Shooting Range; Application for an Operating Permit

If you wish to operate a fixed or portable facility used for competitive shooting or other shooting exercises with firearms, for testing firearms, or for recreational shooting (shooting range), or wish to make significant changes to its nature or manner of use, you must obtain a permit from the district administrative authority.

No permit is required for shooting ranges where shooting takes place exclusively in enclosed spaces for the purpose of testing firearms or ammunition by firearms or ammunition manufacturers, by firearms or ammunition experts, or by scientific institutions. The operator must notify the competent authority in writing or electronically two weeks in advance of the commencement or cessation of the shooting range’s operations.

For mobile shooting ranges, a one-time permit prior to the first setup is sufficient. The holder of such a permit must notify the locally competent district administrative authority in writing or electronically two weeks in advance of the commencement and termination of the shooting range’s operations.

The permit may be granted only if the applicant

• meets the required standards of reliability (Section 5 of the Weapons Act) and
• personal suitability (§ 6 WaffG) and
• has liability insurance covering damages resulting from the operation of the shooting range in the amount of at least 1 million euros —a lump-sum amount covering both bodily injury and property damage—as well as accident insurance covering damages resulting from the operation of the shooting range for persons involved in organizing the shooting operations, in the amount of at least 10,000 euros in the event of death and 100,000 euros in the event of disability—with an insurance company authorized to conduct business within the scope of this Act. Pursuant to Section 1(2)(2) of the Amusement Park Operator Liability Ordinance, shooting ranges are subject to the requirement to maintain liability insurance.

For mobile shooting ranges or shooting ranges that do not require a permit, a written or electronic notification must be received by the district administrative authority two weeks before operations begin.