Handwerksrolle Eintragung

If you want to practice a craft subject to registration on a self-employed basis, you must register your business in the register of craftsmen.

If you want to practice a craft that is subject to licensing, you must register with your regional Chamber of Crafts (Handwerksrolle) before you start your business. In addition to the owner of the business (sole proprietor, partnership with legal capacity or legal entity), the register of skilled crafts also lists the person responsible for managing the business. The company management can be exercised either by the company owner or a salaried company manager. The company management must have the professional requirements for the practice of the craft subject to licensing. Proof must be provided in the form of a master craftsman's certificate for the respective craft or an equivalent relevant professional qualification. For more details, please refer to the section "Prerequisites."
Crafts subject to licensing include the following professions:

• Bricklayer,
• carpenter,
• roofers,
• road builders,
• scaffolders,
• metal workers,
• tiler,
• screed layers,
• stonemasons,
• stone sculptors,
• plasterers,
• painters and varnishers,
• interior decorators,
• car body and vehicle builders,
• information, automotive and electrical engineers,
• plumbers and heating engineers,
• tank and apparatus builders,
• bakers,
• confectioners,
• butchers,
• hairdressers,
• glassblowers and glass apparatus makers,
• chimney sweeps,
• orthopedic technicians,
• dental technicians.

A complete list can be found in Annex A to the Crafts Code (HwO). The craft does not have to be exercised as a whole. Essential (partial) activities can also be exercised.

Attention: You may only exercise the craft subject to licensing that has been registered. If several crafts subject to licensing are practiced, each of these crafts subject to licensing must normally be entered in the register of crafts.

• Completed master craftsman's examination in
  • the craft you want to practice or
  • in a related craft subject to registration
• The Crafts and Trades Code also contains provisions under which you or your company management may
  • as a graduate engineer or graduate engineer,
  • with a Bachelor's or Master's degree or
  • with a German state or state-recognized examination equivalent to the master craftsman's examination.
• The prerequisite is that the study or school focus of your examination corresponds to the craft to be registered.
• In addition, it is possible to obtain an exemption or authorization to practice.
• For nationals of a member state of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, special regulations exist for the recognition of professional qualifications within the framework of an exceptional approval procedure.
• In addition, an equivalence determination can be made for professional qualifications acquired abroad.

Registration in the register of skilled crafts is done electronically via online service or in writing at your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts.

Online application

• Go to the website of your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts or to the service portal of your federal state and select the correct online service.
• The online service will guide you through the application step by step.
• You can submit the required documents digitally.

Written application

• Download the application form from the website of your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
• Alternatively, you can have the required documents sent to you via your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
• Complete the form and send it to your local Chamber of Skilled Crafts along with the required supporting documents.

The responsible Chamber of Skilled Crafts will check the documents.

If you meet the registration requirements, you will receive a written notification that you have been registered.

Together with the notification of registration, your company will receive the so-called craftsman's card (§ 10 para. 2 HwO).

Essential (partial) activities of a craft.

The craft does not have to be practiced as a whole. Essential (partial) activities can also be carried out. In this case, registration in the register of skilled crafts must also be made.

Several crafts

You may only exercise the craft subject to registration that has been registered.
If you wish to exercise several crafts requiring approval, you must have each of these crafts entered in the register of crafts.

Several persons as company management

If you employ more than 1 person as company management, you must also register this person.