English
Dry Cleaner (Textilreiniger)
GewO §94 Z.70
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Environmental: Chemical solvent handling regulations apply
- Note: Simple laundry services (wash & fold) may be free trade
What This Trade Covers
- Chemical dry cleaning of textiles
- Wet cleaning (professional aqua cleaning)
- Leather and suede cleaning
- Carpet and upholstery cleaning (industrial)
- Textile finishing and stain removal
- Hotel and hospital laundry services
Environmental Regulations
Dry cleaning uses chemical solvents (perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon-based).
A business premises approval (Betriebsanlagengenehmigung) is mandatory.
The VOC Directive (volatile organic compounds) limits solvent emissions,
and wastewater from cleaning must be properly treated.
Dry Cleaning vs. Laundry
Operating a self-service laundromat (coin-operated washing machines) is typically a free trade. The regulated trade license is required for professional chemical cleaning and specialized textile care services.
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Textilreiniger is a regulated trade under §94 Z.63 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 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.63 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.