Erbwaffe

Firearms are often inherited — and heirs are suddenly faced with the question of what to do with them. Here's a quick overview of the most important information about inherited firearms.

What applies when you inherit a firearm?

As an heir, you are generally entitled to take possession of firearms and accessories from the estate. However, this comes with a significant amount of administrative effort.

First, you are required to notify the Waffenbehörde responsible for you about the inheritance. Simply forgetting to file this notification can result in a fine of up to €10,000.

You will then need to determine whether the deceased was legally authorized to own the firearms — for example, via a Waffenschein, Waffenbesitzkarte, or Jagdschein (this does not apply for freely available firearms). If that is the case, you may keep the firearms, but you must apply for the relevant documents yourself. You generally have only one month from the acceptance of the inheritance to do so. If you miss the deadline but keep the firearms anyway, you again risk a fine of the aforementioned amount — and the authorities could call your reliability into question, which is itself a prerequisite for the WBK.

Can I get a Waffenbesitzkarte as an heir?

Generally yes — as long as you are not subject to a firearms prohibition. If you already have a Waffenbesitzkarte, the firearms simply need to be registered in your name.

You do not need to demonstrate a Bedürfnis in an inheritance case. However, if you cannot provide proof of Sachkunde, you must have the firearms rendered inoperable. If you are a member of a shooting club, a collector, or a Jagdschein holder, both Bedürfnis and Sachkunde are considered fulfilled — in which case you may keep the functional Erbwaffe.

Which firearms require a Waffenbesitzkarte?

A Waffenbesitzkarte is required for, among others:

• semi-automatic short and long firearms
• single-shot and bolt-action firearms (both short and long)
• shotguns
• air guns with more than 7.5 joules

There are three types of Waffenbesitzkarte:

• Green WBK: the standard card for generally permit-required firearms. After a Voreintrag, you should acquire the firearm within one year, otherwise the entry expires. Hunters receive the green variant.
• Yellow WBK: for sport shooters, restricted to certain firearms such as single-shot rifles, multi-shot bolt-action long firearms, single-shot single-barrel handguns, and percussion firearms along with their associated ammunition. For other permit-required firearms (e.g. semi-automatic pistols), a green WBK with Voreintrag is required.
• Red WBK: for experts and firearms collectors, covering firearms within a specific collecting area.

Important: A WBK authorizes the acquisition and possession of firearms, not the carrying of them in public — for that, a Waffenschein is required.

Do I have to render inherited firearms inoperable?

No, provided you yourself have authorization to possess functional firearms. If you choose to do so anyway, you must prove the inoperability to your authority and should expect associated costs. Permit-required ammunition must either be handed over to an authorized person or have its hazard potential reduced.

Can I sell inherited firearms?

As an heir, you are the lawful owner of the inherited firearms — whether functional or rendered inoperable. You may sell individual firearms or entire collections. A thorough inspection and cleaning will increase the value, and collectors often opt to purchase an entire lot at once.

Whether you sell privately or leave the sale to a dealer makes no legal difference — as long as the rules on the transfer of firearms are followed. If you want to avoid the hassle, selling through a dealer via firearm purchase is the simplest solution. Caution is advised when exporting abroad: many domestic and foreign regulations come into play, so handling the process through a dealer is recommended.

How are inherited firearms shipped?

Shipping firearms is possible, but may only be carried out by authorized transport companies that verify the recipient's authorization upon handover. Ammunition must always be shipped separately from the firearm. As a private individual, you often cannot engage such specialist carriers yourself — in that case, a personal handover or going through a dealer are your options. Find out more in our guide to shipping firearms.