English
Butcher Trade License (Fleischer)
GewO §94 Z.18
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Exam fees: Covered by the federal government since July 2023
- Start immediately: Yes, upon registration
- Also needed: EU food hygiene compliance (HACCP)
What This Trade Covers
- Meat processing and production (sausages, ham, cured meats)
- Retail sale of meat and meat products
- Slaughtering (requires EU-approved facility)
- Catering with meat products (limited — for full catering see Gastgewerbe)
Butcher vs. Gastgewerbe
Selling prepared hot meals (e.g., a warm sausage stand) requires a separate
Gastgewerbe license. The Fleischer license covers raw and processed meat sales only.
Food Safety Requirements
- HACCP: Mandatory food safety management system
- EU Regulation 853/2004: Hygiene rules for meat processing
- Veterinary inspection: Required for slaughter operations
- Traceability: Full documentation from farm to customer
- Allergen labeling: EU Regulation 1169/2011
Market Trends
Regional quality, organic meat, and transparent supply chains are strong differentiators against supermarket meat counters. Many butchers now offer online ordering and home delivery as additional revenue streams.
Vollstaendige deutsche Version →
Qualification: how to prove it
Fleischer is a regulated trade under §94 Z.16 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the master craftsman exam (meisterprüfung).
- Examined by: Meisterprüfungsstelle WK
- Exam modules: 5
- Exam fee: €0 — exam fees are covered by the federal government
If you cannot sit the exam, these routes are open to you:
- Individual assessment under §19 GewO
- Gewerberechtlicher Geschäftsführer mit Meisterprüfung
Registering the trade
- Cost: Free — registration itself carries no fee
- Where: District administrative authority (Bezirksverwaltungsbehörde)
- Decision within: max. 3 months
- Typically takes: 1-5 Werktage (bei vollstaendigen Unterlagen)
- Start trading: immediately on registration — you do not have to wait for the decision
You can register in these ways:
- Online via GISA (the trade register)
- Online via USP (the business service portal)
- In person at the authority
Who may register
- Minimum age: 18
- Citizenship or residence: Austria, EU, EEA or Switzerland
- Clean record: no disqualifying convictions (checked by the authority)
Documents to bring
- Photo ID
- Master craftsman certificate (Meisterprüfungszeugnis)
- Criminal record certificate
Terms shown in German are the ones printed on the Austrian forms — you will meet them exactly like this at the authority.
Where to go, by province
| Province | Competent authority |
|---|---|
| Carinthia | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Klagenfurt/Villach |
| Upper Austria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Linz/Wels/Steyr |
| Burgenland | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Vorarlberg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Bregenz |
Legal basis: GewO 1994 §94 Z.16 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.