Dutch Legislation

Weapons and Ammunition Act (WWM)

in force

Weapon categories, licences, prohibitions

Criminal law · Wet wapens en munitie · BWBR0008804 · Articles: 74

1 Article 1

For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions shall apply:

1a Article 1a

An amendment to the Directive shall apply for the purposes of this Act as of the day on which the relevant amendment must have been implemented.

2 Article 2

Weapons within the meaning of this Act are the objects listed below or designated in accordance with this subsection, subdivided into the following…

3 Article 3

The provisions regarding weapons shall apply mutatis mutandis to accessories specifically intended for such weapons, to the essential components of…

3a Article 3a

Articles 9, paragraph 1, 13, paragraph 1, 14, paragraph 1, 20a, paragraph 2, 22, paragraph 1, 26, paragraph 1, 27, paragraph 1, 32a, paragraph 1, and…

4 Article 4

Without prejudice to Articles 4 and 9 of Regulation (EU) No 258/2012, Our Minister may grant an exemption from, or, upon a request to that effect, a…

5 Article 5

Our Minister may, by ministerial regulation, provide further definitions of the weapons referred to in Article 2, paragraph 1, and the weapons…

6 Article 6

The recognitions, consents, permits, leaves, exemptions and dispensations referred to in this Act may be granted subject to restrictions…

6a Article 6a

Exemptions pursuant to Article 4, recognitions pursuant to Article 9, and permissions pursuant to Articles 28, 29, and 32 shall, without prejudice to…

6b Article 6b

By Order in Council, exemptions pursuant to Article 4 and leaves pursuant to Articles 28, 29 and 32 may be designated which, without prejudice to the…

7 Article 7

The recognitions, consents, permits, leaves and exemptions referred to in this Act shall, without prejudice to the specific grounds for refusal…

7a Article 7a

Upon the request of the chief of police, information regarding applicants for an exemption, recognition, or permit as referred to in Article 6a…

7b Article 7b

Articles 8 up to and including 12, 16, and 17a up to and including 20 of the Police Data Act (Wet politiegegevens) shall not apply to data processed…

8 Article 8

Any person who is in possession of a weapon or ammunition without being entitled to do so is obliged to immediately surrender these into the custody…

9 Article 9

It is prohibited to manufacture, transform, or, in the exercise of a business, exchange, lease, or otherwise make available, repair, test, or trade…

9a Article 9a

The holder of an authorisation or the manager shall report suspicious transactions regarding the acquisition of ammunition, as referred to in Article…

10 Article 10

Recognition shall be refused if:

11 Article 11 repealed
12 Article 12

An acknowledgment may be revoked:

13 Article 13

It is prohibited to manufacture, transform, repair for third parties, transfer, possess, carry, transport, import, or export a category I weapon.

14 Article 14

It is prohibited to import or export weapons or ammunition of categories II and III without consent, as well as to alter the destination of such…

15 Article 15

Our Minister may, after consultation with Our Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, determine that permits issued pursuant to the…

16 Article 16

Insofar as the provisions pursuant to Article 15 are not applicable, Our Minister of Defence shall grant consent for entry on behalf of the armed…

17 Article 17 repealed
18 Article 18 repealed
19 Article 19 repealed
20 Article 20

Consent for entry shall be refused if the applicant is not entitled to possess the weapons or ammunition in the Netherlands, unless these are…

20a Article 20a

Articles 14 up to and including 16 and 20 shall not apply to the dispatch of firearms, their parts, essential components and ammunition, as included…

20b Article 20b

Our Minister may, after consultation with Our Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, determine that licences issued pursuant to the…

21 Article 21 repealed
22 Article 22

It is prohibited to transport a weapon or ammunition of categories II and III without a transport permit, as referred to in Article 9, paragraph 4…

23 Article 23 repealed
24 Article 24

A permit for transport shall be granted, exclusively for weapons and ammunition of category III, by the chief of police if:

25 Article 25 repealed
26 Article 26

It is prohibited to possess a weapon or ammunition of categories II and III.

27 Article 27

It is prohibited to carry a weapon of categories II, III and IV.

28 Article 28

A permit to possess a weapon and ammunition shall be granted by the chief of police, exclusively for weapons and ammunition belonging to category III.

28a Article 28a

Upon request, a European firearms pass shall be issued to persons who are entitled to possess a firearm.

