How to submit your application:

Please send your application documents by post to the following address:

Kreispolizeibehörde Kleve

Direktion ZA, Dez. ZA 1

-Waffenbehörde-

Kanalstraße 7

47533 Kleve

or by e-mail to: waffenwesen.kleve [at] polizei.nrw.de (waffenwesen[dot]kleve[at]polizei[dot]nrw[dot]de).

Your personal appearance is generally not required.

A personal appearance is only possible during the office hours listed on the right or by appointment with the responsible clerk.

Please note that your firearms law concerns cannot usually be processed immediately and conclusively due to legally required checks. Please therefore contact the responsible officer before visiting the office in person. In most cases, matters relating to firearms law can also be clarified by telephone, e-mail or in writing. This also helps to shorten processing times.

The processing of applications under the Weapons Act is subject to a fee. Applications are processed after a background check has been carried out. We ask for your understanding that there may be delays in processing applications due to the processing of other matters that need to be prioritized.

Please note that only completely filled out applications can be processed.

When acquiring or transferring firearms, complete information on the acquiring / transferring person and the weapon data must be provided - ideally, the respective NWR identification numbers (NWR IDs) of the persons and weapons should also be provided. Furthermore, the date of actual possession / surrender of the weapon must be provided.

If all documents are not complete and submitted on time, the initiation of administrative offense proceedings may be considered. Administrative offenses under the Weapons Act can be punished with a fine of up to 10,000 euros.

The mere submission of invoices / delivery bills or purchase contracts for the acquisition or sale of firearms does not generally meet the requirements for a complete application. The mere submission of a gun ownership card does not constitute a complete application either.

Notes for hunting license holders:

Hunting licenses must be renewed independently by the hunting license holder at the Lower Hunting Authority of the Kleve district and submitted to the weapons authority without being asked, e.g. by sending a copy. If a valid hunting license is not presented to the firearms authority, this may lead to the revocation of the firearms permit due to the unproven need.

Applications from hunting license holders can only be processed if proof of a valid hunting license is available. If your hunting license has lost its validity but has already been extended by the Lower Hunting Authority of the Kleve district, please submit a copy of the hunting license together with your application. Otherwise, the application cannot be processed until the weapons authority has received information about the extension of the hunting license.

If you have any questions about hunting matters, please contact the Lower Hunting Authority of the Kleve District. The weapons authority cannot provide any information on this.

Request for NWR identification numbers (NWR IDs):

Pursuant to Section 37 WaffG, holders of a weapons manufacturing or trading license are obliged to electronically report in particular the acquisition, transfer or conversion of finished firearms requiring a permit. If you buy, sell or repair a weapon, you therefore require so-called NWR identification numbers (NWR IDs).

You can request your NWR IDs informally at the e-mail address waffenwesen.kleve [at] polizei.nrw.de (waffenwesen[dot]kleve[at]polizei[dot]nrw[dot]de). Please provide your full first and last name, your date of birth and your current address.

Further information on NWR IDs can be found on the website of the Federal Office of Administration.

Check of weapons storage

Anybody who owns weapons or ammunition must take the necessary precautions to prevent these items from being lost or taken by third parties without authorization (Section 36 (1) of the Weapons Act).

The Kleve district police authority regularly checks the safe storage of weapons and ammunition by permit holders. The inspections are always unannounced and independent of suspicion.

As a permit holder, you are obliged under Section 36 (3) sentence 2 of the Weapons Act to allow the weapons authority access to the rooms in which weapons and ammunition subject to authorization are stored in order to check their safe storage. If you repeatedly fail to comply with this obligation without justification, this may result in unreliability and thus revocation of your weapons license.

The weapons authority points out that even a single violation of the storage regulations can lead to a determination of unreliability under weapons law.

Non-compliance with the storage regulations also constitutes an administrative offense, which is punishable by a fine of up to 10,000 euros. If there is a risk of loss or unauthorized access to firearms and ammunition by third parties, this is a criminal offence punishable by a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.

Found firearms and ammunition?

If you have found firearms and ammunition, for example when clearing out your home, moving house or as a result of an inheritance, please inform the weapons authority immediately - i.e. as soon as possible - using the contact details provided on the right. Outside office hours and at weekends, please contact the nearest police station immediately.

If you report the discovery of firearms and ammunition to the police without delay, you will not be prosecuted.

When it comes to handling found firearms, your safety and the safety of others has top priority!

Please observe the following instructions:

• For safety reasons, always assume that the weapon you have in front of you is loaded and ready to fire and that a shot could be fired unintentionally.
• If you do not have the necessary knowledge to check the loading status of the weapon with absolute certainty, leave the weapon untouched if possible. If you know someone who has the necessary firearms expertise (e.g. a hunter or a sports shooter), ask them for assistance as soon as possible.
• Secure the site of the find and prevent third parties, especially children, from entering it.

If you find explosive ordnance, please contact the responsible public order office or the nearest police station.

Small firearms license:

Online application for a small firearms license

PDF application for a small firearms license

Please note, that the small firearms license only entitles you to carry alarm, irritant and signal weapons with PTB approval marks. The acquisition and possession of these weapons does not require a permit.

Further information on the small firearms license can be found here.