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Authorization to practice for journeymen or journeywomen and skilled workers or skilled workers with qualified professional experience Unternehmensstart und Gewerbezulassung

Would you like to become self-employed with a license to practice in a skilled trade or take on a company manager:in function?

  • Basic information

    Anyone who has passed a journeyman's examination or a final examination in a recognized training occupation and has acquired relevant professional experience can become self-employed or exercise a company management function in many trades requiring authorization. The professional qualification must have been acquired in the craft that is to be practiced. In the case of certain crafts, it is sufficient if the professional qualification was acquired in a craft related to it, which can be found in the ordinance on related crafts.

    In addition to a journeyman's or final examination, proof of relevant professional experience is also required, which must have been acquired after the training. At least six years of professional experience is required, of which at least four years must have been in a managerial position. A managerial position is assumed if the person in question has been given autonomous decision-making powers in a business or a significant part of a business, as evidenced by job references, job descriptions or in some other suitable way. The granting of an authorization to practice for journeymen or journeywomen with qualified professional experience is not considered for chimney sweeps and health trades (opticians, audiologists, orthopedic technicians, orthopedic shoemakers, dental technicians).

    Requirements

    • You must be able to prove that you have passed a journeyman's examination or a comparable final examination in the craft to be practiced.
    • You have been working in the craft for at least 6 years after the journeyman's examination.
    • Of the 6 years, you have held a management position in a company or a significant part of a company for at least 4 years.
      • A managerial position includes autonomous decision-making powers, which can be proven by job references or job advertisements.
    • You have business management, commercial and legal knowledge.
  • Procedure

    Online application

    • Go to the website of your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts or to the service portal of your federal state and select the right online service.
    • The online service will guide you through the application step by step.
    • You can submit the required documents digitally.

    Written application

    • Go to the website of your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
    • Download the application forms for granting a license to practice.
    • Complete the forms in full and send them to your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts along with the required evidence of your professional and educational qualifications.
    • Your application and the evidence will be checked by the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.

    The Chamber of Skilled Crafts will decide on your application and inform you accordingly.

    If the decision is positive, you can be entered in the register of skilled crafts for a skilled craft that is subject to registration.

  • Necessary Documents

    • Application for the granting of an exercise authorization
    • Proof of identification
    • Proof of acquired formal professional qualifications
  • Competent Department

  • Online Services

    • handwerk:digital
      handwerk:digital offers you the possibility to submit your applications to the responsible Chamber of Crafts online. The login is done with the OSI account, which is available to citizens and companies alike.

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    You can only practice a trade that is subject to registration if you are entered in the register of trades. You must therefore apply for authorization to practice at an early stage.

  • More Information

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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. 15.01.2025

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