Building Cleaning (Gebaeudereinigung)
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: Qualification exam
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Exam fees: Covered by the federal government since July 2023
- Start immediately: Yes, upon registration
- Market: Growing — office buildings, hotels, industry
What This Trade Covers
- Office and commercial building cleaning
- Staircase and common area maintenance
- Window cleaning (exterior and interior)
- Industrial cleaning
- Post-construction cleaning
- Facade cleaning
Market Advantage: Certifications
For public tenders and large contracts, certifications matter:
- ISO 9001 — Quality management
- ISO 14001 — Environmental management
- OENORM D 2050 — Austrian cleaning standards
Vollstaendige deutsche Version →
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Is building cleaning different from household cleaning?
Yes, commercial building cleaning is regulated. Simple household cleaning can be a free trade without qualification.
Do I need ISO certification for cleaning contracts?
Not legally required, but ISO 9001 gives a major advantage in public tenders and large commercial contracts.
Qualification: how to prove it
Gebäudereinigung is a regulated trade under §94 Z.11 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the master craftsman exam (meisterprüfung).
- 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 |
| 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.11 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.