Taxi/hire car services; registration for the examination to acquire the professional qualification to run a company
To open a company that transports people by road you must prove your professional qualification.
Description
If you want to open a bus, cab or rental car company, you need a permit from the relevant authority. One prerequisite is your professional qualification, which you usually prove by passing an examination. In Germany, you take the exam at your local Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK).
Depending on the nature of your business, you will take the exam either for cab and rental car transport or for bus transport.
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 operation of your company. 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 consists of two written parts and, if applicable, an oral part. The result of the examination is determined by an examination board.
The examination is an overall examination consisting of two written parts 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.
You may be certified eligible without taking the exam in certain cases through transitional arrangements. If you have completed training in passenger transportation that began before Dec. 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 a bus company for ten years before 2009, you can be issued with a certificate of suitability on application even without taking the examination. See also the information sheet in the additional information.
You can also prove your professional suitability for taxi/hire car transport without taking the examination if you can prove that you have been working in a corresponding company for at least three years.
Prerequisites
- For examination registration: none
- For proof by training: Completion in an apprenticeship started before 4.12.2011 as:
- Management assistant in rail and road transport, specialization: passenger transport
- Transport specialist (m/f)
- Business economist (DAV) from the German Academy of Foreign Trade and Transport in Bremen
- Diplom-Betriebswirt/Diplom-Betriebswirtin in the Department of Economics I, Transport Economics and Logistics, Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences
- Diplom-Verkehrsfachwirt/Diplom-Verkehrsfachwirtin at the Dresden University of Technology
- Bachelor of Arts degree in Transport Business Administration and Logistics, specialization in Transport Logistics from Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences
- For proof by professional experience:
- For bus transport: at least 10 years of managerial work in a bus company
- For cab transport: at least three years of managerial work in a cab and rental car company
Procedure
For proof of suitability by examination, first register for the examination in writing or online at your local IHK. When doing so, you must select whether you wish to take the examination for road haulage or for taxi/hire car transport.
- The IHK will confirm your registration for the exam.
- You will first successfully take the two written exams.
- After passing the written exam, you will take the oral exam.
- Approximately 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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