English
HVAC & Refrigeration (Kälte- und Klimatechnik)
GewO §94 Z.33
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: Qualification exam or relevant technical degree
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- F-gas certificate: EU F-gas Regulation certification mandatory for refrigerant handling
- Growing sector: High demand due to heat pumps and climate adaptation
What This Trade Covers
- Installation and maintenance of air conditioning systems
- Commercial and industrial refrigeration systems
- Heat pump installation and commissioning
- Cold room and cold chain logistics infrastructure
- Ventilation systems and indoor air quality solutions
- Refrigerant handling, recovery, and disposal (F-gas compliant)
F-gas Regulation compliance is mandatory
Anyone handling fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFCs) must hold a valid EU F-gas certificate
(EU Regulation 2024/573). This applies to installation, servicing, and decommissioning
of cooling and AC systems. The F-gas certificate is separate from the GewO trade license
and must be renewed periodically.
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Kälte-/Klimatechnik is a regulated trade under §94 Z.33 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.33 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.