Apply for a clearance certificate in accordance with the 1st Explosives Ordinance
If you wish to handle explosive substances requiring a licence in the commercial or non-commercial sector, you require a permit in accordance with the Explosives Act. In order to obtain such a licence, you generally have to attend a training course in advance to acquire the specialist knowledge required to handle and purchase explosive substances. You will need a clearance certificate for admission to this specialised training course.
Forms/Online Services
Responsible authority
The district police authority responsible for your place of residence
- in urban districts, large district towns and in individual cases the administrative communities: the municipal administration
- otherwise the district administration
If you require the clearance certificate for subsequent handling as the holder of an explosives licence or a certificate of competence as part of an activity subject to mining supervision:
- State Office for Geology, Raw Materials and Mining in the Freiburg Regional Council
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
In order to obtain a clearance certificate, you must fulfil the following requirements:
- You must have reached the age of 21.
- You must be reliable. The required reliability is normally given if you have previously behaved in accordance with the law and have no criminal record. As part of the verification of reliability, information is obtained from other authorities, such as the police, the public prosecutor's office and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
- You must be personally suitable. You are personally suitable if you have no restrictions, for example in your mental or physical health or due to drug or alcohol addiction.
Procedure
After you have applied for a clearance certificate in accordance with the 1st Explosives Ordinance, the competent authority will check your application and request additional documents if necessary. Depending on the services offered by the competent authority, you may be provided with a form or an online process. You may also have to visit the competent authority in person.
Deadlines
The application should be submitted to the competent authority four to six weeks before the course.
Required documents
The following information is required to apply for a clearance certificate in accordance with Section 34 (1) and (2) of the 1st Explosives Ordinance:
- Details of the applicant
- Details of the course you wish to attend
Costs
The fees for activities above ground are based on the applicable fee schedule of the district police authority responsible for issuing the permit.
The fee for underground activities for applications to the Freiburg Regional Council is based on Section 7.2.5 of the Schedule of Fees of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment for issuing a clearance certificate (EUR 70.00) plus Section 7.1.4 of the Schedule of Fees of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment for obtaining enquiries as part of the background check (EUR 70.00 to EUR 400.00).
Miscellaneous
If you apply for a licence or a certificate of competence within one year of the issue of the clearance certificate, the re-examination of reliability and personal suitability is not required unless new facts justify the assumption that you no longer possess the required reliability and personal suitability.
The examination of reliability and personal aptitude may be waived if you, as the holder of a licence of competence, apply for admission to a special or refresher course.
Legal basis
Erste Verordnung zum Sprengstoffgesetz (1. SprengV):
- § 34 Absatz 1 und 2
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 21.03.2025