Erlaubnis zum nichtgewerbsmäßigen Erwerb und Umgang mit explosionsgefährlichen Stoffen Erteilung

If you are a private individual and wish to handle explosive substances such as black powder, nitrocellulose powder or fireworks, you must comply with the Explosives Act (SprengG) and require an official permit from the competent authority!

Anyone wishing to handle explosive substances in the non-commercial, i.e. private, sector requires a permit in accordance with the Explosives Act.

Activities in connection with explosive substances have a great potential for danger. The aim of the Explosives Act is to protect people and property from these dangers.

In order to prevent accidents and misuse, the Explosives Act places high demands on the suitability, reliability and specialist knowledge of persons who wish to handle explosive substances.

If you, as a private individual, wish to handle the following explosive substances,

• Black powder for muzzle loading,
• firecracker powder for firing firecrackers,
• Nitrocellulose powder for reloading cartridge cases,
• rocket motors in model rocket construction of category P2 and
• fireworks of category F3 and F4,
• Fireworks in accordance with Section 20 (4) of the First Ordinance to the Explosives Act, category F2

then you need a permit in accordance with § 27 SprengG (also known colloquially as a powder license, firecracker license or fireworks license)!

The official permit ensures that only persons who meet the requirements for safe handling are granted access to explosive substances.

• Completed application form for the issue of a permit in accordance with Section 27 of the Explosives Act
• Valid identity card or passport
• Proof of specialist knowledge (proof of successful completion of a specialist knowledge course for the planned activity (not applicable for fireworks of category F3)
• Proof of the need to handle explosive substances (not applicable for permits to handle pyrotechnic articles)
• Proof of liability insurance when handling category F3 and F4 fireworks
• Description of the intended storage (e.g. technical documentation, photo evidence)
• If applicable, firearms license, hunting license, permits already issued
• For checking the reliability of persons from abroad:
• You will need a certificate in the form of a certified translation from the competent judicial or administrative authority in your home country or country of origin regarding certain facts that are relevant to the assessment of your reliability (e.g. criminal record extract).

In order to obtain a permit to handle explosive substances, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must have reached the age of 21 to handle black powder, nitrocellulose powder and other propellant powder. Exceptions are possible in individual cases for sport shooters.
• You must be 21 years of age or older to handle fireworks of category F4 and pyrotechnic articles of category P2 (e.g. rocket motors).
• You must be 18 years of age or older to handle category F2 or F3 fireworks.
• They must have specialist knowledge. Proof of specialist knowledge is provided by a certificate attesting to successful participation in a state or state-recognized training course (not applicable for pyrotechnics category F3).
• You must be reliable. The required reliability is normally given if you have previously behaved in accordance with the law and have no criminal record.
• You must be personally suitable. You are personally suitable if you have no restrictions, e.g. in your mental or physical health or due to drug or alcohol addiction.

You must be able to demonstrate a need. The proof is specific to the target group; hunters, for example, must submit their hunting license, sport and firearms shooters a certificate of membership and participation in shooting and traditional shooting associations. (Not applicable if you have permission to handle fireworks or other pyrotechnic objects such as rocket motors).

You must have suitable storage facilities.

The amount of the fee is determined by the competent authority. As a rule, the fee is calculated on the basis of costs and benefits on the basis of a cost framework. Usual cost ranges are e.g:

• Issuing a permit,
• Extension of a permit,
• amendment of a permit.

Before you are allowed to handle explosive substances as a non-commercial user, you must have been issued a permit in accordance with the Explosives Act.

• Applications can be submitted via an online procedure or a written procedure (apart from the electronic processing and the possibility of identifying yourself beforehand, the two procedures are identical),
• In the online procedure, you can choose between electronic authentication (and registration in the portal if required) or submitting an application as a guest,
• Fill out the forms,
• Add the required (possibly scanned) documents and evidence,
• Check the application documents again,
• Send the application electronically or print it out and submit it to the authority,
• The authority will contact you if you wish to consult with them or make any queries or corrections,
• If necessary, the authority will arrange an appointment for an interview with you to determine the necessary personal requirements,

Notification of the decision and request for payment.

Deadlines for subsequent submissions/re-registrations are set by the competent authority.

If you already have a permit, you must submit the application for renewal in good time before the time limit expires.

If an application requires the verification of personal suitability and reliability for admission to a specialist training course, the competent authority may waive a new verification if the certificate for participation in the specialist training course was issued no more than one year ago.

• Permit for the non-commercial acquisition and handling of explosive substances Issue
• Non-commercial handling of explosive substances
• Handling propellant powder
• Handling of black powder for reloaders, muzzle loaders, gunners, generally sport shooters and hunters
• Handling nitrocellulose powder
• Handling propellants similar to black powder
• Handling Pyrodex
• Handling triple seven
• Handling pyrotechnics of cat. F 3 or F 4 for fireworks
• Handling includes the acquisition, storage, use, destruction and transfer of explosive substances
• Permit required
• Explosives license
• Powder license
• Firecracker license
• Fireworks license

The authority responsible for the applicant's place of residence for the enforcement of § 27 of the Explosives Act.

The authority responsible for the applicant's place of residence for the enforcement of § 27 of the Explosives Act.

• Form name: Varies depending on the responsible authority
• Link to the aforementioned form, if applicable:
• Online procedure possible: yes
• Written form required: no
• Personal appearance required: Depends on the respective competent authority