English
Massage Trade License (Massage)
GewO §94 Z.43 Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: Qualification exam — 5 modules
- Cost: Free registration, exam fees covered by government
- Mobile massage: Possible (specify location at registration)
- NOT the same as: Physiotherapy or medical massage (health professions, not trades)
Critical Distinction
Commercial Massage vs. Medical Massage
- Commercial massage (§94 Z.43 GewO) = regulated trade. Covers: classic, sports, wellness, aromatherapy massage.
- Medical massage (Heilmassage) = health profession under separate law (MMHmG). NOT a trade.
- Physiotherapy = health profession. NOT a trade.
Translation Status: UNOFFICIAL
Legally binding is exclusively the German text.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between wellness and medical massage?
The Gewerbemassage covers wellness/relaxation massage. Medical massage (Heilmassage) requires additional healthcare qualifications.
Can I work in hotels with a massage license?
Yes, hotel spa partnerships are a popular and stable revenue channel for massage therapists.
Qualification: how to prove it
Massage is a regulated trade under §94 Z.43 of the Austrian Trade Act (GewO 1994). The standard route is the qualification exam (befähigungsprüfung).
- 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:
- Lehrabschlussprüfung Masseur/in
- Individuelle Befähigung bei einschlägiger Ausbildung + Praxis
- Appointing a qualified managing director
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
- Befähigungsnachweis (Prüfungszeugnis oder LAP Masseur)
- 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 |
|---|---|
| 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.43 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.