Prüfung Fachliche Eignung von Unternehmern im Straßenpersonenverkehr Durchführung

To set up a road passenger transport business, you need to demonstrate your professional competence.

If you would like to set up a bus, taxi or private hire business, you need a licence from the competent authority. One of the requirements is your professional competence, which you usually prove by means of an examination. In Germany, you take the examination at your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK).

Depending on the type of your enterprise, you take the examination either for taxi and private hire businesses or for bus operation.

In the examination, you must prove that you have the required legal and business knowledge, knowledge of technical standards and applicable regulations, and knowledge of road safety. The guidelines for the preparation of the exam contained in the link in the 'further information' section provide an overview (in German) of the required knowledge.

It is advisable to prepare in depth for the exam, for instance by attending a preparational course or through intense self-study.

However, these are not legal requirements for registering for the examination.

The examination consists of two written parts and possibly an oral part. The result is decided by an examination board.

You must achieve at least 50 percent of the total marks in both of the written parts to be entered for the oral exam. If you also achieve at least 50 percent of the total marks in the oral exam, and your overall score is at least 60 percent of the grand total of marks, you have passed the exam. If you have achieved at least 50 percent of the available marks in both of the written parts and have already achieved at least 60 percent of the grand total of available marks, you are exempted from the oral examination.

In certain cases, a transitional arrangement may allow for your professional competence to be certified without sitting the exam. If you have successfully completed a recognised course of vocational training in the passenger transport sector which began before 4 December 2011, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry will issue a certificate to you upon request without the need to sit the exam.

If you held a managing position in a bus transport company for ten years or more before 2009, you can also be issued a certificate of professional competence without needing to take the exam. Please refer to the information linked in the 'further information' section.

The required professional competence for taxi and private hire transportation can be certified without an examination if you provide evidence that you have worked for at least three years in a relevant company.

• If taking the exam: none
• If furnishing proof of qualification:
  • Recognised certificate of professional qualification
• If furnishing proof of professional experience:
  • Documents proving your professional activities

• To register for the exam: none
• To demonstrate professional qualification: certificate of successful completion of one of the following recognised courses of training (with a start date before 4 December 2011) as a:
  • Road and rail transport agent (, focusing on road passenger transport
  • Transport specialist (
  •  
  • Business degree from the German Foreign Trade and Transport Academy (DAV), Bremen
  • graduate in business management () in transportation and logistics, from the Business Department at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences
  • graduate in transport management from Technische Universität Dresden (TUD)
  • Bachelor of Arts in transport management and logistics, specialising in transport logistics, from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences
• To demonstrate competence based on professional experience:
  • At least 10 years working in management positions in a bus operating company
  • At least three years in a management role in a taxi and private hire company for taxi transportation.

The fee for the examination depends on the applicable schedule of fees at your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

To demonstrate your competence by taking the exam, please register for the exam in writing or online with your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. When applying, you will have to select whether you wish to take the exam for bus transport or for the taxi/private hire business.

• The Chamber of Commerce and Industry will confirm your registration.
• You will start by taking the two written parts of the exam.
• After you have passed these successfully, you can take the oral exam.
• About two weeks after the exam, you will receive your certificate of professional competence.

With this certificate, you can apply for a licence for your business from the competent authority.

To demonstrate your professional competence without sitting the exam, please submit your written application including all the supporting documents to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Once your application has been processed, you will receive your certificate by post.

As a rule, you will be informed about whether you have passed the exam or not about two weeks after you have taken it.

For information about the content of the taxi/private hire business exam, search Guide to the taxi/private hire examination (German only)

For information about the content of the bus transport exam, Guide to the bus transport examination (German only) )

The web page of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce contains additional information on the examination of expertise: Overview of examinations of expertise held by Chambers of Commerce and Industry (German only)

• In some German federal states: appeal
• Administrative court action
• More detailed information is contained in the notification informing you of whether you have passed or failed the exam

• A licence is required to establish a taxi, bus or private hire company
• One prerequisite to obtaining the licence is demonstrating the required professional competence
• As a rule, professional competence is established by means of an examination through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Look up which Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) is the competent authority in your case: Local IHK finder (German only)

• Forms: Registration for the examination or application for certification of qualification without taking the exam.
• Online procedure: Available in some cases
• Written form requirement as per German Civil Code Art.126: Yes
• Appearance in person required: Yes, to sit the exam