How long is a European Firearms Pass valid?

For a maximum of five years under the EU firearms directive, and the validity may be extended. In practice the pass is linked to your Dutch permit, so if the permit lapses or a firearm is sold, the pass must be updated. Keep the firearms listed on it current before every trip.

Do I need an invitation letter to travel with my rifle?

Usually, yes. The directive allows travel with listed firearms when you can substantiate the reason for the journey, in particular with an invitation or other proof of hunting or target shooting in the country of destination. A written invitation from the host or competition organiser, with your name, the dates and the place, is the standard.

Does the European Firearms Pass work in the UK?

Not in Great Britain. Since the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021, the EFP is not recognised there and residents of Great Britain can no longer obtain one. A visitor needs a Visitor's Permit, applied for by a sponsor resident in Great Britain. Northern Ireland follows separate arrangements.

Is the EFP valid in Switzerland and Norway?

The EFP system extends beyond the EU to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, according to the European hunters' federation FACE. Each of those countries applies its own entry formalities on top, particularly at borders with customs controls, so check with the relevant authority before you travel.

Can a chauffeur carry my firearms for me?

No. The European Firearms Pass is personal and must be in the possession of the person using the firearm. The guest remains the lawful holder, keeps the firearms and documents under their own control, and is responsible for compliance. SilverDrive provides the vehicle and the chauffeur, never custody of the firearms.

Can I fly from Schiphol with a hunting rifle?

Yes, with preparation. Airlines accept sporting firearms only as checked baggage, unloaded, declared in advance and with the right licences. KLM, for example, requires a declaration form and import and export licences, and limits sporting ammunition to 5 kg. Book the carriage with the airline well before the flight.

European Firearms Pass: A Practical Guide for Dutch Travellers

Q: Who issues the European Firearms Pass in the Netherlands?

The korpschef, the chief of the national police, through the police teams that handle firearms permits. You can apply only if you already hold a Dutch verlof as a sport shooter or a hunting permit. The forms are on politie.nl, and a first application needs a copy of valid ID and a passport photo.

The European Firearms Pass (EFP) is an official document listing the firearms a person lawfully holds. It lets hunters and sport shooters travel with them between EU countries, provided they can show the reason for the trip, usually an invitation. In the Netherlands the korpschef (police) issues it to holders of a verlof or hunting permit, valid up to five years.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Firearms law differs by country and changes. Before every trip, confirm the rules with the police in the Netherlands and the competent authority in each country on your route.

SilverDrive drives hunters and sport shooters across Europe from Amsterdam. We provide the vehicle and the chauffeur. The guest remains the lawful holder of their firearms, responsible for them and for the paperwork from door to door. Everything below is written from that perspective.

What the European Firearms Pass is, and what it is not

The EFP is a travel document for lawfully held firearms, not a licence in itself. It sits on top of your national permit and has no value without it.

The legal basis is Directive (EU) 2021/555 on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons, which codified the earlier firearms directive and its amendments. Its key points for travellers:

Issued on request by a member state’s competent authority to a person lawfully in possession of a firearm.
Lists the firearms you may take with you.
Valid for a maximum of five years, and may be extended.
Personal. The pass must always be in the possession of the person using the firearm.
No charge for acceptance. Member states may not make acceptance of an EFP conditional on paying a fee.

What it is not:

It is not permission to carry a firearm for self-defence, anywhere.
It does not replace hunting licences in the destination country. Germany, for example, issues foreign hunters an Ausländerjagdschein; Wallonia issues a five-day guest licence.
It does not by itself open every border. Some countries require prior authorisation for certain firearms, noted on the pass.

Who issues the European Firearms Pass in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands the korpschef issues the European Firearms Pass, through the police teams that handle firearms permits. You must already hold a Dutch firearms authorisation.

That means one of two documents:

A verlof tot het voorhanden hebben as a sport shooter, after club membership through the KNSA route.
A hunting permit, since 1 January 2024 the omgevingsvergunning jachtgeweeractiviteit, which replaced the jachtakte when the Omgevingswet came into force (politie.nl).

The application form for the EFP sits among the police’s firearms permit forms. For a first application, expect to provide a copy of valid ID and a good passport photo. Many holders request or update the pass when they renew their permit. The government’s business portal gives an English overview of Dutch weapons permits (business.gov.nl).

Processing takes time. Apply well before the season, not the week before a hunt.

What the EFP covers: categories and countries

Hunters can travel with category C firearms, and target shooters with category B and C firearms, plus category A firearms where a specific authorisation exists. Category C covers most of what hunters use, including typical bolt-action rifles and break-action shotguns.

The directive sets the condition plainly: you may possess the listed firearms during a journey through two or more member states, to engage in your activity, if you hold an EFP listing them and can substantiate the reasons for your journey, in particular with an invitation or other proof of your hunting or target shooting in the country of destination.

Two important limits:

Prior authorisation can still apply. The derogation does not apply where the destination prohibits the firearm in question or makes it subject to authorisation. In that case the pass carries a note to that effect, and you need the destination’s permission before you travel.
The geography is EU plus a few. According to the European hunters’ federation FACE, hunters in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland can use the EFP. Great Britain is no longer part of the system (see below).

