English
Chemical Laboratory (Chemische Laboratorien)
GewO §94 Z.10
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: University degree in chemistry or related field, or qualification exam
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Standards: ISO 17025 accreditation recommended for commercial testing
- Additional: GLP compliance may be required for pharmaceutical/environmental work
- Regulatory body: Akkreditierung Austria (Federal Ministry for Labour and Economy)
What This Trade Covers
- Chemical analysis and testing services for third parties
- Environmental testing (water, soil, air quality)
- Food and beverage quality analysis
- Pharmaceutical quality control and raw material testing
- Material testing and composition analysis
- Expert reports and certificates of analysis
Accreditation vs. Trade License
The GewO trade license permits you to operate a commercial lab. However, for legally
recognized test results (e.g. for courts or regulatory submissions), you typically also
need ISO 17025 accreditation from Akkreditierung Austria. The trade license alone does
not replace accreditation requirements.
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Chemisches Labor is a regulated trade under §94 Z.8 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the qualification exam (befähigungsprüfung).
- Examined by: 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
- Appointing a qualified managing director
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
- Certificate of competence (Befähigungsnachweis)
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Vienna | Magistrat der Stadt Wien, MA 63 |
| Lower Austria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Upper Austria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Linz/Wels/Steyr |
| Styria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Graz |
| Tyrol | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Innsbruck |
| Salzburg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Salzburg |
| Carinthia | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Klagenfurt/Villach |
| Burgenland | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Vorarlberg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Bregenz |
Legal basis: GewO 1994 §94 Z.8 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.