate that you are capable of handling them properly. To obtain the required expertise in handling firearms and ammunition, you must participate in an appropriate training course. The course consists of a theoretical and a practical component. At the end of the course, you will take an exam before an authorized examination board. If you pass the exam, you will receive a certificate specifying the types of firearms and ammunition for which you have acquired the required expertise. You may also obtain this expertise only for the specific firearms and ammunition you intend to acquire and possess.

   You do not need to take a separate proficiency exam if you

2. have passed the hunting exam or an equivalent exam, or
3. have passed a journeyman’s examination in the gunsmith trade, or
4. have worked for at least 3 years as a full-time employee in the firearms and ammunition trade.

In these cases, you only need to submit appropriate documentation.

Safe Storage

You must store firearms and ammunition securely. This generally means that only you, as the authorized person, have access to the firearms and ammunition—for example, by always carrying the key with you. If you do not store your firearms and ammunition securely, you are committing an administrative offense for which a fine of up to 10,000 euros may be imposed. In addition, this may cast doubt on your reliability under firearms law, and your firearms ownership card may be revoked.

When submitting your application, you must provide details about both the storage location and the container in which you intend to store your firearms and ammunition. As a general rule, you can follow these guidelines:

• Ammunition requiring a permit must be stored in a sheet-steel cabinet or container with a swing-bolt lock.
• To store long guns and handguns subject to a license, as well as ammunition subject to a license, you need a gun safe. The type of gun safe you need depends on the number and type of firearms and/or ammunition you intend to purchase and own.
  • In a gun safe with resistance grade 0 according to EN 1143-1 weighing up to 200 kilograms, you may store an unlimited number of long guns, up to 5 handguns, and ammunition.
  • In a gun safe with resistance class 0 according to EN 1143-1 that weighs more than 200 kilograms, you may store an unlimited number of long guns, up to 10 handguns, and ammunition.
  • In a gun safe with resistance class 1 according to EN 1143-1, you may store an unlimited number of long guns and handguns, as well as ammunition.
• The following rules generally apply to where you may place the gun safe:
  • If you live in an apartment building, you are not permitted to place the gun safe in the basement if each resident has only a so-called “basement storage cubicle” that is secured only by a door with a padlock.
  • You may also store up to 3 long guns in buildings that are not permanently occupied, such as a hunting cabin or a weekend home. However, for this you will need a gun safe with security level 1.
  • If you live in a shared household with another gun owner, you may store the firearms in a shared gun safe.
• As a hunter, you may also temporarily have your long guns stored by another hunter in their gun safe. However, this period should be limited; permanent storage is not permitted. For permanent storage, you should purchase your own gun safe to which only you have access.
• It is also permitted to store firearms and ammunition with a firearms dealer. You must provide appropriate documentation for this.