Stonemason Trade License (Steinmetzmeister)
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Exam fees: Covered by government since July 2023
- Start immediately: Yes, upon registration
- Growth area: CNC stone cutting and restoration work
What This Trade Covers
- Cutting, shaping, and polishing of natural stone (marble, granite, sandstone, limestone)
- Production and installation of gravestones and memorial monuments
- Stone cladding for building facades, floors, and staircases
- Kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities in natural stone
- CNC-controlled stone processing and precision cutting
- Restoration of historic stone structures and monuments
- Lettering, engraving, and ornamental stone carving
CNC Stone Technology
Modern stonemason workshops increasingly use CNC machinery for precision cutting, engraving, and 3D shaping. Investment in CNC equipment is substantial but opens up architectural and industrial stone processing that manual methods cannot match. The master exam now includes CNC-related theory questions.
Qualification Alternatives
- Master exam (Meisterpruefung) for stonemasons
- HTL diploma in a relevant technical field + practical experience
- Individual assessment (§19 GewO) with proof of extensive professional experience
- Qualified manager (§39 GewO) who holds the required qualification
Related Guides
Vollstaendige deutsche Version →
Qualification: how to prove it
Steinmetz is a regulated trade under §94 Z.59 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.59 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.