Practice of medicine Permission in the field of psychotherapy

If you wish to practise medicine in the field of psychotherapy, you must apply for a license to do so.

The practice of psychotherapy is medicine within the meaning of the Heilpraktikergesetz and can be practiced by doctors and other persons who have a license to practice medicine in accordance with the Psychotherapists Act.

Other persons who do not have this license require either an unrestricted license as a non-medical practitioner or a license as a non-medical practitioner (psychotherapy) limited to the field of psychotherapy in accordance with the Non-Medical Practitioners Act in order to practice psychotherapy.

Local health authorities

• Application form,
• medical certificate,
• identity card or passport,
• a birth certificate/name change certificate for name changes,
• a curriculum vitae in tabular form,
• if applicable, a registration certificate (if the identification document is not an identity card),
• information from the Federal Central Register (document type 0),
• a certified copy of proof of successful graduation from school.

In addition, if the verification is carried out on the basis of files:

• A diploma or master's degree in psychology with a focus on clinical psychology,

completed therapy training in a generally recognized method.

Forms available: Yes

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: No

Applications / forms can be found on the homepage of the local health authority.

You must

• be at least 25 years old,
• have German citizenship,
• have at least a secondary school leaving certificate or another equivalent qualification,
• be physically and mentally fit to practise medicine and have the necessary

be able to prove the necessary reliability by means of an official certificate of good conduct.

Appeal (appeal may be excluded depending on state law), administrative court action

• You submit the application to practise medicine, including all necessary documents, to the competent authority.
• Written and oral examination or decision based on the file
• The competent authority checks whether all requirements have been met
• If the examination is positive, you will be granted a license.

There is no overriding deadline; individual deadlines result from examination dates and any requirements for evidence.

If you have submitted an application for permission to practice, the competent authority will decide on this promptly. Please note that there is usually a waiting period between application and invitation to the examination. In the run-up to the examination, the necessary documents are requested and invitations are sent out.

Is based on the respective administrative fee schedule of the federal state or on the fee statutes of the authorities responsible under federal state law.