English
Musical Instrument Maker (Musikinstrumentenerzeuger)
GewO §94 Z.46
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Scope: All instrument types (strings, wind, keyboard, percussion)
- Note: Includes repair, restoration, and piano tuning
What This Trade Covers
- Handcrafted instrument construction (violins, guitars, flutes, etc.)
- Piano and organ building
- Instrument repair and restoration
- Piano tuning and voicing
- Custom modifications and setup work
Repair vs. Retail
Simply selling finished instruments (music shop) is a free trade. The
regulated license is needed for manufacturing, repair, and restoration
work that requires craft knowledge.
Qualification Alternatives
- Master exam (Meisterpruefung) for instrument makers
- Relevant education (e.g., luthier school) + practical experience
- Individual assessment (§19 GewO) with documented expertise
- Qualified manager (§39 GewO) who holds the qualification
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Instrumentenbauer is a regulated trade under §94 Z.47 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the qualification exam (befähigungsprüfung).
- Examined by: 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.47 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.