Physician; application for a license to practice medicine

Physicians can apply for a license to practice medicine if they have completed their medical training in Bavaria or in an EU member state, an EEA member state or in Switzerland and wish to practice medicine in Bavaria.

Description

Anyone who wants to work as a doctor in Germany after completing a degree in human medicine needs a special professional license - the Approbation. In Bavaria, this is issued by the government of Upper Bavaria and the government of Lower Franconia. If you studied medicine in the administrative districts of Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Swabia or Upper Palatinate, the Government of Upper Bavaria is responsible for you. If you graduated in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia and Lower Franconia, the Government of Lower Franconia is responsible.


The Government of Lower Franconia will also grant you a license to practice medicine if you have studied in a member state of the European Union (EU) or another contracting state of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and will in future be working as a doctor in the administrative districts of Upper Franconia, Middle Franconia or Lower Franconia. If you intend to work in the administrative districts of Upper or Lower Bavaria, Swabia or Upper Palatinate, the Government of Upper Bavaria is your contact.

Prerequisites

Approbation is subject to various requirements relating to successful completion of studies, personal and health suitability for practicing the profession, and sufficient German language skills.

Special notes

In the case of merely temporary and occasional medical activity (service), a license or permit is not required. Rather, for the provision of services, it is sufficient to register with the competent authority and submit certain documents (see under "Related topics").

Deadlines

The application for licensure is not bound by any time limit.

Required documents

  • Birth certificate/parentage certificate or extract from the parents' family register

    (certified copy)

  • if the name used differs from that on the birth certificate: proof of a change of name (e.g. marriage certificate)

    (certified copy)

  • valid proof of identity (e.g. passport)

    (certified copy)

  • complete and personally signed curriculum vitae

    (tabular and chronological list of the training courses completed and the relevant gainful activities pursued, stating the periods (month/year) and enclosing the relevant supporting documents)

  • medical certificate (original)

    This must be issued and signed by a general practitioner or internist practicing in Germany or another state party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in Switzerland and bear a practice or clinic stamp. If the practice or clinic stamp is not available in German, a German translation of the stamp is required.

  • Proof of exemption from punishment

    • Submission of criminal record extracts from all countries outside Germany in which the applicant has resided for more than six months.
    • The criminal record excerpts must not be older than three months at the time the application is received.
    • A certified copy of each of these extracts must be submitted.
    • In addition, a certificate of good conduct of the type "O", if the applicant has already stayed in Germany for more than six months in the past or has had or still has a residence in Germany.
    • In Germany, this must be applied for at the registration office of the place of residence, stating the purpose "Approbation as a physician". The certificate of good conduct is sent directly to the competent authority by the Federal Office of Justice.

  • Proof of your completed education (certified copy)

    • In the case of training in Bavaria, this is sent directly to the Berufszulassungsstelle by the Landesprüfungsamt.
    • In the case of training in an EU member state, an EEA member state or in Switzerland: proof of training such as diploma or, if applicable, further country-specific proof in accordance with Annex 5 of Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications.

  • for training abroad: if applicable, certificate of good standing (certified copy)

    Required from all countries where the health professional activity has already been practiced.

  • for training abroad: language test to prove the required language skills

    (The registration with the competent chamber of health professions is carried out by the professional registration office. The result is transmitted directly from there).

Forms

Please select a location in "Localization" so that the address of the responsible authority can be filled in.

  • Prefillable Form, Bavaria-wide: Ärztliches Attest
    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.

Online procedures

Fees

  • A fee of 200 EUR is payable for the license to practice medicine. If you completed your training in an EU member state, an EEA member state or in Switzerland, the fee is 250 to 500 EUR. There are additional costs for the specialist language test.

Remedy

Administrative court proceedings; information

administrative claim

Status:19.09.2023

Responsible for editing:Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit und Pflege

Contains machine translated content. Show the original content

  • 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
  • Fees, locally limited
Bild zur Leistungsbeschreibung

Responsible for you

If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.