English
Optician (Augenoptik)
GewO §94 Z.2
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade
- Qualification: Qualification exam
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Contact lenses: Included in the qualification
- Investment: €50,000-150,000 for workshop equipment
- Note: Medical eye exams require an ophthalmologist
What This Trade Covers
- Vision testing (refraction measurement)
- Prescription glasses fitting and manufacturing
- Contact lens fitting and adaptation
- Low-vision aids
- Sunglasses with corrective lenses
Optician vs. Ophthalmologist
Opticians measure vision and fit corrective lenses. Diagnosing eye diseases
(glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration) is exclusively reserved for
ophthalmologists (medical doctors).
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Augenoptik is a regulated trade under §94 Z.1 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:
- Optometrie-Studium + Praxis
- 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
- Master craftsman certificate (Meisterprüfungszeugnis)
- 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.1 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.