Roofer Trade License (Dachdecker)
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Exam fees: Covered by the federal government since July 2023
- Start immediately: Yes, upon registration
- Growth area: Photovoltaic roof integration
What This Trade Covers
- Pitched roof construction and repair (tiles, slate, metal)
- Flat roof systems (bitumen, EPDM, PVC membranes)
- Roof insulation and waterproofing
- Attic conversions (roof structure modifications)
- Storm damage repair and emergency services
- Solar panel mounting structures (substructure only)
Photovoltaic Opportunity
Roofers can install PV mounting substructures as part of roofing work. The electrical connection requires an Elektrotechnik license (§94 Z.16). Many roofers partner with electricians for full-service PV installations.
Qualification Alternatives
- Master exam (Meisterpruefung) for roofers
- HTL diploma in building technology + 3 years experience
- Individual assessment (§19 GewO) with extensive experience
- Qualified manager (§39 GewO)
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Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Can roofers install solar panels?
Roofers can install PV mounting substructures. The electrical connection requires an Elektrotechnik license. Partnerships are common.
Is storm damage repair a good business model?
Yes, emergency storm repair services command premium rates and provide immediate revenue.
Two further activities come with this licence
Qualification: how to prove it
Dachdecker is a regulated trade under §94 Z.11 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 who holds the master craftsman certificate
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 vollständigen 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 |
| Salzburg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Salzburg |
| Carinthia | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Klagenfurt/Villach |
| Styria | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Graz |
| Tyrol | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Innsbruck |
| Burgenland | Bezirkshauptmannschaft |
| Vorarlberg | Bezirkshauptmannschaft / Magistrat Bregenz |
Sole trader, GmbH, or partnership?
Trade law does not prescribe a legal form — but it does draw one line. Under § 9 (1) GewO, legal entities and registered partnerships (GmbH, OG, KG) may hold a trade licence, but they „must have appointed a managing director (§ 39)“ — a named person who carries the qualification and the legal responsibility for the trade. As a sole trader you are that person yourself.
Whether a GmbH pays off financially depends on profit, drawings, SVS contributions and allowances. There is no general profit threshold, and that question belongs to a tax adviser, not to this page.
Running this trade alongside a job
Nothing in Austrian law forbids running a trade as a side business. Two things about social insurance are regularly misremembered, and both cost money.
- The obligation follows Chamber membership, not profit. Under § 2 (1) 1 GSVG compulsory SVS insurance attaches to membership of the Economic Chamber, which you acquire with the trade licence itself. It therefore applies in a year in which you make no profit at all.
- There is an exemption — but only on application. § 4 (1) 7 GSVG lets very small businesses be exempted while turnover and income stay under the limits it refers to. Nothing happens automatically: without the application, the obligation stands.
If you are employed, check your employment contract separately for a secondary-activity clause — that is a matter between you and your employer, not trade law.
Legal basis: GewO 1994 §94 Z.11 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.