Becoming a hunter in France costs about €90. In Finland, around €50. In Belgium, roughly €200. In the Netherlands, you're looking at well over €1,400 and that's before you factor in the cost of failing.
These countries don't just share a continent. Several of them mutually recognise each other's hunting licences. Pass your exam in Belgium, and you can apply for a Dutch hunting permit. Pass in Germany, same thing. The qualification is considered equivalent. The price is not.
That contrast prompted Hunters Club to map out the full picture: what does it cost to become a licensed hunter in 15 European countries, what does each exam actually require, and which licences are valid beyond their borders?
How We Researched This
For each country, we looked at three things: the total mandatory costs to obtain a hunting licence, the requirements of the theory exam, and the practical shooting test. Where possible, we relied on official government sources, national examination bodies, ministries, and primary legislation. Where data varies by region (Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy), we used confirmed averages and clearly note this.
One point worth stating upfront: in the Benelux countries and Germany, hunting licences are mutually recognised under Benelux Decision M(2007)3. You can sit your exam in one country and apply for a hunting permit in another. That makes this comparison more than useful for any hunter weighing up their options, it has direct practical consequences.
Country by Country
🇫🇷 France: The Most Accessible in Europe
In France, becoming a licensed hunter costs around €90. The exam is run by the Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB), and preparation courses are available from a free market of providers across the country's departments.
The theory component is compact: 10 multiple-choice questions, scored together with the practical. The practical itself consists of four components. A field course with wildlife silhouettes, correct weapon storage in a vehicle, 6 clay pigeons, and a wild boar simulation. The emphasis throughout is on safe behaviour. Shooting at a protected species or a human silhouette means immediate disqualification, regardless of other scores.
The French licence is recognised by the Netherlands, though this recognition is not reciprocal. A Dutch licence does not open the door to hunting in France.
🇫🇮 Finland — Serious Knowledge, Minimal Cost
Finland has one of the lowest exam fees in Europe at €20, with total costs rarely exceeding €100. The exam itself, however, is thorough: 60 questions covering wildlife biology, hunting legislation, safety, and species identification from photographs. Candidates may make no more than 8 mistakes. A pass mark of 87%.
For small game hunters, there is no mandatory shooting test. Those who wish to hunt large game like moose, deer, wild boar, or bear must pass a separate shooting test, organised by local game management associations. The system is proportionate: the more dangerous the quarry, the more you need to prove.
🇧🇪 Belgium (Flanders): Recognised by the Netherlands, Open Market
Belgium's Flemish hunting exam is organised by the Agency for Nature and Forests (ANB), with training available from a free market of providers. Total costs come in at €200–250.
The theory exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, requiring at least 60% overall and a minimum of 50% in each subject. The practical shotgun component involves 10 shots at a moving target, with a minimum score of 12 out of 20. Same goes for the rifle exam where you also have to shoot 10 times and receive a minimum score of 12 out of 20.
The Flemish licence is fully recognised by the Netherlands. A hunter who passes in Belgium can apply for a Dutch hunting permit without any additional examination.
🇸🇪 Sweden: No Mandatory Course, Multiple Paths
Sweden charges around €195 for the exam itself, and attending a preparatory course is entirely optional. The exam is administered by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) through two national hunting organisations.
The theory test involves 70 questions, with a pass mark of 86% (60 correct). The practical consists of three sub-tests: safe shotgun handling, distance estimation, and precision shooting. For the clay pigeon element, candidates must hit at least 4 of 6 pigeons in the frånskott (away-flying) position, plus successfully engage two running ground targets. The rifle test requires two series of 4 shots within defined spread tolerances.
🇳🇴 Norway: Structured, Accessible, and Legally Defined
The Norwegian hunting licence costs around €260 in total. Before sitting the exam, every candidate must complete a mandatory 30-hour course across 9 sessions, covering wildlife biology, firearms, legislation, and environmental management.
The theory exam: 50 questions, 80% pass mark it is legally defined in the Forskrift om jegerprøve, Norway's national hunting proficiency regulation. Large game hunters must additionally pass a separate annual rifle test. The exam is available in both Norwegian and English.
🇩🇰 Denmark: The Strictest Theory in Europe, With a Twist
Denmark's total costs range from around €400 to €730, depending on the type of course chosen. The theory exam has the strictest pass mark in this comparison: 36 out of 40 questions correct (90%), within a 30-minute time limit.
The practical component of the basic jagtprøve is notable for what it doesn't require: candidates shoot at 4 clay pigeons, but there is no minimum hit count. Only safe weapon handling is assessed. To actually hunt with a shotgun, a separate haglskydeprøve must be passed: 18 clay pigeons in three directions, at least 2 hits per direction. Rifle hunters take a further riffelprøve: 6 shots at 100 metres, 5 of which must land within a 20 cm kill zone.
