Apply for state recognition as a farrier

If you want to work as a farrier, you will need state recognition.
You can find out more here.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the shoeing of hooves and claws is an activity that requires state recognition as a certified farrier. This means that animal welfare concerns are also taken into account.
The quality of the farrier's work has a direct influence on the health of hoofed and cloven-hoofed animals.
In the narrower sense, this is a further training course to become a farrier. The prerequisite for further training is completed vocational training.

Examination certificates in the field of farriery and horseshoeing obtained outside Germany can be treated as equivalent in accordance with the Farriery Recognition Ordinance. This ordinance also regulates the procedure for state recognition for persons with equivalent examination certificates.

Please contact the Giessen Regional Council (veterinaer@rpgi.hessen.de) directly for the equivalence of examination certificates obtained abroad and state recognition for persons with equivalent examination certificates.

The Giessen Regional Council is responsible.

For further training completed in Germany:

• Identity document (e.g. passport or identity card)
• Proof of completed vocational training
• Proof of two years of full-time employment subject to social security contributions (e.g. an employment contract with at least 21 hours/week)
• Proof of successfully passing the examination after attending the required training courses
• Proof of the reliability required to exercise the profession (extended certificate of good conduct)

For persons with examination certificates obtained outside Germany:

• Clarification of the required documents by contacting the Giessen Regional Council (veterinaer@rpgi.hessen.de)

Forms available: No

Written form required: Yes

Informal application possible: No

Personal appearance necessary: No

You will receive state recognition as a farrier if you meet the following requirements:

• You have completed vocational training
• You have completed two years of full-time practical work, subject to social insurance contributions, with a farrier who has been practising the farriery trade for at least three years following state recognition as a farrier
• They have attended the required training courses and successfully passed an examination
• You have demonstrated the reliability required to exercise the profession

You will be granted state recognition as a farrier if you have been issued an examination certificate outside the Federal Republic of Germany and you apply for state recognition.

• Contact the Giessen Regional Council (veterinaer@rpgi.hessen.de) directly to clarify which documents you need for state recognition.

• Objection is excluded
• Administrative court action

• You submit the application, including the required supporting documents, to the competent authority
• They will check whether all requirements for state recognition have been met
• If the examination is positive, you will be granted state recognition as a farrier

You may only start working as a farrier once you have received state recognition. You do not have to meet any deadlines for the application.

The competent authority confirms receipt of the documents to the applicant within one month and informs the applicant whether any documents are missing.

A decision on equal status and state recognition must be made no later than three months after submission of the complete documents. This deadline may be extended by one month in justified cases that are particularly difficult to assess.

If there is any doubt as to the authenticity of the certificates and evidence of formal qualifications submitted or the rights conferred by them, the competent authority or body in the country of origin may verify the authenticity or the rights conferred by them; the expiry of the deadline is suspended for this period.

Additional costs may also be incurred (e.g. for translations or notarizations). These costs may vary depending on the scope of the application.
The amount of costs is based on the Administrative Cost Regulations for the Ministry of the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (VwKostO-MUKLV) of December 8, 2009 on the basis of the General Administrative Cost Regulations (AllgVwKostO).

plus shipping costs: Fee from 100,00 EUR to 500,00 EUR (Information on cost composition can be found here)

Anyone who intentionally or negligently practises farriery and hoof trimming as a farrier or the specialist training at farriery schools as a farriery instructor without the required state recognition is acting in breach of the regulations.