Sprengstoff nicht gewerbsmäßigen Umgang erlauben

Do you want to handle explosive substances such as black powder, nitrocellulose powder or fireworks as a private individual? Then you must comply with the Explosives Act 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. This also applies if you wish to purchase or transport explosive substances for non-commercial purposes.

Activities in connection with explosive substances have a high risk potential. The aim of the Explosives Act is to protect people and property from these dangers. For this reason, the permit may be restricted in terms of content and location and may be subject to conditions insofar as this is necessary to prevent hazards, disadvantages or nuisances for third parties.

In order to prevent accidents and misuse, the law on explosives places high demands on the suitability, reliability and expertise 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 according to § 27 SprengG (colloquially also called 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 required for fireworks of category F3)
• Proof of the reason for handling explosive substances, such as membership of a shooting club, hunting license (not applicable for permission 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
• Certificate of harmlessness
• For "reloading" expertise: copy of the firearms ownership card (WBK)

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 concerning certain facts that are relevant to the assessment of your reliability (for example, extract from the criminal record).

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 have reached the age of 21 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.
• You 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, for example in your mental or physical health or due to drug or alcohol addiction.

You must be able to provide evidence of important reasons for contact. 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 granting of a permit is subject to a fee. The fees are determined in accordance with the applicable schedule of fees or costs.

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 (including registration in the portal if required) or submitting an application as a guest,
• Fill out the forms,
• Add the required (scanned, if necessary) 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 if you have any questions or corrections,
• If necessary, the authority will arrange an appointment with you for an interview to determine the necessary personal details,

Notification of the decision and request for payment.

The application must be submitted 8 to 10 weeks before the intended commencement of an activity covered by the Explosives Act.

The clearance certificate must not be older than one year.

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

• Permit for the non-commercial purchase and handling of explosive substances Issuance
• A permit must be applied for for the non-commercial handling of explosive substances.
• The required documents must be submitted.
• Online procedure possible.
• Certain deadlines must be observed.
• Fees apply.
• Responsible: the relevant regional inspectorate of the Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection (TLV).

Contact your local regional inspection office of the Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection (TLV).

• Online procedure possible: yes
• Written form required: no
• Personal appearance required: Depending on the respective competent authority