Starting a business in Austria? Verified information directly from Austrian law. Free. Independent. Current.
Direct answers with the provision beside them. The source throughout is the Austrian Trade Act (Gewerbeordnung 1994) via RIS; each linked page states its own date of checking. Legal information, not legal advice.
Only for a regulated trade. A free trade you register without any proof of qualification. For the 75 regulated ones you must document your professional competence — § 94 GewO 1994 lists which activities belong there.
§ 5 and § 94 GewO 1994 · Free vs. regulated
Nothing. The registration itself is free of charge — no stamp duty, no administrative fee. The fees for qualification exams have been carried by the federal government since 2023.
BMWET and WKO · What it really costs
Yes, through the individual qualification assessment under § 19 GewO 1994. Whoever can do professionally what the exam asks for proves it to the authority directly — with certificates and evidence of the work done, instead of an examination certificate.
§ 19 GewO 1994 · Individual assessment
Usually yes — but not for thirteen items of § 94. As a rule you may begin once the registration is complete and need not wait for a decision. For the reliability trades, starting before the decision is final is punishable under § 95 Abs 1 GewO 1994.
§ 95 Abs 1 GewO 1994 · Trades that cannot start immediately
The Gewerbeinformationssystem Austria, the nationwide register of all active trade licences. Whoever registers a trade in Austria appears in it afterwards. The lookup is public and free.
§§ 365 to 365e GewO 1994 · What GISA is
Read our complete step-by-step registration guide →
View all 75 trades in English →
You will encounter these terms on official forms and documents:
| German Term | English | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Gewerbe | Trade | A regulated business activity |
| Gewerbeanmeldung | Trade registration | The act of registering your trade |
| Gewerbeberechtigung | Trade license | Your authorization to practice |
| Befähigungsnachweis | Qualification proof | Evidence of professional competency |
| Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde | District authority | The office that processes registrations |
| Gewerbeordnung (GewO) | Trade Act | The law governing trades in Austria |
| GISA | Trade Information System | Online registration portal |