Weapons expertise (§ 7 WaffG)

Weapons certificate for the safe handling of firearms and ammunition

The firearms certificate is a prerequisite for anyone who wants to legally and responsibly handle firearms and ammunition requiring a license in Germany. It forms the basis for the acquisition and possession of weapons, whether for shooting sports, hunting or other activities requiring a license. Proof of expertise has been provided by anyone who has passed an examination before the designated body or has demonstrated their expertise through an activity or training.

What does firearms expertise involve?

The Weapons Act (WaffG) and the General Weapons Act Ordinance (AWaffV) stipulate which knowledge and skills must be taught in weapons expertise.

The expertise to be demonstrated in the examination includes sufficient knowledge

1. of the legal provisions to be observed when handling weapons and ammunition under the Weapons Act, the Firearms Act, self-defense and emergency situations,
2.
in the technical field of firearms (long weapons, handguns and ammunition) with regard to the mode of operation, internal and external ballistics, range and mode of action of the projectile, in the case of prohibited objects that are not firearms, the mode of operation and mode of action as well as the range,
3.
on the safe handling of weapons or ammunition, including sufficient skills in shooting with firearms.

The examination of the necessary expertise on weapons and ammunition is limited to the type of weapons and ammunition applied for and the intended use and associated activities stated on the application.

The examination for firearms expertise itself consists of a theoretical and a practical part, which includes sufficient handling skills.

The examination is taken before an examination board set up by the competent authority. An examination board consists of a chairman and two assessors. The members must be knowledgeable. No more than one member of the committee may be active in the manufacture or trade of weapons.

Minutes must be taken of the result and the main content of the examination and signed by the chairman of the examination committee. The applicant must be issued with a certificate of the examination result, which must indicate the type and scope of the expertise acquired and must be signed by the chairman of the examination committee. The examination may be repeated several times in the event of failure. The examination committee may determine that the examination may only be repeated after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Other proof of expertise

In particular, firearms expertise is deemed to have been proven if you can demonstrate one of the following qualifications or activities:

Hunter's examination: successfully passing the hunter's examination or equivalent proof. Participation in a corresponding preparatory course can also be recognized.

Professional qualifications: The journeyman's examination in the gunsmith's trade, proof of specialist knowledge as a weapons manufacturer or dealer (§ 22 Para. 1 Sentence 1 WaffG) or at least three years of full-time employment in the weapons and ammunition trade.

Recognized training or association activity: Other training, in particular officially or state-recognized training, or proof as a marksman of a recognized shooting sports association, provided that the training or activity has imparted the necessary knowledge for the weapon or ammunition applied for. Special cases: Certain state examinations for piloting aircraft or watercraft or state-recognized professional training in aviation and seafaring can also cover parts of the firearms expertise (e.g. for distress signals).
Proof of expertise is usually provided by a certificate from the examination board, an entry in the examination certificate or, if applicable, in the driving license.

Important: Proof of knowledge of weapons and ammunition must only ever be provided for the specific type of weapon and ammunition that you are applying for and for the purpose that you specify.

Recognition of expert knowledge courses and examinations

Courses that teach firearms expertise must be recognized by the competent authority. This recognition is then valid nationwide.

For a course to be recognized, the following conditions must be met:

Content: The course must impart both theoretical knowledge (law, weapons and ammunition) and practical skills in handling weapons and shooting.
Reliability, personal and professional suitability: The provider of the course must be reliable and personally suitable. The technical management and teaching staff must be able to guarantee proper training.
Course duration, teaching materials and classrooms: The duration of the course must be sufficient to teach the content comprehensively. The necessary teaching materials and suitable classrooms must be available.

Examination procedure as part of a recognized course:

Every recognized training course must be completed with a theoretical and a practical examination. This is carried out by an examination board formed by the course provider. The course provider is obliged to inform the competent authority at least two weeks before the examination date that the examination will be held and to provide the names of the examination participants and the location of the course. Furthermore, the competent authority must be allowed to attend the examination. The representative of the authority may then participate as an additional member of the examination board.

Competence examinations in shooting clubs
Shooting sports clubs that belong to a shooting sports association recognized under the Weapons Act have the option of conducting proficiency tests for their own members. Similar requirements apply to the course content, the examination and the duty to inform the authorities. The clubs form their own examination boards for this purpose.