29 Article 29

If a reasonable interest so requires, the authority that grants or has granted a permit to possess a category III weapon may determine that this…

30 Article 30 repealed
31 Article 31

It is prohibited to transfer a weapon or ammunition of categories II and III.

32 Article 32

Authorization for the acquisition of category II or III weapons shall be granted by the chief of police to:

32a Article 32a

A firearm as referred to in Article 1, paragraph 1, point 1, in conjunction with Annex I of the Directive, and its essential components, which have…

32b Article 32b

In the case of ammunition for a firearm as referred to in Article 1, paragraph 1, point 1, in conjunction with Annex I of the Directive, the smallest…

33 Article 33

Without prejudice to Article 10, paragraph 1, preamble and under b, Our Minister may, for the purpose of security, establish requirements with which…

34 Article 34

An administrative appeal to Our Minister is open against decisions taken by the chief of police and the division of the Tax and Customs…

35 Article 35

The recognitions, permits, leaves, and exemptions granted pursuant to this Act for firearms as referred to in Article 1, paragraph 1, point 1, in…

36 Article 36

In order to comply with the obligation referred to in Article 4(4) of the Directive, the data entered and maintained pursuant to Article 35(2) shall…

37 Article 37

In compliance with the obligation referred to in Article 13, paragraph 4, of the Directive, the chief of police shall provide, by electronic means…

38 Article 38

Our Minister may establish rules regarding the administration to be maintained by the chief of police in the implementation of this Act.

39 Article 39

Without prejudice to Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 258/2012, Our Minister may establish templates for the proof of recognition, the consents…

40 Article 40

Our Minister may lay down rules regarding the combination of various consents, permits and authorizations required under this Act, as well as other…

41 Article 41

Our Minister shall lay down rules regarding the amount due upon an application pursuant to this Act for a recognition, an exemption, a consent, a…

42 Article 42

Our Minister shall lay down rules regarding a register to be kept by the acknowledged person in which all weapons and ammunition acquired or…

43 Article 43

The chief of police is the competent authority for the control referred to in Article 10 ter, paragraph 1, of the Directive.

44 Article 44

For the purpose of the performance of duties pursuant to this Act, the chief of police may process personal data from which racial or ethnic origin…

45 Article 45

Supervision of compliance with the provisions laid down by or pursuant to this Act shall be entrusted to:

46 Article 46 repealed
47 Article 47 repealed
48 Article 48 repealed
49 Article 49

Investigative officers may at all times conduct a search for the purpose of seizure in places where they can reasonably suspect that weapons or…

50 Article 50

Investigative officers are authorised to demand that the packaging of goods, including luggage, be opened, if there is reasonable cause to do so on…

51 Article 51

Investigative officers are authorised to examine means of transport if there is reasonable cause to do so on the basis of:

52 Article 52

Investigative officers are at all times authorised to seize objects liable to seizure. For this purpose, they may demand the surrender thereof.

53 Article 53

In the event of suspicion of a criminal offence for which a fine of the fourth category may be imposed, objects may be seized for the purpose of…

54 Article 54

Any person who acts in contravention of a regulation established pursuant to Articles 6, 8, paragraph 2 or 3, 33 or 42, or in contravention of…

55 Article 55

Any person who acts in contravention of Articles 9, paragraph 1, 13, paragraph 1, 20a, paragraph 2, insofar as it concerns a silencer, 22, paragraph…

55a Article 55a

Upon conviction for one of the offences described in Article 55, paragraph 5, disqualification from the right mentioned in Article 28, paragraph 1…

56 Article 56

The offences punishable under Article 54 are petty offences (overtredingen). The offences punishable under Article 55 are indictable offences…

56a Article 56a

Upon the claim of the Public Prosecution Service, the court may determine that a person who has been convicted of an offence punishable under…

57 Article 57

Following the entry into force of this Act, the rules and other decisions established pursuant to the Arms and Ammunition Act (Bulletin of Acts and…

58 Article 58

The Weapons and Ammunition Act (Bulletin of Acts and Decrees 1995, 580) is repealed.

59 Article 59

This Act shall enter into force with effect from the day following the date of issue of the Bulletin of Acts and Decrees in which it is published.

60 Article 60

This Act shall be cited as: Weapons and Ammunition Act.