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Veterinarian; application for a permit to temporarily exercise the veterinary profession

If you want to practice the veterinary profession in the Federal Republic of Germany without a license to practice as a veterinarian, you need a permit.

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Procedure details

Anyone wishing to practise veterinary medicine in the Federal Republic of Germany requires a license to do so. If you want to practise the veterinary profession, you normally need a license to practice as a veterinarian. If you are not a national of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland or have completed your training in a country outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may also practise the veterinary profession temporarily or limited to certain activities on the basis of this permit, which can be revoked at any time. The permit may be limited to certain activities and employment positions. It may only be granted on a revocable basis and only up to a maximum total duration of four years of veterinary activity. In exceptional cases, the permit may be extended beyond this period. In Bavaria, the government of Upper Bavaria is responsible for issuing the license for work in the administrative districts of Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Swabia and Upper Palatinate, as well as the government of Lower Franconia for work in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia.

If you are a citizen of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland and have completed your training in one of these countries, you will generally not be granted a license. Instead, you must apply for a license to practice immediately. An exception applies if there is a special interest in issuing the license with regard to the intended veterinary activity.

In certain cases, you may practice the veterinary profession in the Federal Republic of Germany even without a license to practice as a veterinarian or without a permit to temporarily practice the veterinary profession, provided that you are temporarily and occasionally acting as a provider of services within the meaning of Article 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This possibility exists for persons who are nationals of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland. However, they are subject to a registration requirement. The responsible government will inform you whether you require a permit (see above).

In principle, the most important requirement is that you can prove that you have completed your veterinary training in accordance with the law of the country in which you completed your training.

Further requirements are

  • that you have not been guilty of any conduct that makes you unworthy or unreliable to practise the veterinary profession (reliability),
  • you are not unfit in terms of health to practise the veterinary profession (health suitability) and
  • you have the knowledge of the German language required for practising the profession (language skills must be proven at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by means of a certificate from a recognized language institute).

  • Birth certificate/parentage certificate or extract from the parents' family register
    (certified copy)
  • if the name used differs from that on the birth certificate: proof of a change of name (e.g. marriage certificate)
    (certified copy)
  • valid proof of identity (e.g. passport)
    (certified copy)
  • complete and personally signed curriculum vitae

    (tabular and chronological list of the training courses completed and the relevant gainful activities pursued, stating the periods (month/year) and enclosing the relevant supporting documents)

  • Proof of impunity
    • Submission of criminal record extracts from all countries outside Germany in which the applicant has resided for more than six months.
    • The criminal record extracts must not be older than three months at the time of submission.
    • Certified copies of these extracts must be submitted.
  • Proof of your completed education (certified copy)
    • Proof of education such as diploma
    • If necessary, further country-specific certificates
  • Proof of authorisation to practise medicine in the country of training and/or the country of origin
    (certified copy)
  • if applicable, certificate of good standing (certified copy)

    (Required from all countries where the health professional activity has already been exercised in the last five years. This certificate must not be older than three months at the time of its presentation).

  • Proof of required German language skills (certified copy)
    (A certificate from an ALTE-certified language institute at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) must be presented).
  • On separate request:
    • Certificate of good conduct of document type "O", if the applicant has already stayed in Germany for more than six months in the past or has had or still has a residence in Germany.
      • In Germany, this must be applied for at the registration office of the place of residence, stating the purpose "Permit as veterinarian". The certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the competent authority by the Federal Office of Justice.
      • It must not be older than one month at the time of its presentation.
    • Medical certificate (original)
      This must be issued and signed by a general practitioner or internist practicing in Germany or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in Switzerland and bear a practice or clinic stamp. If the practice or clinic stamp is not available in German, a German translation of the stamp is required.

The costs depend on the period of validity. A fee of €100 is charged for every six months or part thereof.

Administrative court action

Status: 07.03.2025
Editorial responsibility Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit, Pflege und Prävention
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