Heating Technician (Heizungstechnik)
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: Qualification exam
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Exam fees: Covered by government since July 2023
- Start immediately: Yes, upon registration
- Also covers: HVAC, ventilation, cooling systems
Why This Trade Is Booming
What This Trade Covers
- Heat pump installation and commissioning
- Biomass heating systems (pellets, wood chips)
- Solar thermal systems
- Gas and oil heating (existing systems)
- Underfloor heating and radiator systems
- Ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
Qualification Alternatives
- Qualification exam (Befaehigungspruefung)
- HTL diploma in mechanical engineering + 3 years experience
- University/FH degree in relevant engineering + 2 years experience
- Individual assessment (§19 GewO)
- Qualified manager (§39 GewO)
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Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is heating technology booming in Austria?
Austria's Raus aus Oel und Gas initiative drives massive demand for heat pumps, biomass, and solar thermal. Subsidies of up to 7,500 euros per household.
Does the heating license cover air conditioning?
Yes, Heizungstechnik covers heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC). The qualification includes all three areas.
Qualification: how to prove it
Heizungstechnik is a regulated trade under §94 Z.27 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the qualification exam (befähigungsprüfung).
- 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:
- Lehrabschluss + Praxis
- Relevant HTL technical college plus practical experience
- Individual assessment under §19 GewO
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.27 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.