Weapons Act and Weapons Law
The handling of weapons in the Federal Republic of Germany is governed by the Weapons Act, which was given its current structure by the Act on the Reorganization of Weapons Law of October 11, 2002, and replaced the Weapons Act of 1976 that had been in force until then. As a special law on the prevention of danger, it serves to protect public safety and order and is intended to help minimize or eliminate dangers that can arise from the use 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. As a further legal basis, the General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV) supplements these regulations. Furthermore, the weapons authorities are required by the General Administrative Regulation on the Weapons Act (WaffVwV) to enforce the Weapons Act uniformly.
Third Weapons Law Amendment Act regulates stricter testing - constitutional protection must be involved
The 3rd Weapons Law Amendment Act and other regulations (3. WaffRÄndG) was published in the Federal Law Gazette on February 19, 2020. As a result, the following tightened regulations came into force on February 20, 2020:
The background check under weapons law is carried out when a weapons law permit is issued for the first time as well as during the regular periodic check (Section 4 (3) WaffG). The weapons authorities are now obliged to involve the competent constitutional protection authority in addition to the police and other agencies as part of this check (Section 5 (5) WaffG).
In addition, members of associations that pursue anti-constitutional or extremist goals are generally considered unreliable in terms of weapons law (Section 5 (2) No. 3 WaffG). This means that the weapons authorities can deny them permits they have applied for and revoke permits that have already been issued.
Weapons manufacturers and dealers will be required to store information on weapons in the National Weapons Register. This is intended to ensure that the entire life cycle of weapons and their essential parts can be traced by the security authorities.
Information on the amendments to the weapons law (available in German language only)
Contact person for weapons law in your district
Each district police authority has its own weapons authority. This takes care of your concerns on the subject of weapons law and the issuing of permits under weapons law.
The Weapons Act is a federal law. However, the implementation of the Weapons Act is the responsibility of the federal states. In North Rhine-Westphalia, this is regulated by an implementing ordinance. The weapons authorities are located in the central departments at the district police authorities. These are responsible for implementing the weapons law and for issuing permits.
Info sheet weapons calendar
More and more citizens possess weapons and other dangerous objects. Applications for a small firearms license have multiplied for some time and the police have registered that knives or similarly dangerous objects are increasingly in circulation. When it comes to the structural design of knives and other objects, there are almost no limits to the imagination of the manufacturers, so that the classification under weapons law is not always easy.
The leaflet "Weapons Calendar 2024 (available in German language only)" provides information on the current weapons law regulations for handling weapons. It is divided into four sections. The first three sections deal with the different categories of weapons under the Weapons Act:
- firearms/comparable objects
- Portable objects
- Prohibited weapons
and show appropriate examples. Also presented are the various penalty standards.
The overview is completed by a footnote index, which explains weapons law terms and provides further references.
Online services for companies or tradesmen
The online services "Shooting ranges" and "Weapons" have been activated in the Wirtschafts-Service-Portal-NRW (WSP.NRW). The online services or administrative services are of interest to companies or tradesmen who fall under the regulations of the weapons law.