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Trade register; application for registration

Registration in the Register of Craftsmen is required for the independent operation of a craft requiring a license as a standing trade. Proof of professional qualification is a prerequisite for entry in the Register of Craftsmen.

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Procedure details

The independent operation of a craft requiring a license or a significant part thereof (see Annex A to the Crafts Code) as a standing trade is only permitted for natural and legal persons and partnerships entered in the register of craftsmen.

Standing trades include any commercial enterprise whose activities are not attributable to itinerant trades or market trading. If several trades are carried out in your business, each of these trades requiring a license must generally be entered in the Register of Craftsmen.

Upon entry in the Register of Craftsmen, the business becomes a member of the relevant Chamber of Crafts and is obliged to pay contributions in accordance with the contribution regulations of the respective Chamber of Crafts.

In order to be entered in the Register of Craftsmen, you - or a manager employed by you - must meet the personal requirements for entry in the Register of Craftsmen, i.e.

  • have passed the master craftsman's examination (§ 7 Para. 1a HwO), or
  • meet the requirements of § 7 Para. 2 HwO, according to which engineers, graduates of technical universities and of state or state-recognized technical colleges for technology and design with the craft subject to licensing that corresponds to the study or school focus of their examination are also entered in the register of craftsmen. This also applies to persons who have successfully passed another German state or state-recognized examination that is at least equivalent to the master craftsman's examination for the practice of the relevant craft requiring a license.
  • have an exemption permit (Section 7 (3) HwO) or authorization to practice (Section 7 (7) HwO) for the relevant craft (for details, see "Craft law; exemptions as prerequisites for entry in the craft register"), or
  • as ethnic German repatriates, provide credible evidence to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts responsible for their place of permanent residence that they operated a skilled trade independently as a standing trade or were authorized to instruct apprentices prior to resettlement.

Registration takes place at the request of the business owner at the local Chamber of Skilled Crafts. Registration in the Register of Craftsmen is associated with the issue of a craftsman's card. You can use the craftsman's card to legitimize yourself as a registered craftsman's business.

The following documents must be submitted

  • Expellee identity card
  • Documents proving that you were authorized to run a craft business in your home country or that you were authorized to train apprentices in your home country

If the original documents within the meaning of No. 2 have been lost, these must be credibly proven:

  • by a written declaration made in lieu of an oath by a person who, due to their previous official position in the applicant's district (e.g. applicant of the Trade Licensing Office, Chamber of Crafts or Chamber of Commerce), has personal knowledge of the previous self-employed activity or the authorization to train apprentices (e.g. if they registered the apprenticeship contract or were a member of an examination board or issued the trade card themselves) or
  • by written declaration in lieu of an oath by two persons who have personal knowledge of the training authorization or the previous self-employed activity, e.g. they have seen apprenticeship contracts in which the applicant is named as the trainer or they have seen the document containing the training authorization, etc.

  • Proof of qualifications
    (e.g. master craftsman's diploma, engineering technician's diploma)
  • Registration of a trade or business
    (may be submitted at a later date)
  • For corporations (with the exception of BGB companies): Excerpt from the commercial register
    (for incorporation: notarized memorandum of association)
  • For partnerships: Memorandum of association
  • For hiring of an operations manager (required in all cases for legal entities):

    - employment contract,
    - registration of the operations manager with the statutory social security insurance,
    - notification advising whether or not the person is active elsewhere as an operations manager or a self-employed (independent) tradesperson or businessperson

  • If necessary, please provide additional documents depending on the circumstances of the particular case
  • All necessary documents can be submitted as photocopies (certified if necessary).

approx. 70 - 153 EUR

Electronic payment via online banking is possible. Information on this is provided by the relevant Chamber of Skilled Crafts.

Registration must take place before the commencement of business operations.

The registration or refusal of registration constitutes an administrative act. The decision of the Chamber is subject to administrative appeal pursuant to Section 40 VwGO.

Status: 20.10.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie
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