Hairdresser License (Friseur und Perückenmacher)
Key Facts
- Type: Craft trade (Handwerk) — Master exam required
- Master exam: 5 modules — free since 1 July 2023 (first and second attempt)
- Registration: Free (€0)
- Barber shops: Same license required (falls under Friseur)
- Start immediately: Yes
Important for Non-German Speakers
Can I open a barber shop?
Yes, but barber shops fall under the same trade license as hairdressers (Friseur und Perückenmacher / Stylist, §94 Z.18). The master exam or an alternative qualification is required.
Qualification Paths
- Master exam (Meisterprüfung) — 5 modules, free since July 2023
- Individual assessment — apprenticeship + years of experience
- Qualified manager — appoint someone with the master qualification
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What exam do I need to open a hair salon in Austria?
The hairdresser trade requires a Master exam (Meisterpruefung). Exam fees are covered by the government since 2023.
Can I rent a chair in someone else's salon instead?
Yes, chair rental (Stuhlmiete) is a common way to start with lower risk while building your own client base.
Qualification: how to prove it
Friseur is a regulated trade under §94 Z.18 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the master craftsman exam (meisterprüfung).
- Examined by: Meisterprüfungsstelle der Wirtschaftskammer
- 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:
- Individuelle Befähigung (Lehrabschluss + langjährige Berufspraxis + Weiterbildung)
- Bestellung eines gewerberechtlichen Geschäftsführers mit Meisterprüfung
Registering the trade
- Cost: Free — registration itself carries no fee
- Where: District administrative authority — Bezirkshauptmannschaft or Magistrat
- 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
- By post
Who may register
- Minimum age: 18
- Citizenship or residence: Austria, EU, EEA or Switzerland — third-country nationals with a residence permit are also eligible
- Clean record: no disqualifying convictions (checked by the authority)
Documents to bring
- Valid photo ID
- Meisterprüfungszeugnis (oder individueller Befähigungsnachweis)
- Strafregisterbescheinigung (bei <5 Jahren Aufenthalt in AT)
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 | MA 63 |
| Styria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Graz |
| Tyrol | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Innsbruck |
| Carinthia | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Klagenfurt/Villach |
| Upper Austria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Linz/Wels/Steyr |
| Burgenland | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Vorarlberg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Bregenz |
Legal basis: GewO 1994 §94 Z.18 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.