Overview
The Jagdschein is the hunting licence in Germany. To get it, you first pass the state hunter examination (Jägerprüfung), then apply to the lower hunting authority where you live. The German Hunting Association (DJV) describes the exam as having three parts: a shooting test, a written exam and an oral exam. Exact procedures are set by each federal state, so the details below use Bavaria as a worked example and may differ elsewhere.
Who can apply
The DJV lists a clean police record (Führungszeugnis) and mental and physical fitness as basic requirements.
The DJV gives a minimum age of 15. In Bavaria, candidates must be at least 15 years old, and a minor needs parental consent.
Training is done through a state hunting association or a hunting school, often as evening courses, weekend seminars or intensive programmes.
Exam pattern
The Bavarian exam has three parts, and you must pass each before moving to the next.
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
| Written | Multiple choice, 100 questions in 100 minutes. You fail if more than 25 questions are wrong or unanswered |
| Oral | 10 to 15 minutes per subject area, rated from satisfactory to unsatisfactory. You fail with an "ungenügend" in any subject or "mangelhaft" in two or more |
| Practical | Weapon handling and rifle shooting. At least 3 hits in four shots at 100 metres on the DJV target, with one reshoot allowed. Unsafe handling fails |
Restricted exam for falconers. Bavaria offers a restricted version that leaves out weapon handling and the practical part, and the written test is 80 minutes.
Syllabus
Bavaria groups the subjects into six areas.
Hunting weapons, ammunition, ballistics and safety rules
Wildlife biology and anatomy
Law: hunting, animal protection and nature conservation
Game management and field practice
Hunting dogs: training and welfare
Nature conservation, agriculture, forestry and damage prevention
Important dates
In Bavaria the exam runs four times a year at 13 locations, and a location runs only if at least 24 people register. Register at least four weeks before the written exam.
How to apply
Complete training with a hunting school or association.
Register with the examination authority of your state. In Bavaria you submit the original registration form, a training certificate, two shooting performance certificates (shotgun and rifle), proof of fee payment, parental consent if under 18, and a declaration about trap shooting.
Sit the three exam parts.
After the exam
After passing, take the exam certificate to your lower hunting authority to apply for the Jagdschein. New hunters count as junior hunters (Jungjäger) for three years, whatever their age. If you miss an exam date through no fault of your own, Bavaria lets you sit it at the next date without a new fee. A missed date for personal reasons counts as failed.
Note
Age limits, exam format and fees differ by federal state. Check the exam authority of the state where you will take the exam.
Is the exam the same in every German state?
No. The three parts are common, but question counts, timing and shooting standards are set by each state.
Do I have to take a course?
The Bavarian registration requires a training certificate, so in practice yes. Courses are run by hunting associations and hunting schools.