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Applying for a permit for the commercial exhibition of persons

  • Unternehmensstart und Gewerbezulassung

If you want to organize commercial shows of people in your business premises or make your business premises available for such events, you need a permit for this.

  • Basic information

    If you wish to hold a commercial event in your business premises for the exhibition of persons such as striptease or table dance, you will need a permit for this.

    You also require a permit if you wish to make your business premises available for such an event.

    It is generally only valid for the specified room and the applicant personally.

    Performances of a predominantly artistic, sporting, acrobatic or similar nature are exempt from the permit requirement.

    It is not based on public events, so that performances in front of only one spectator, which require a permit, are also covered.

    As a rule, a permit to exhibit persons is granted for an unlimited period of time. However, it can also be issued for a limited period. If you wish to apply for an extension, the same conditions apply as for the initial granting of the permit.

    The permit is person- and space-bound. It can be issued for individual events but also for regular events. The permit may be subject to conditions (including retrospective conditions) if this is necessary to protect the general public, guests or residents of the premises or neighboring properties from danger, significant disadvantages or considerable nuisance.

    Requirements

    The requirements for obtaining a license are

    • You must have the necessary reliability for the business operation.
    • The shows must not be contrary to public morals.
    • The commercial operation must not be contrary to the public interest with regard to its local location or the use of the premises, for example if it gives rise to fears of harmful effects on the environment within the meaning of the Federal Immission Control Act or other significant disadvantages, dangers or nuisances for the general public.
  • Procedure

    Please contact the responsible office.

    More information

    The permit is independent of any other required restaurant license.

    Violation of the permit requirement and violation of an enforceable condition can be punished as an administrative offense with a fine; persistent repetition of the violation of the permit requirement can be punished as a misdemeanor with imprisonment or a fine.

    Legal remedy: Objection (depending on state law, an objection may be excluded) Action before the locally competent administrative court

  • Necessary Documents

    • Copy of identity card or passport with a registration certificate
    • Valid residence permit, if applicable (for non-EU nationals)
    • Description of operation, in particular designation of the rooms and any fixtures, including description of the intended use.
    • Certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority (document type O)
    • Central trade register extract for submission to an authority
    • Certificate in tax matters from the tax office
    • Possibly commercial or other register excerpt
    • Possibly building permit (for first-time use for the display of persons)
    • possibly a floor plan of all rooms intended for operation
  • Competent Department

  • Fees / Costs

    Is based on the respective administrative fee schedule of the federal state or on the fee statutes of the authorities responsible under federal state law.

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    The permit must be granted before the start of operations, so it is necessary to submit the application in good time.
    The permit is deemed to have been granted if the authority has not made a decision on your application within three months of receipt of the complete documentation.
    The permit expires if the holder has not started operating the business within one year of it being granted or has not operated it for a period of one year.

    How long does it take to process

    If the documents are complete, the application will be processed promptly.

  • Legal Bases

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This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.

The official information in German is complete and correct. 28.05.2026

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