Road haulage; registration for the examination to acquire the professional qualification to run a company
To open a company that transports goods by road, you must prove your professional qualification.
Description
You need this proof to apply for a road haulage permit for national freight transport or an EU license for freight transport in the European Union. As an entrepreneur or transport manager, you must prove your professional suitability to run a road haulage company in order to obtain the permit.
As a rule, you provide this proof by passing an examination. In Germany, you take the examination at your local Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).
In the exam you have to prove the legal knowledge, commercial basics, knowledge of technical standards and regulations as well as traffic safety necessary for the business. A more detailed list can also be found in the orientation framework, which is linked in the further notes.
You should prepare intensively for the exam in terms of content, for example by taking a preparatory course or intensive self-study. However, there are no legal requirements for registering for the exam.
The examination is an overall examination consisting of two written and one oral part. In both written parts, at least 50 percent of the respective score must be achieved in order to be admitted to the oral examination. The examination is passed if at least 50 percent of the score has also been achieved in the oral examination and at least 60 percent of the total score has been achieved overall. Those who have achieved at least 50 percent of the attainable score in both written parts and a total of at least 60 percent of the total score are exempt from the oral examination.
In certain cases, you may be certified as eligible without taking the exam through transitional arrangements. If you have completed training in the field of freight forwarding/logistics that began before December 4, 2011, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce will issue you a certificate upon request, even without taking the examination.
If you have already worked in a managerial position in the forwarding industry for ten years before 2009, you can apply for a certificate of suitability without taking the examination. See also the information sheet in the additional information.
Prerequisites
- For examination registration: none
- For proof by training: Completion in an apprenticeship started before 4.12.2011 as:
- Rail and road transport clerk, specializing in road freight transport
- Freight forwarding clerk
- Transport business administrator
- Diplom-Betriebswirt/Diplom-Betriebswirtin in the field of economics, specializing in freight forwarding at the Berufsakademien Lörrach and Mannheim
- Diplom-Betriebswirt/Diplom-Betriebswirtin in the field of economics I course of study Transport Economics and Logistics, specialization Freight Transport of the Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences,
- Bachelor of Arts, course of study in Business Administration/Forwarding, Transport and Logistics at the Universities of Cooperative Education in Lörrach and Mannheim
- Bachelor of Arts, degree program in Transport Business and Logistics, specialization in Transport Logistics at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences
- For proof by professional experience:
- At least 10 years of managerial work in a road haulage company.
Procedure
For proof of suitability by examination, first register for the examination in writing or online at your local IHK.
- The IHK will confirm your registration for the examination.
- You first successfully take the two written exams.
- After passing the written exam, you will take the oral exam.
- About 14 days after passing the exam, you will receive your certificate of professional qualification.
With the certificate, you can now apply for your permit to open your business with the relevant authorities.
For proof of professional suitability without taking the exams, send your written application including all supporting documents to the IHK. After processing, you will receive your certificate by mail.
Processing time
As a rule, you will receive your pass or fail notification about two weeks after taking the exam.
Required documents
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The following documents are required:
- If evidence by examination: none
- If evidence by degree: Proof of having passed the final examination
- In case of proof by professional experience: proof of your professional activities
Links to more information
Status: 20.02.2023
Responsible for editing: Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag e.V.
- Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
- Online transactions, locally limited
- Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
- Legal bases, locally limited
- Fees, Bavaria-wide
- Fees, locally limited
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