Purchase Eligibility

When selling firearms and ammunition, the seller is responsible for verifying that the buyer is eligible to purchase. Depending on the firearm, different purchase authorizations are required.

Unrestricted firearms may be sold freely to anyone aged 18 or over. Buyers must therefore provide proof of age.

To purchase a firearm requiring a permit, a valid purchase authorization (Waffenbesitzkarte / Jagdschein / Munitionserwerbsschein) must be presented in the original.

You can find out which purchase authorizations entitle the holder to buy in the linked article.

The seller has an obligation to verify the purchase authorization of buyers.

Which documents entitle someone to purchase firearms is also covered in the article on the various purchase authorizations.

There are two ways to carry out the verification:

One option is to check the original purchase authorization document. The buyer can either present it in person when collecting the firearm, or send the original by post — though we would advise against the latter.

You can also ask the buyer to send you a scan of their purchase authorization.

In that case, however, you need to make sure the document is valid. This is why you should contact the authority that issued the document by phone to confirm its validity. The buyer should grant the authority permission in advance to confirm the information. Ask the buyer to contact their Waffenbehörde.

No! To confirm their identity, users must verify themselves online, which establishes and authenticates their identity. This process serves to keep Gunfinder secure by preventing the use of fake profiles.

Whether users hold a valid purchase authorization is not checked during the identity verification process.