Erlaubnis zur Zucht, Haltung und zum Handel mit Tieren beantragen

For many activities involving the commercial handling of animals, you require a permit from the competent authority.

You require a permit for the commercial handling of animals if you wish to carry out the following activities commercially:

• Breeding, keeping or trading vertebrate animals other than farm animals
• Maintenance of a riding and driving business
• Exhibition of animals
• Control of vertebrates as pests
• bringing vertebrate animals that are not farm animals to Germany for sale (sale against payment)
• training dogs for third parties or instructing the training of dogs by pet owners

This permit is also required if you

• keep animals in an animal shelter or similar facility
• keep and exhibit animals in a zoological garden or other facility
• train dogs for third parties, maintain facilities for this purpose or instruct the training of dogs by the animal owner
• bringing or importing vertebrate animals into the country for the purpose of selling them for a fee or consideration or brokering these animals for a fee or consideration
• organize animal exchanges for the purpose of exchanging or selling animals by third parties

Note: You do not require a permit to keep farm animals.

• Application for a permit according to § 11 TierSchG,
• certificate of good conduct
• Certified copy of the certificate of competence according to § 11 TierSchG

Tip: You can apply for the certificate of good conduct at the local registration office, from where it can be sent directly to the responsible food monitoring and veterinary office.

• a professional qualification or
• expertise in the area you wish to operate commercially.

• Procedural costs
• Fee for service of process
• if applicable: further expenses

• After you have submitted the application and all the necessary documents to the responsible authority, these will first be checked for completeness and your personal requirements.
• An on-site appointment will then be arranged with you to check the technical requirements.
• If you meet all the requirements, the permit for the commercial handling of animals will then be sent to you.

Processing time: up to 4 months

Commencement of activity: after permission has been granted

• A permit is required for certain activities involving animals
• the permit is issued by the competent authority upon application (usually: Lower Nature Conservation Authority)

Contact the veterinary office of your district or city.