Trade registration in Austria

Free and regulated trades, requirements, authority workflow and fees for registering your business activity.

1. What is a Gewerbe?

A Gewerbe is any self-employed, recurring, profit-oriented activity that is not expressly excluded from the Trade Act (GewO) — for example farming or the "free professions" (doctors, lawyers, tax advisors). Anyone starting a business in Austria usually needs a trade licence.

2. Free vs. regulated trades

Free trades (about 440 types) can be registered without proof of qualification — e.g. commerce, IT services, agency work, advertising.

Regulated trades (about 80 types) require a formal qualification certificate — master craftsman exam, a relevant degree, practical experience or an individual aptitude test. Typical examples: construction, plumbing, hospitality, cosmetics, real-estate trustees. The full list is in §§ 94 ff. GewO.

3. Personal requirements

Age 18+
Valid residence title with access to self-employment (third-country nationals)
No disqualifying grounds (bankruptcy without payment plan, certain criminal records)
Proof of qualification for regulated trades

4. Registration procedure

Find your authority: district authority (BH) or city magistrate at the business location.
Prepare documents: passport, registration slip (Meldezettel), criminal record extract (max. 3 months old), residence permit and proof of qualification if needed.
File online via USP.gv.at or in person.
Receive your trade licence: for free trades, activity may start immediately upon registration.
WKO membership is triggered automatically by the registration.

5. Fees

Trade registration itself is free of charge (since 2015).
Administrative fees apply for certificates and formal decisions.
WKO annual levy depends on your sector, typically €50–250.
Regulated trades may trigger exam or qualification-recognition fees.

6. After registration

Register with SVS within one month.
Tax registration at the finance office (Verf 24 / Verf 26).
VAT ID where turnover exceeds the small-business threshold (€35,000, from 2025 €55,000) or for intra-EU services.
Employer account with ÖGK if you hire staff.

7. Common pitfalls

Assuming a trade is "free" when it is actually regulated (e.g. trading medical devices).
Ignoring site/facility approvals for gastronomy or workshops.
Missing residence title with access to self-employment.