Please note:You can only obtain complete information if you indicate the place of residence, the place of business or the building project, depending on the procedure.
Entry in the Register of Craftsmen
If you wish to practise a craft subject to licensing, you must register in a register (register of craftsmen) kept by your regional chamber of crafts before commencing your business activity. In addition to the company owner (sole proprietor, partnership with legal capacity or legal entity), the register of craftsmen shows who takes over the management of the business. The management can be exercised either by the farmer or by an employed manager. The management must have the professional prerequisites for the exercise of the craft subject to licensing. Proof must be provided by means of a master craftsman's certificate for the respective craft or an equivalent relevant professional qualification. For details, see the "Prerequisites" section.
The trades subject to approval include, among others, the following professions:
Installer and heating engineer, tank and apparatus builder,
Bakers, confectioners, butchers,
Barbers
glassblowers and glass apparatus manufacturers,
Chimney sweep
Orthopaedic technicians and dental technicians.
A complete list can be found in Appendix A to the Crafts Code (HwO). The craft does not have to be practiced as a whole. Essential (partial) activities can also be carried out.
Attention: You may only practice the craft subject to approval that has been registered. If several crafts subject to authorisation are practised, each of these crafts subject to authorisation must normally be entered in the Register of Craftsmen.
Process flow
The entry in the register of craftsmen takes place electronically via online service or in writing to your locally competent Chamber of Crafts.
Online application
Go to the website of your local Chamber of Crafts or the service portal of your federal state and select the right online service.
The online service guides you step by step through the application.
You can submit the required documents digitally.
Written request
Download the application form from the website of your local Chamber of Crafts.
Alternatively, you can also have the necessary documents sent to you via the locally responsible Chamber of Crafts.
Fill out the form and send it to your local Chamber of Crafts together with the required supporting documents.
The competent Chamber of Trades checks the documents.
If you meet the registration requirements, you will receive a written notification of the registration.
Together with the registration decision, your business receives the so-called craft card (§ 10 Abs. 2 HwO).
Who should I contact?
The responsibility lies with the Chamber of Crafts, in whose district the (future) permanent establishment is located.
The Crafts Code also provides for provisions according to which you or your management
as a graduate engineer,
with a Bachelor's or Master's degree or
can be entered in the register of craftsmen with a German state or state-recognised 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 entered.
In addition, there is the possibility of granting an exemption or exercise authorization.
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 within the framework of an exemption procedure.
In addition, an equivalence assessment can be made for professional qualifications acquired abroad.
Which documents are required?
1. In the case of sole proprietorships:
Copy of identity card or comparable identification document
Proof of the qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, technical certificate) of the owner or the employed management (see more detail under 5.)
Copy of the business registration (can be submitted later after entry in the register of craftsmen)
2. In the case of companies under civil law (GbR):
Copies of the identity card or a comparable identification document of the partners or authorised representatives
Copy of the articles of association (unless informally concluded)
Proof of the qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, technical product) of the partner or the employed management (see more detail under 5.)
Copy of the business registration (can be submitted later after entry in the register of craftsmen)
3. In the case of commercial partnerships with legal capacity, i.e. the general partnership (OHG), limited partnership (KG) and corresponding foreign company forms:
Copies of the identity card or a comparable identification document of the shareholders or authorised representatives
for proof of entrepreneurial legal form:
if the company is based in Germany:
for companies entered in the commercial register: extract from the register, for the OHG additionally a copy of the articles of association
if no registration has been made: copy of the articles of association
for foreign legal forms:
Extract from the register of the competent foreign register for companies entered in registers, otherwise
Copy of the articles of association
Proof of the qualification (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, technical product) of the partners or the employed management (see 5.)
Copy of the business registration (can be submitted later after entry in the register of craftsmen)
4. For legal entities (limited liability company (GmbH), Unternehmergesellschaft (haftungsbeschränkt) or UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Aktiengesellschaft (AG), eingetragene Genossenschaft (eG)):
Copies of the identity card or comparable identification document of the authorised representatives
for proof of entrepreneurial legal form:
if the company is domiciled in Germany: extract from the commercial or cooperative register
for foreign legal forms: extract from the register of the competent foreign register
Copy of the business registration (can be submitted later after entry in the register of craftsmen)
Management details: see 5.
5. When employing a manager, the following documents must also be submitted:
Plant manager's declaration
Proof of management activity (copy of employment contract)
Proof of social security of the management
Proof of qualification from the management (e.g. copy of master craftsman's certificate, technical certificate, exemption)
Note: If you employ a second person as business manager – for example if you practice several crafts subject to authorisation – you must also submit the manager's declaration with further documents mentioned under 5. for them.
What are the fees?
The specific fee can be found in the list of fees of the Chamber of Crafts, which is available on the Chamber's website.
In the context of the information on the right of appeal, legal action applies in Lower Saxony, since no administrative preliminary proceedings are provided.
What else should I know?
Under the following links you will find:
Advice from your Chamber of Crafts – contact details of the Chambers of Crafts
the Ordinance on Related Crafts
a list of all craft trades subject to authorisation
The craft does not have to be practiced as a whole. Essential (partial) activities can also be carried out. Even then, the entry in the Register of Craftsmen must take place.
Several crafts
They may only ever practice the craft subject to approval that has been registered.
If you wish to practise several crafts subject to authorisation, you must register each of these trades in the Register of Craftsmen.
Several persons as plant management
If you employ more than 1 person as manager, you must also register them.
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Technically approved by
Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport
Source: Serviceportal Niedersachsen (Linie6PLus)
Fixed link (Deeplink)
Further Links
Single points of contact of the state of Lower Saxony, Single points of contact of the countries of Europe, advice and assistance for EU citizens and their families.
