Apply for permission to acquire and possess weapons and ammunition (weapons possession card)
Source: BUS Rheinland-PfalzThe small firearms license entitles you to carry alarm, irritant or signal weapons with a mark of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB mark). It is not permitted to carry these weapons at public amusements, public festivals, sporting events, trade fairs, exhibitions, markets or similar public events such as demonstrations, public processions, etc.
With a small firearms license and a valid identity card or passport, you can generally carry these weapons outside your own home, business premises, pacified property (e.g. a fenced or hedged property) or a shooting range.
The small firearms license is valid indefinitely and without explicit restrictions to certain occasions or areas. Non-compliance constitutes a criminal offense and is punishable by a fine or imprisonment. Holders of a valid hunting license do not require a small firearms license to carry alarm, irritant and signal weapons within the hunting grounds. They may fire these weapons within the scope of authorized hunting activities (e.g. hunting dog training, game damage prevention, hunting protection). In this respect, the hunting license is already a permit.
Alarm, irritant and signal weapons bearing PTB approval marks may be carried without special proof of expertise, need and liability insurance. If such weapons are carried without a small firearms license, this is an offence under § 52 Para. 3 No. 2a WaffG, which is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 3 years. It is already an administrative offense if you do not have the small firearms certificate issued to your person with you when carrying one of the weapons listed above (§ 53 Para. 1 No. 20 WaffG). There are no exemptions for holders of gun ownership cards, gun licenses or hunting licenses. The small firearms license is generally issued for alarm, irritant and signal weapons. Individual models, caliber designations and manufacturer numbers are not entered. It is issued for an unlimited period of time and does not contain any explicit restriction to certain occasions or areas, whereby the basic ban on carrying weapons at public events in accordance with § 42 WaffG remains unaffected.