Weapons; reporting a weapon that has been rendered unusable or destroyed

Weapons or their essential parts are rendered permanently inoperable if the firing capability or function cannot be restored with commonly used tools and the technical specifications of the EU deactivation implementing regulation (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2403 of 15.12.2015 laying down common guidelines on deactivation standards and techniques to ensure that firearms are rendered irreversibly inoperable upon deactivation (OJ L 333, 19.12.2015, p. 62), as last amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/337 (OJ L 65, 8.3.2018, p. 1)).

If deactivation has not been carried out in accordance with the EU Deactivation Implementing Regulation, the same provisions continue to apply to these weapons as to weapons requiring a permit that are in working order.

The deactivation is usually carried out by a gunsmith/gun manufacturer. The competent certification office issues a deactivation certificate as proof that the weapon has been deactivated in accordance with the provisions of the EU Deactivation Implementation Regulation. You must keep the deactivation certificate together with the deactivated firearms or take it with you when transporting such firearms. If you lose the deactivation certificate, you must report this immediately to the competent weapons authority.

A weapon has been destroyed if its technical functionality has been permanently removed and its physical existence no longer exists (e.g. by shredding or melting down the weapon).

If you have reported the rendering unusable or destruction and submitted the necessary evidence, the competent weapons authority will remove this weapon from your permit documents (e.g. weapons ownership card, weapons license, European firearms pass).

You must have a deactivation certificate or proof that the weapon has been destroyed.

You must report the deactivation or destruction of the weapon requiring a permit together with the necessary documents to the competent weapons authority.

You can use the NWR identification numbers (NWR ID) to complete the form more quickly:

• Your personal NWR ID (P or F NWR ID) for your personal details
• the permit NWR ID for the firearms permit (E-NWR ID)
• the weapon or weapon part NWR ID (W or T NWR ID).

You can obtain the NWR IDs on application to the relevant weapons authority.

The deactivation or destruction of weapons must be reported within two weeks.

• The following documents are required:
  
  • Personalausweis oder Reisepass (Kopie)
  • Erlaubnisurkunden (z. B. Waffenbesitzkarte, Europäischer Feuerwaffenpass), in die die Waffen eingetragen sind (sofern vorhanden)
  • Deaktivierungsbescheinigung (amtlich beglaubigte Kopie) oder Nachweis über die Vernichtung der Waffe (z.B. Vorlage der zerstörten Waffe oder detaillierte bildtechnische Dokumentation des Zerstörungsprozesses)
  • Vollmacht/Tätigkeitsnachweis/sonstiger Nachweis, falls der Anzeigende nicht der Erlaubnisinhaber ist, z.B. Insolvenz-/Zwangsverwalter, amtlich bestellter Betreuer, Besitznehmer (bei Tod des Erlaubnisinhabers)

There are no costs for the notification itself. However, the reported weapons must be removed from the permit documents, for which costs of EUR 7.50 to 10.00 per weapon are incurred.