Crafts subject to licensing; application for recognition of a foreign professional qualification

You can register your professional qualification from abroad in the register of skilled crafts. To do this, you must have your professional qualification recognized by the Chamber of Crafts.

Description

There are approximately 200 professions in the skilled trades in Germany. 53 of these professions are subject to licensing:

  • Bricklayers and concrete builders
  • Furnace and air heating installers
  • Carpenter
  • Roofers
  • Road builder
  • heat, cold and sound insulators
  • Well builders
  • Stonemasons and stone sculptors
  • Plasterers
  • Painters and varnishers
  • Scaffolders
  • Chimney sweep
  • Metal workers
  • Surgical mechanics
  • Car body and vehicle builders
  • Precision mechanic
  • Two-wheeler mechanic
  • Refrigeration plant fitter
  • Information technician
  • Automotive technician
  • Agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics
  • Gunsmith
  • Plumber
  • Plumber and heating engineer
  • Electrical engineer
  • Electrician machine builder
  • Carpenter
  • Boat and ship builders
  • Ropers
  • Bakers
  • Confectioners
  • Butchers
  • Opticians
  • Hearing aid acoustician
  • Orthopedic technicians
  • Orthopedic shoemaker
  • Dental technician
  • Hairdressers
  • Glaziers
  • Glassblowers and glass apparatus makers
  • Mechanics for tire and vulcanization technology
  • Tile, slab and mosaic layers
  • Stone and terrazzo masons
  • Screed layer
  • Tank and apparatus builders
  • Parquet layers
  • Roller shutter and sun protection technicians
  • Wood turner (ivory carver) and wooden toy maker
  • Cooper
  • Glass finishers
  • Sign and illuminated sign makers
  • Interior decorators
  • Organ and harmonium builders

These so-called master crafts are regulated. This means that you are only allowed to work independently in these professions on a permanent basis if you are entered in the register of skilled crafts. In order to be entered in the register of craftsmen, you must prove that you have a specific professional qualification in the relevant craft (master craftsman title). You can also be entered in the Register of Skilled Crafts with a professional qualification from abroad. To do this, you must have your professional qualification recognized by the Chamber of Skilled Crafts. The recognition procedure is called "equivalence determination". After a successful equivalence determination, you can be entered in the register of skilled crafts. However, you will not receive a master craftsman's title. The Chambers of Skilled Crafts are responsible for determining the equivalence of crafts that are subject to licensing. The Chambers of Skilled Crafts will advise you before you apply and identify the appropriate profession in the skilled crafts for you.

Note: For nationals of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, there is another recognition procedure: the granting of exceptional approval (§ 9 HWO). The Chambers of Skilled Crafts will advise you on this.

Prerequisites

  • You have a training certificate that was acquired abroad.
  • This proof of training - if required - is equivalent to the master craftsman's examination in the craft to be practiced, taking into account any other proof of qualification.
  • You intend to take up gainful employment in Germany.

Procedure

  • You submit an "Application for Equivalency Determination" to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
  • For professional qualifications from the EU/EEA/Switzerland: You can submit the application and documents directly to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts or to the Single Point of Contact. You can also submit the application electronically via the Single Point of Contact.
  • The Chamber of Skilled Crafts then compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks the equivalence. If your professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognized. You will then receive the notification of equivalence (notification of recognition) by mail or electronically.
  • If your professional qualification is not equivalent, it will not be recognized. You will then receive a notice of the differences in your professional qualification. You then have the right to a compensatory measure: this can be an adaptation course or an aptitude test. If you successfully complete the compensatory measure, you will receive the notification of equivalence.
  • With the certificate of equivalence you can be registered in the register of craftsmen. To do this, you must submit an "Application for Entry in the Register of Skilled Crafts".

Deadlines

If any documents are missing, the competent authority will inform you of this and determine by when you must submit the documents.

Processing time

The Chamber of Crafts will confirm that your documents have arrived after a maximum of one month. The Chamber of Crafts will inform you if any documents are missing.

If all necessary documents are available, the procedure takes a maximum of 3 months.

In individual cases, the procedure can be extended once.

For professional qualifications from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, the procedure may be extended by a maximum of one month.

Required documents

  • The Chamber of Crafts will inform you which documents you need to submit.

    Important documents are generally:

    • Proof of identity (passport or ID card)
    • Fully completed application form
    • List in tabular form of your education and professional experience (curriculum vitae)
    • Proof of education
    • Certificate of the type and duration of relevant professional experience
    • If the profession is regulated in your country of training: a certificate that you are allowed to practice the profession in your country of training. The certificate must be from the competent authority in your country of training.
    • A declaration that you have not yet applied for an equivalence assessment.
    • possibly a proof that you want to work in Germany (not applicable for applicants from EU/EEA/Switzerland)

    The Chamber of Skilled Crafts will inform you which documents you have to submit as originals or as certified copies.

    You must submit your documents in German. The translations must be done by publicly appointed or authorized translators.

Forms

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Antrag auf Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung – Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Antrag auf Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung – Handwerkskammer für Schwaben
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Antrag auf Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung – Handwerkskammer für die Handwerkskammer Niederbayern-Oberpfalz
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Antrag auf Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung – Handwerkskammer für Oberfranken
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

  • Form, Bavaria-wide: Antrag auf Gleichwertigkeitsfeststellung – Handwerkskammer für Mittelfranken
    Please note

    This form has to be signed and sent to the responsible authority. You can sign the form manually and send it by email/fax or sign the form electronically with your qualified electronic signature an send it by (secure) email. If the responsible authority has set up a De-Mail account, you can also send the form by De-Mail using an sender-confirmed message.

Fees

  • The procedure is subject to a fee. For the notification, the fee framework of the respective Chamber of Skilled Crafts is decisive, which is defined in the individual fee regulations and schedules of the Chambers of Skilled Crafts. For example, fees of EUR 100.00-600.00 are generally charged for the notification of the equivalence of foreign training certificates in accordance with § 50b HwO in conjunction with the Act on the Determination of the Equivalence of Professional Qualifications (Professional Qualification Determination Act - BQFG). The actual amount of the fees depends on the complexity of the procedure. Additional costs may be incurred (e.g. for translations or certification of documents). These costs vary individually. The Chamber of Crafts will inform you about the costs.

Remedy

Administrative court proceedings; information

The decision of the Board is subject to administrative appeal pursuant to Section 40 VwGO.

Status:20.12.2022

Responsible for editing:Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie

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  • Online transactions, Bavaria-wide
  • Online transactions, locally limited
  • Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Form, locally limited
  • Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, Bavaria-wide
  • Legal bases, locally limited
  • Fees, Bavaria-wide
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