🇮🇹 Italy: Regional Variation, Oral Tradition
Italy's hunting exam is organised at a regional level, with costs averaging €300–450. The written component involves 20 multiple-choice questions with a maximum of 3 mistakes. Candidates who pass are then examined orally on wildlife species identification.
Before sitting the exam at all, candidates must complete a shooting test at a recognised national shooting association (Tiro a Segno Nazionale). The practical and the paperwork are intertwined in a way that reflects Italy's decentralised approach to the whole process.
🇪🇸 Spain: No National Standard
Spain has no national hunting exam. Requirements, fees, and practical components are set by each of the country's autonomous communities. Exam fees range from around €11 in the Basque Country to €56 in Castile and León. Total costs including licence and insurance typically come in between €80 and €200.
The theory element, where required, generally involves 20 questions with a maximum of 3 mistakes. Whether a practical shooting test is included depends entirely on the region.
🇳🇱 Netherlands: The Most Expensive in the Comparison
The Netherlands stands apart in this overview. Not because of what the exam tests, but because of what it costs and how it is structured. Total mandatory costs come to approximately €1,516.
The theory exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions with a 70% pass mark. The practical shotgun test requires hitting 18 of 25 clay pigeons across five shooting stations is the highest mandatory hit count of any country in this comparison. The rifle test requires 3 of 4 shots within a 15 cm circle at 100 metres.
There is one recognised training provider: the Stichting Jachtopleidingen Nederland (SJN). All practical exams take place at a single location: Dorhout Mees in Biddinghuizen.
The pass rate for the full Dutch exam was 37% in spring 2025, according to SJN's own published results.
Part 2 of this research will examine the structure and organisation of the Dutch system in more detail.
🇨🇭 Switzerland: Cantons Set the Rules
Switzerland's hunting exam is regulated entirely at the cantonal level, with costs ranging from approximately €420 to €840. In some cantons, the training programme lasts up to three years. The minimum age to obtain a hunting licence is 20, the highest in Europe.
After passing, hunters must demonstrate their shooting accuracy annually at a recognised range to maintain their licence. The standard training textbook, "Jagen in der Schweiz", is used across most cantons.
🇩🇪 Germany: Thorough, Demanding, and Competitive
Germany's Jägerprüfung is the most demanding exam in Western Europe. Total costs start at around €2,435 for a realistic minimum package and can reach €6,000 at the upper end, depending on the Bundesland and the school chosen.
The exam has three parts: a written test, an oral examination before a commission (10–15 minutes), and a practical shooting test. In Bavaria, the shooting component requires 4 shots at a roe deer target at 100 metres, with at least 3 hitting rings 8 through 10. Despite the cost and difficulty, multiple providers compete for candidates across all 16 Bundesländer. The German licence is recognised by the Netherlands.
🇦🇹 Austria: Knowledge Before the Shot
Austria's Jungjägerprüfung involves a thorough oral examination before a commission covering 8 subject areas, including legislation, wildlife biology, dogs, firearms, and hunting traditions. The written component is complemented by a mandatory shooting test.
In Vienna, the shooting exam requires a minimum of 50 combined points across two disciplines: 5 rifle shots at a Gams target at 100 metres (min. 15/50) and 10 shotgun shots at clay pigeons in Trap A (min. 15/50). Neither component alone is enough. The combined score determines whether the candidate passes. Total costs range from €1,000 to €2,000 depending on the state and course format.
🇵🇱 Poland: The Most Comprehensive Process
Poland's route to a hunting licence is among the most structured in Europe. Candidates must first complete a one-year apprenticeship within a hunting club and become a member of the Polski Związek Łowiecki (PZŁ). The national hunters' association, which holds a statutory role in the examination process.
The written exam covers 100 multiple-choice questions, of which 30 relate specifically to hunting safety. Both sections require a minimum of 80% correct answers independently. An oral examination follows: 3 randomly drawn questions, scored 1–5 each, with a minimum of 9 points required to pass. The process concludes with a practical shooting test on a moving roe deer target. Total costs range from approximately €350 to €600.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic: Subject by Subject
The Czech hunting exam is taken as 7 separate subjects: wildlife education, legislation, zoology, game management, cynology, firearms and first aid, and hunting techniques. Failing one subject allows a resit; failing multiple subjects means repeating the entire course.
Courses are organised by local branches of the Českomoravská myslivecká jednota (ČMMJ). Members pay around €270–350; non-members up to €480. The practical exam includes a shooting test on a moving wild boar target.
