Eintragung in die Handwerksrolle beantragen

If you wish to practice a craft requiring a license on a self-employed basis, you must immediately notify your Chamber of Skilled Crafts of the start of your commercial activity and apply for registration.

The Register of Craftsmen is a register in which all natural and legal persons as well as partnerships that operate a craft requiring a license must be entered. In addition to the owner (natural or legal person, partnership), the register also lists the management of the business. The management can be exercised either by the owner or a salaried manager. The management must have the professional qualifications required to practice the craft requiring a license. Proof must be provided by means of a master craftsman's examination for the respective trade or an equivalent relevant qualification. Entry in the Register of Craftsmen has a constitutive effect, i.e. the authorization to independently practice a craft requiring a license only exists upon registration.

More details on this can be found in the section "Requirements".

The trades requiring a license are listed in Annex A of the Crafts Code. These include, among others

• Bricklayers and concrete workers
• carpenters
• Roofers
• road builders
• scaffolders
• Metal workers
• Tile, slab and mosaic layers
• Screed layers,
• Stonemasons and stone sculptors
• Plasterers
• Painters and varnishers
• Interior decorators
• Bodywork and vehicle builders
• Information technicians
• Automotive technicians
• Electrical engineers
• Plumber and heating engineer
• Tank and apparatus builder
• Bakers
• Confectioners
• Butchers
• Hairdressers
• Glassblowers and glass apparatus makers
• Chimney sweeps
• Orthopaedic technicians
• Dental technicians

A complete list can be found in Appendix A of the Crafts Code (HwO). The craft does not have to be practiced as a whole; essential (partial) activities can also be practiced.

Please note: Only the craft requiring a license that has been entered in the register of craftsmen may be practiced. If several trades subject to licensing are practiced, each of these trades subject to licensing must be entered in the Register of Craftsmen.

To ensure that the Register of Craftsmen is kept correctly, there is a legal obligation to notify the Chamber of Crafts and Trades of the commencement or termination of the independent operation of a craft requiring a license.

Notification of the start of operation of a craft requiring a license can be made informally. The following documents must be submitted for the subsequent registration procedure:

1. natural persons:

• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document
• Proof of qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, etc.) of the owner or the employed management (see section 5 for more details)

1. Companies under civil law (GbR):

• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document of the partners
• Copy of the articles of association
• Proof of qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, etc.) of the partner(s) or the employed management (see more details under 5.)

1. Commercial partnerships, e.g. general partnership (OHG), limited partnership (KG) and corresponding foreign company forms:

• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document of the partners or persons authorized to represent the company
• Proof of legal form if the company is based in Germany:
  • Extract from the commercial register
  • Copy of the articles of association
• Proof of legal form for foreign legal forms:
  • Extract from the relevant foreign register, copy of the articles of association
• Proof of qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, etc.) of the shareholder(s) or the employed management (see in more detail under 5.)

1. Legal entities, e.g. limited liability company, entrepreneurial company (limited liability), public limited company, registered cooperative, etc:

• Copy of identity card or comparable identification document of the persons authorized to represent the company
• Proof of legal form if the company is based in Germany:
  • Extract from the commercial register
  • Copy of the articles of association
• Proof of legal form for foreign legal forms:
  • Extract from the relevant foreign register, copy of the articles of association
• Information on the management: see 5.

1. If a manager is employed, the following documents must also be submitted:

• Manager's declaration
• Proof of employment of the management (copy of the employment contract)
• Proof of qualification of the manager (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, etc.)

Note: If - for example, if several trades subject to licensing are exercised - another person is employed as the operations manager, the operations manager's declaration must also be submitted for this person together with the other documents listed under 5.

Entry in the Register of Craftsmen or work as a business manager is linked to certain qualification requirements. These are as follows:

• Completion of a master craftsman's examination in
  • the craft that is to be practiced or
  • in a related craft requiring a license
• Equivalent qualifications with a study or school focus corresponding to the craft to be registered:
  • Engineering degree,
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree
  • State-certified technician
  • Industrial foreman
• It is also possible to obtain an exemption permit or authorization to practice.
• For nationals of a member state of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, there are special regulations for the recognition of professional qualifications as part of an exceptional approval procedure.

In addition, professional qualifications acquired abroad can be assessed for equivalence.

The specific fee can be found in the Chamber of Crafts' schedule of fees, which is available on the Chamber's website.

Display of the craft activity: before the start.

• Register of owners of businesses in a craft requiring a license (Register of Craftsmen)
• Legal obligation to register
• Registration of the management of the respective tradesperson
• Entry in the Register of Craftsmen is possible for natural or legal persons and partnerships
• Proof of qualification is required for registration
• Deadline: Immediately upon commencement of commercial activity
• Application in writing or online with authentication
• Application form to download from the website of the relevant Chamber of Skilled Crafts or online application via administrative portals
• The registration fees can be found in the fee schedule of the respective Chamber of Skilled Crafts, which can be viewed on the Chamber's website
• Responsible: Chamber of Skilled Crafts in whose district the commercial establishment is located