Apply for a hunting licence in Nordrhein-Westfalen

Competent authority

Untere Jagdbehörde (district or city authority)

The competent Untere Jagdbehörde depends on your main place of residence. You can find the address, telephone number, email address and opening times on the website of the relevant district or independent city. To search for the authority: state your place of residence and select the matter you require.

Step by step to your hunting licence

1. Find a hunting school and register: In NRW, registration for the hunter’s examination is only possible via a hunting school registered with and recognised by the LJV. Find a suitable hunting school in your region and register there.
2. Complete hunting training: Complete the full hunting training at the hunting school, which covers all examination subject areas (wildlife biology, hunting operations, weapons, law, game meat hygiene) as well as practical exercises.
3. Register for the exam via the hunting school: The hunting school will register you for the hunter’s examination with the competent Untere Jagdbehörde no later than two months before the exam date. Submit all required documents (certificate of good conduct, proof of practice shooting, where applicable a declaration of consent for minors) by the deadline.
4. Take the hunter’s examination: Take the three-part hunter’s examination: written part (in the last full week of April), shooting test and oral-practical part. If you fail one part, a resit is possible at the earliest after three months.
5. Submit an application for a hunting licence: After passing the exam, apply to the Untere Jagdbehörde at your main place of residence for the hunting licence to be issued. Submit all required documents (application, hunter’s examination certificate, identity card, certificate of good conduct, proof of insurance, passport photos).
6. Collect the hunting licence in person: After a positive reliability check (guide value: 2–3 W weeks), collect the hunting licence in person from the Untere Jagdbehörde and pay the administrative fee.

Required documents

First application

• Identity card or passport (as a copy or photo)
• Application for a hunting licence (completed and signed)
• Hunter’s examination certificate
• Proof of a completed hunting liability insurance policy (insurance policy)
• Police certificate of good conduct
• 2 passport photos (with name and date of birth on the back; to be submitted by post)
• Certificate of enrolment (only if studying forestry)
• Employer’s certificate (only if working in forestry service)

If moving from another federal state

• Identity card or passport (as a copy or photo)
• Application for a hunting licence (completed and signed)
• Hunter’s examination certificate
• Proof of a completed hunting liability insurance policy (insurance policy)
• Police certificate of good conduct
• Previous hunting licence (if available)
• 2 passport photos (with name and date of birth on the back)

Ways to apply

First application

• Online: available
• In person (required): Personal attendance is generally required pursuant to a decree of the NRW Ministry of the Environment of 2002. The actual hunting licence is only issued after personal attendance.
• Post: Applications can often initially be submitted by post or email (e.g. Kreis Euskirchen, Kreis Gütersloh, Kreis Borken) to initiate the reliability check; final issuance takes place after personal attendance.

Renewal

• Online: available
• In person (required): Personal attendance is generally required; many local authorities combine this with an online preliminary check and appointment booking.
• Post: Applications can often initially be submitted by post or email (e.g. Rheinbach, Kreis Euskirchen, Kreis Gütersloh, Kreis Borken); the final renewal takes place after an in-person appointment.

In the event of loss

• In person (required): The responsible body is the Untere Jagdbehörde at your place of residence. Specific NRW information sheets generally refer to attending in person at the Untere Jagdbehörde.

When moving in

• Online: available
• In person (required): After moving to a new Kreis, a new application must be submitted to the Untere Jagdbehörde at the new place of residence; appearing in person is required.
• Post: The application can often initially be submitted by post or email; the final granting takes place after an in-person appointment.

Processing time

Varies depending on the authority

Frequently asked questions

What special rule applies when registering for the Jägerprüfung in Nordrhein-Westfalen?

In NRW, only candidates who are registered by hunting schools that are registered and recognised by the Landesjagdverband (LJV) are admitted to the Jägerprüfung. Direct registration by the candidate is not possible. The written part of the examination takes place uniformly across the state on the same day in the last full week of April.

How long does processing of a Jagdschein in NRW take, and when should I submit the renewal application?

Several Untere Jagdbehörden give 2–3 W weeks as a guideline for first-time applications. Since the Gesetzes zur Verbesserung der inneren Sicherheit und des Asylsystems came into force on 31.10.2024, processing times can be significantly longer due to the reliability check that now must be carried out via the weapons authorities of the Kreispolizeibehörden. For Jagdscheine expiring on 31.03., several authorities recommend submitting the renewal application as early as December of the previous year.

Is the Jägerprüfung valid nationwide?

Yes. A Jägerprüfung passed in one Bundesland is recognised in all other Bundesländer.