Applying for transportation of war weapons within the federal territory

You can apply for a permit to transport war weapons online or by post.

Online application:

• Call up the online application on the federal portal. This will guide you step by step through the necessary information, which you can enter electronically.
• Upload the required documents as a file (in the file formats PDF, JPEG, PNG, maximum 10 megabytes per file) and send the application.
• The licensing authority will check your application and may request further documents or evidence from you.
• You will receive a notice of approval or rejection.
• You transport the war weapons without delay and inform us immediately of any unforeseen delays in transportation.

Application by post:

You can submit the application informally.

• Your application must contain the following information in particular. It is not sufficient for the data to be evident only from accompanying documents, consignment notes or other documents.
  • Name and address of the applicant
  • Name and address of the sender
  • Name and address of the recipient
  • Designation of the war weapons
  • War weapons list number: Please enter the classification number using the War Weapons List
  • Number of items or weight: Enter the exact number of items for each type of weapon; for ammunition, enter the caliber
  • Name and address of the carrier: airline, shipping company, railroad, other transportation companies and self-carriage
  • Purpose of transportation
  • Means of transportation: e.g. airplane, ship, railroad, truck
  • Place of dispatch and destination: precise details of which transport companies are transporting the war weapons within Germany and on which routes. For example: transportation from Munich to Frankfurt by company A, from Frankfurt to Hamburg by company B, from Hamburg by shipping company C (direct route)
  • Period of transportation
• For applications for export transportation: A signature of the person responsible for export is required.
• Please state in your application whether the following persons are German within the meaning of Article 116 of the German Basic Law and have their domicile or habitual residence in Germany:
  • the applicant or their legal representative
  • in the case of legal entities: the authorized representative body or a member of such a body
  • in the case of commercial partnerships: a partner authorized to represent the company
  • the head of a business or part of a business of the applicant
• The licensing authority will check your application and, if necessary, request further documents or evidence from you.
• You will receive a notice of approval or rejection.
• You transport the war weapons without delay and notify the authorities immediately of any unforeseen delays in transportation.

You have no right to the granting of a permit. This may be withheld in particular if:

• there is reason to believe that the granting of a license would be contrary to the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany in maintaining good relations with other countries
• the war weapons are used in a peace-disturbing act, in particular in a war of aggression
• there is reason to believe that the granting of the license would violate the Federal Republic's obligations under international law or jeopardize their fulfillment
• the following persons are not Germans within the meaning of Article 116 of the Basic Law and have their domicile or habitual residence in the Federal Republic of Germany or there is reason to assume that they do not possess the necessary reliability:
  • the applicant or his/her legal representative
  • in the case of legal entities: the authorized representative body or a member of such a body
  • in the case of commercial partnerships: a partner authorized to represent the company
  • the head of a company or part of a company of the applicant

You can also apply for transportation by forwarding agents or airlines:

• These freight forwarders must have the international permits or licenses required for road transport in Germany under the Road Haulage Act (GüKG). The permit is then issued subject to special conditions. However, in the case of transit of war weapons from abroad through the federal territory to another country, all shipping companies must be named in the permit certificate.
• Airlines must be authorized to operate in the airspace of the Federal Republic of Germany.

If the applicant and the permit holder are not identical:

• Authorization to submit the application

For exports and transit:

• As a rule, a governmental end-user certificate
• Import permit from the recipient country, if applicable

For transits additionally:

• Export license or export permit from the exporting country

In individual cases, the Federal Government may request further documents from you, for example proof of end-use or import licenses.

There is no deadline.

However, please submit your application as early as possible.

You must complete the transportation of war weapons without delay. It is assumed that transportation within Germany will be completed within 5 working days, even in unfavourable cases. The carrier's dispositions must be based on this.

Should any unforeseen delays occur during transportation, you must inform the responsible licensing authority immediately.

• § Section 3 of the War Weapons Control Act (KrWaffKontrG)
• Ordinance on General Licenses under the War Weapons Control Act (KrWaffKontrGDV)
• § Section 4 Second Ordinance on the Implementation of the War Weapons Control Act (KrWaffKontrGDV 2)

• Administrative court action

There are no indications or special features.

23.07.2024