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

You can enter your professional qualification from abroad in the Register of Craftsmen. To do this, you must have your professional qualification recognized by the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.

There are around 200 professions in the skilled trades in Germany. 53 of these professions require a license:

• Bricklayers and concrete workers
• Stove and air heating installer
• carpenters
• Roofer
• Road builder
• Heat, cold and sound insulators
• Well builders
• Stonemasons and stone sculptors
• Plasterers
• Painters and varnishers
• Scaffolders
• Chimney sweeps
• Metalworkers
• Surgical mechanics
• Car body and vehicle builder
• Precision mechanic
• Two-wheeler mechanic
• Refrigeration engineer
• Information technician
• Automotive technician
• Agricultural and construction machinery mechatronics technician
• Gunsmith
• Plumber
• Plumber and heating engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Electrician
• Carpenters
• Boat and ship builders
• ropemaker
• Bakers
• Confectioners
• Butchers
• opticians
• Hearing acoustician
• Orthopedic technicians
• Orthopedic shoemaker
• Dental technicians
• Hairdressers
• Glaziers
• Glassblowers and glass apparatus makers
• Mechanics for tire and vulcanization technology
• Tile, slab and mosaic layers
• Stone and terrazzo manufacturers
• Screed layers
• Tank and apparatus builders
• Parquet layers
• Roller shutter and sun protection technicians
• Wood turners (ivory carvers) and wooden toy makers
• Cooper
• Glass finishers
• Sign and illuminated sign makers
• Interior decorators
• Organ and harmonium builders

These so-called master trades are regulated. This means that you may only work permanently and independently in these professions if you are entered in the register of craftsmen. To be entered in the register of craftsmen, you must provide proof of a specific professional qualification in the relevant craft (master craftsman title). You can also be entered in the register of craftsmen 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 assessment". After a successful equivalence assessment, you can be entered in the Register of Craftsmen. However, you will not receive a master craftsman title. The Chambers of Crafts and Trades are responsible for determining equivalence in trades requiring a license. The Chambers of Skilled Crafts will advise you before you submit your application and identify the appropriate occupation in the skilled crafts sector 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 an exemption permit (§ 9 HWO). The Chambers of Skilled Crafts can advise you on this.

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

• You submit an "Application for equivalence assessment" to the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
• For professional qualifications from the EU/EEA/Switzerland: You can submit the application and the 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 will then compare your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and check the equivalence. If your professional qualification is equivalent, it will be recognized. You will then receive the notification of equivalence by post or electronically (notification of recognition).
• If your professional qualification is not equivalent, it will not be recognized. You will then receive notification of the differences in your professional qualification. You then have the right to a compensation measure: this can be an adaptation period or an aptitude test. If you successfully complete the compensation measure, you will receive the notice of equivalence.
• With the notice of equivalence, you can be entered in the Register of Craftsmen. To do this, you must submit an "Application for entry in the Register of Craftsmen".

The competent authority will inform you of any missing documents. You will also be told by when you have to submit them.

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

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

In individual cases, the procedure may be extended once.

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

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

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

  Important documents are generally

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

  The Chamber of Skilled Crafts will inform you which documents you must submit in the original or as a certified copy.

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