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Procedure descriptions

Registration in the Register of Craftsmen - Exemption for EU citizens (in accordance with § 9 Abs. 1 HWO) - application

Chambers of Crafts and Trades can grant exemptions from registration in the Register of Craftsmen to nationals of the following states:

  • Member states of the European Union (EU),
  • Other states that are party to the agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) or
  • Switzerland

Responsible department

The Chamber of Crafts and Trades in whose district your establishment will be located

Details

Prerequisite

Work experience

You must have practised at least one of the craft's activities, uninterrupted for a period of at least

  • six years in a self-employed capacity or as a manager of an undertaking, as long as the activity did not cease more than ten years before the application was made
  • three years in a self-employed capacity or as a manager of an undertaking, if this was preceded by a training period of at least three years
  • four years in a self-employed capacity or as a manager of an undertaking, if this was preceded by a training period of at least two years
  • three years in a self-employed capacity or five years as an employee, as long as the activity did not cease more than ten years before the application was made
  • five years in a senior position in a company. For at least three of these years, you must have performed an activity with technical tasks and with responsibility for at least one department of the company.
    In addition, you must have completed training for the activity for a period of at least three years.
    This does not apply to the hairdressing business.

Persons responsible for running a company are persons who were active in a company in the relevant business:

  • as the general manager of the company or of a branch of the company
  • as deputy for an owner or for the general manager if this position involved responsibility comparable with that of the person who was represented
  • in a managerial post with duties of a commercial or technical nature and with responsibility for one or more departments of the company

Caution: The following are exceptions to these regulations:

  • Opticians,
  • Hearing care professionals,
  • Orthopaedic technicians,
  • Orthopaedic shoemakers and
  • Dental technicians.

Educational and training certificates

You must have at least one of the following qualification levels:

  • Completed school education at a general secondary school, supplemented with
    • technical and vocational training,
    • a professional traineeship which was required in addition to the course or
    • professional practice in the relevant activity or
  • Completed school education at a general secondary school or a vocational secondary school, supplemented with
    • technical and vocational training,
    • a professional traineeship which was required in addition to the course or
    • professional practice in the activity

In the following cases you can also be granted an exemption:

  • In your country of origin, the trade is a regulated profession. Also, in your country of origin your qualification entitles you to carry out a key subactivity of the regulated profession.
  • The trade is not regulated in your country of origin and there is no state-regulated training for the activity. The training you have completed, however, corresponds to the qualification level described above.
    • You have also performed at least one key activity of the relevant trade as a full-time position for at least two years.
    • You performed this activity within the last 10 years.
  • The trade is not regulated in your country of origin but there is state-regulated training in the other member state. This corresponds to the qualification level described above and is
    • specifically geared to the pursuit of a specific profession, and
    • consists of a completed course of training, also together with a professional traineeship or professional practice in the relevant activity.
  • The training course you completed is listed in Annex III to Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications in its current version.

Note: In certain cases, the Chamber of Crafts and Trades can, as a compensatory measure, insist on participation in an adaptation training course with a maximum duration of three years. Only after this, will it grant the exemption. This is possible in the following cases:

  • The proven course of training is at least a year shorter than the course of training required in Germany or
  • Your training to date relates to subjects which are significantly different to those which are covered by the German master craftsman's examination in the relevant trade or
  • In Germany, the relevant trade consists of key activities which are not components of this profession in your country of origin. Also, there is a difference in the specific training,
    • which is required in Germany and
    • which relates to subjects which differ significantly from those which are covered by the attestation of competence or evidence of training which have been presented.

Compensatory measures are not ordered if the exemption is based on the recognition of professional experience. The same applies if the expertise you have gained as part of your professional experience compensates for the differences described above.

Procedure

You must apply for granting of an exemption to the competent Chamber of Crafts and Trades.

As a rule, you can also send the application by e-mail. The Chambers of Crafts and Trades (Handwerkskammern) provide a form for this purpose that you can download from the website of your competent Chamber.

After your documents have been examined, you will receive either a notice that you have been granted an exemption or a notice of rejection. On request, the Chamber of Crafts and Trades will listen to the competent professional organisation.

Deadlines

None

Required documents

  • Proof of nationality (copy of passport, identity card)
  • Certificate concerning the nature and duration of the activity (EU certificate), issued by the relevant authority or body of the country of origin
    For more information, contact the Chamber of Crafts and Trades.
  • Certification of training
    • by a state-recognised certificate or
    • recognition of the training by a responsible professional organisation in the country of origin
  • Documentation to the effect that exercise of the trade has not been forbidden in the country of origin due to unreliability. These documents must have been issued by the competent authority of the country of origin.

Note: If the documents mentioned above were not issued in the country of origin, they can be replaced by a declaration under penalty of perjury. In some countries this is not possible. There you can make a solemn declaration. You must make this declaration before

  • a competent authority,
  • a notary public or
  • a qualified professional body of the country of origin.

This authority, notary or body will certify your declaration. The documentation may not be more than three months old.

You must also submit translations of the documentation. This does not apply to the proof of nationality. In some cases, you may be required to submit a certified translation. This must be prepared by sworn certificate translators.

Note: In cases of doubt, the Chamber of Crafts and Trades can request further proofs.

Costs

The costs may vary. For information, please contact the competent Chamber of Crafts and Trades.

Miscellaneous

2

Detailed information

On the website of the European Commission you can find a "Regulated Professions Database", where you can search (even by country) for regulated professions.

Release note

8The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Baden-Württembergische Handwerkstag e. V. für die Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Handwerkskammern released the full description on 18.06.2020.
Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.
In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.

Contact

Bürger- und Standesamt (Bürgeramt)
Grabenstraße 15
89522 Heidenheim an der Brenz
Fax (0 73 21) 3 23-33 32