English
Surveyor Trade License (Vermessungswesen)
GewO §94 Z.73
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (reglementiertes Gewerbe)
- Qualification: Relevant education + professional competence
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Key limitation: Cannot submit official cadastral plans (Grundbuch) — that requires a Ziviltechniker
- Common clients: Construction companies, property developers, industrial plants
- Note: GPS/GNSS and drone surveying are growing specializations
What Does This Trade Cover?
The surveyor trade license covers measurement and mapping services for construction, industry, and property:
- Construction surveying (Bauvermessung) — setting out buildings, roads, infrastructure
- Topographic surveys and terrain modelling
- Volume calculations for earthworks, excavation, and mining
- Industrial surveying — machine alignment, deformation monitoring
- As-built surveys and documentation for construction projects
- Drone-based (UAV) aerial surveying and photogrammetry
- 3D laser scanning and point cloud generation
Surveyor (Gewerbe) vs. Ziviltechniker (Ingenieurkonsulent)
The trade license for Vermessungswesen covers practical surveying work. However, only a
Ziviltechniker für Vermessungswesen (a chartered surveying engineer) can submit official
boundary plans to the Grundbuch (land register), perform legally binding cadastral surveys,
or issue officially certified survey documents. The Ziviltechniker holds a state concession
under the Ziviltechnikergesetz, not a GewO trade license.
Construction and Industrial Surveying
Most trade-licensed surveyors work in these areas:
- Building construction: Foundation layout, floor-level checks, vertical alignment
- Civil engineering: Road alignments, tunnel profiles, bridge geometry
- Industrial plants: Machine positioning, crane rail alignment, tank deformation
- Monitoring: Settlement measurements, structural deformation tracking over time
Qualification Requirements
- Relevant technical education in surveying, geomatics, or geodesy
- Practical experience in the surveying field
- Individual assessment (§19 GewO) with proof of extensive surveying experience
- Qualified manager (§39 GewO) who holds the required qualifications
Vollstaendige deutsche Version →
Related Guides
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.