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Doctor; application for a license to practice medicine

Doctors can apply for a license to practice medicine if they have completed their medical training in Bavaria or in an EU member state, an EEA contracting state or in Switzerland and wish to work as a doctor in Bavaria.

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Anyone wishing to work as a doctor in Germany after studying human medicine requires a special professional license - a license to practice medicine. In Bavaria, this is issued by the government of Upper Bavaria and the government of Lower Franconia. If you studied medicine in the administrative districts of Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Swabia or Upper Palatinate, the government of Upper Bavaria is responsible for you, whereas the government of Lower Franconia is responsible if you studied in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia.


The government of Lower Franconia will also grant you a license to practice medicine if you have studied in a member state of the European Union (EU) or another contracting state of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and will be working as a doctor in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia or Lower Franconia in the future. If you intend to work in the administrative districts of Upper or Lower Bavaria, Swabia or the Upper Palatinate, please contact the government of Upper Bavaria.

The license to practice medicine is linked to various requirements relating to the successful completion of studies, personal and health suitability for practicing the profession and sufficient German language skills.

  • 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)

  • 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.

  • Proof of impunity
    • Submission of criminal record extracts from all countries outside Germany in which the applicant has resided for more than six months in the last five years.
    • The criminal record extracts must not be older than three months when the application is received.
    • Certified copies of these extracts must be submitted.
    • In addition, a certificate of good conduct of document type "O" if the applicant has already spent more than six months in Germany 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 of use "Approbation as a doctor". The certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the competent authority by the Federal Office of Justice.
  • Proof of your completed education (certified copy)
    • In the case of training in Bavaria, this is sent directly to the Berufszulassungsstelle by the Landesprüfungsamt.
    • In the case of training in an EU member state, an EEA member state or in Switzerland: proof of training such as diploma or, if applicable, further country-specific proof in accordance with Annex 5 of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications.
  • for training abroad: if applicable, certificate of good standing (certified copy)

    Required from all countries where the health professional activity has already been practiced.

  • for training abroad: proof of the language skills required for practicing the profession
    (Proof can be provided in different ways. You can find more information on this under "Special instructions").

If you have completed your training in an EU member state, an EEA member state or Switzerland, the fee is EUR 250 to 500. There are additional costs for the specialist language test.

The application for approval is not subject to a time limit.

The granting of a license to practice medicine or a professional permit requires, among other things, that you have the necessary knowledge of the German language to practice your profession. The 87th Conference of Health Ministers in 2014 agreed in a key points paper on the requirements for knowledge of the German language and how this knowledge can be demonstrated. The following applies:

1. the required German language skills are deemed to be proven for applicants for whom the licensing authority determines without doubt that German is spoken and written fluently (e.g. as a native language) or that the completion of medical, dental, pharmaceutical or psychotherapeutic training (proof of training) was obtained in German.

2. proof of the required German language skills is generally deemed to have been provided if the applicant has completed at least ten years of general schooling at a German-speaking school or has completed at least three years of vocational training in German.

3. if proof is not deemed to have been provided in accordance with 1. or 2. above, the language skills required for practicing the profession shall be deemed to have been proven by submission of a certificate of successful completion of the specialist language test at the Bavarian Medical Association.

4 Specialist language tests taken at the Medical Association or the competent authority of another country, as well as specialist language tests from other examination institutions, are recognized as proof, provided that it is guaranteed that the examination there is equivalent to the specialist language test at the Bavarian Medical Association. Whether this requirement is met in individual cases must be clarified in advance with the relevant professional licensing office.

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A license or permit is not required for merely temporary and occasional medical activities (services). For the provision of services, it is sufficient to register with the competent authority and submit certain documents (see "Related topics").

Administrative court action

Status: 10.09.2024
Editorial responsibility Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit, Pflege und Prävention
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