Invitation letters: what to bring

Carry a written invitation from your host, hunt organiser or competition, naming you, the dates and the place. It is your proof of purpose, and border or police officers may ask for it.

A sound invitation usually includes:

The host’s or organiser’s name, address and contact details.
Your full name.
The dates and location of the hunt or competition.
For a competition, the event name and the organising club or federation.

Some countries or hosts expect more, such as details of the firearms or a local reference number. Ask the host what the destination authority expects, and keep the original with your pass.

Transport rules: unloaded, cased, ammunition apart

The safe baseline is: firearms unloaded, in a locked case, packed so they cannot be used immediately, with ammunition kept separately. Each country sets its own detailed rules, and you must follow those of every country you drive through.

In the Netherlands, the hunters’ association summarises the principle: firearms and ammunition are packed during transport so they cannot be used immediately, the firearm unloaded, preferably in a case and locked in the boot (jagersvereniging.nl). Transport is also tied to purpose: between home, the hunting ground or range, a dealer, and other places you are authorised to go.

In practice on a chauffeured trip:

The locked case travels in the boot, and the guest keeps the key.
Ammunition travels separately, in its own closed container.
Documents stay on the guest: national permit, EFP, invitation, ID, and any local licence.
Stops are planned. Leaving firearms in an unattended car is something to avoid; we plan fuel and meal stops so the guest can keep their firearms under control.

Crossing borders by car versus flying with rifles

By car, you carry your documents through each country and comply with each country’s rules on the way; by air, you also need the airline’s approval and the airport’s formalities. For trips within reach of Amsterdam, the car is usually simpler.

By car

Within the Schengen area there are usually no fixed border checks, but checks can happen at any time, and the rules of every country on the route apply, including transit countries. A trip from Amsterdam to the Ardennes crosses only Belgium; a trip to Poland crosses Germany. Make sure the pass, the invitation and any prior authorisations cover the whole route. See our driven hunts guide for destinations and drive times.

By air

Airlines carry sporting firearms only in checked baggage, unloaded, declared in advance, with ammunition packed separately. KLM, for example, requires a signed declaration, the licence for the firearm and the import and export licences for the countries of departure, transfer and arrival, notes that a licence from the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration is needed when travelling to, from or via the Netherlands, and limits sporting ammunition to 5 kg (KLM). Other airlines set their own rules. Book the firearm carriage when you book the flight.

A chauffeur fits both models: a Schiphol transfer to check-in with time to spare for the firearms desk, or a long-distance drive to the destination itself.

The United Kingdom after Brexit

Great Britain no longer recognises the European Firearms Pass, so visitors need a Visitor’s Permit arranged by a sponsor resident in Great Britain. This changed at the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021, when residents of Great Britain also lost access to the EFP.

How it works now:

A sponsor applies. An estate, shooting syndicate, club or individual in Great Britain applies to their local police force on the visitor’s behalf.
Allow plenty of time. Organisations that sponsor visitors advise applying many weeks, and preferably months, ahead.
Northern Ireland is separate. Residents of Northern Ireland can still obtain an EFP (GOV.UK), and its arrangements differ from Great Britain’s.

The shooting organisation BASC publishes a guide for visitors coming to shoot in the UK.

Where SilverDrive fits in

We provide the car and the chauffeur; the guest remains the lawful holder of the firearms and carries the paperwork. That division never changes, whatever the destination.

For a hunting party, the seven-seat Mercedes-Benz V-Class takes guests, cases and boots in one vehicle. For one or two guests, an S-Class has room for a case and luggage; tell us the exact load at booking. Cross-border drives to Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and further are routine for us (see our Germany and Belgium guides), and the price is fixed at booking. Sport shooters heading to a range or competition will find the Dutch side of the system in our shooting range Amsterdam guide.

We do not offer firearms courier services, and our high-value goods transport does not extend to weapons. If the guest is not travelling, the firearms are not travelling with us.

Checklist before you travel with firearms in Europe

Run through this list a few weeks before departure and again the night before.

Dutch verlof or hunting permit valid for the whole trip.
European Firearms Pass valid, with every firearm you are taking listed on it.
Prior authorisation from the destination, if the pass notes that one is required.
Written invitation from the host or organiser, original copy.
Local hunting licence where needed (for example a German Ausländerjagdschein or a Walloon guest licence).
UK trips: Visitor’s Permit arranged through a sponsor in Great Britain.
Transport rules checked for every country on the route, including transit countries.
Firearms unloaded, in a locked case; ammunition separate.
Insurance documents, including hunting liability insurance where required.
Flights: airline approval, declaration form, customs formalities, ammunition within limits.
Passport or ID card.

Plan the drive

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and the rules can change: confirm the details with the Dutch police and with the authorities at your destination. Once your European Firearms Pass and invitations are in order, send us the dates, the destination and the luggage, and we will fix the price at booking. Own fleet, screened chauffeurs, 24/7, rated 4.7 out of 5. Book your car or contact us.