🇭🇺 Hungary: Demanding and Linguistically Exclusive
Hungary's hunting exam requires a 100-hour preparatory course, a psychological assessment, and a medical examination. The exam itself has three parts: written, oral, and practical. All components are conducted exclusively in Hungarian, which presents a significant practical barrier for non-native speakers.
Total costs come to approximately €425. Making it one of the more affordable exams relative to its demands. Foreign hunters who wish to hunt in Hungary without sitting the local exam can do so through a separate guest hunting licence system, though this involves different conditions and costs.
The Full Picture
Country | Total cost | Theory | Pass mark | Shotgun practical | Recognised BeNeLux?
🇫🇷 France: €90 | 10 questions | Combined | 6 clays, safety focus | Yes*
🇫🇮 Finland: €50–100 | 60 questions | Max. 8 mistakes (87%) | Not required (small game) | No
🇧🇪 Belgium: €200–250 | 60 questions | 60% (36/60) | Min. 12/20 | Yes
🇸🇪 Sweden: €195 | 70 questions | 86% (60/70) | 4/6 clays | No
🇳🇴 Norway: €260 | 50 questions | 80% (40/50) | Not required (small game) | No
🇩🇰 Denmark: €400–730 | 40 questions | 90% (36/40) | 6/18 clays (separate test) | No
🇮🇹 Italy: €300–450 | 20 questions | 85% (17/20) + oral | TSN shooting test | No
🇪🇸 Spain: €80–200 | 20 questions | 85% (17/20) | Varies by region | No
🇳🇱 Netherlands: €1,516 | 75 questions | 70% (53/75) | 18/25 clays
🇨🇭 Switzerland: €420–840 | Per canton | Per canton | Annual reshooting required | No
🇩🇪 Germany: €2,435+ | Written + oral | Per Bundesland | Per Bundesland | Yes
🇦🇹 Austria: €1,000–2,000 | Oral 45 min | Commission | Min. 50/100 combined | No**
🇵🇱 Poland: €350–600 | 100 questions | 80% both sections | Moving target test | No
🇨🇿 Czech Rep: €270–350 | 7 subjects | Per subject | Moving target test | No
🇭🇺 Hungary: €425 | Written + oral | Commission | Shooting test | No
France: recognised by the Netherlands, not vice versa. **Austria is recognised by Flanders (Belgium), not by the Netherlands.
Who Recognises Whom?
The mutual recognition agreements are worth understanding clearly.
The Netherlands recognises licences from Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Germany, Luxembourg, and France. Holders of these qualifications can apply for a Dutch hunting permit without sitting the Dutch exam again.
Belgium (Flanders) recognises licences from the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, and Wallonia. Note that Flanders no longer recognises French licences obtained after 1 July 2024.
Every other country in this comparison. Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland has no mutual recognition with the Benelux. Their licences are valid at home, but not across borders apart from a guest hunting license.
Three Things This Research Makes Clear
First: the countries with the lowest costs are also the countries with the most open markets. France, Finland, Belgium. Anyone can offer training. Competition keeps prices down. Countries with a single recognised provider, or heavily regulated access, tend to cost more.
Second: a high price does not automatically mean a harder exam. The Netherlands has the highest mandatory clay pigeon hit count in this comparison (18/25). But its theory pass mark is 70% where Denmark requires 90% on theory. Germany requires an oral exam before a commission. High cost and high difficulty are not the same thing.
Third: for hunters in countries with mutual recognition agreements, the cost comparison is not just interesting it is actionable. If your licence is recognised across borders, you have a genuine choice about where to qualify. That choice has a price tag attached to it, and this overview lays it out.
A Note on Sources and Methodology
All data in this article was drawn from primary official sources: national examination bodies, government ministries, and primary legislation. Key sources include the Naturvårdsverket (Sweden), Landbruksdirektoratet (Norway), Suomen riistakeskus (Finland), Styrelsen for Grøn Arealomlægning og Vandmiljø (Denmark), Agentschap Natuur en Bos (Belgium), Office Français de la Biodiversité (France), the Polish Hunters' Association PZŁ official examination regulations (Rozporządzenie Ministra Środowiska, 2009), the Czech Ministry of Agriculture (mze.gov.cz), Informatiepunt Leefomgeving (Netherlands, iplo.nl), and the Swiss federal portal ch.ch.
For Germany, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, and Italy, where requirements vary by region, data reflects one representative region (Bavaria, Vienna, Castile and León, Basel-Landschaft, and Emilia-Romagna respectively) as well as national averages where available.
Cost data was verified against current course listings and official fee schedules as of 2025–2026.
If you spot an inaccuracy or have updated information for your country, we want to hear from you.
Hunters Club Part 2 of this research examines the Dutch examination system in detail: its structure, its costs, and the questions it raises.
