English
Communication Electronics (Kommunikationselektronik)
GewO §94 Z.37
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master craftsperson examination (Meisterprüfung) or equivalent
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Related apprenticeship: Elektronik — Kommunikationselektronik (3.5 years)
- Growing demand: Smart home, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), and building automation drive strong market
What This Trade Covers
- Planning, installation, and maintenance of structured cabling and network infrastructure
- Fiber optic cable installation, splicing, and testing (FTTH/FTTB)
- Smart home and building automation system integration (KNX, Loxone, etc.)
- Intercom, video door entry, and access control systems
- Satellite, terrestrial, and cable TV reception systems
- Alarm and security system installation (intrusion detection, CCTV)
Important distinction: Communication Electronics covers low-voltage signal and data systems. Mains electrical wiring (230V/400V power circuits, lighting, distribution boards) requires the separate Elektrotechnik license (§94 Z.16). In practice many firms hold both licenses, but each requires its own proof of competence.
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Kommunikationselektronik is a regulated trade under §94 Z.35 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
- 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.35 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.