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Tire Service (Vulkaniseur)
GewO §94 Z.73
Verified: April 2026
Key Facts
- Type: Regulated trade (Handwerk)
- Qualification: Master exam (Meisterpruefung)
- Registration cost: Free (€0)
- Seasonal peak: High demand during spring/autumn tire changes
- Note: RDKS/TPMS sensor service increasingly important
What This Trade Covers
- Tire mounting, balancing, and alignment
- Tire repair and retreading (vulcanization)
- RDKS/TPMS sensor programming and replacement
- Seasonal tire storage services (Reifenhotel)
- Rim repair and reconditioning
- Commercial vehicle and agricultural tire service
Seasonal Business Model
Austria mandates winter tires (Nov 1 – Apr 15), creating two annual
peak seasons. Many tire shops offer seasonal storage (Reifenhotel) as a
recurring revenue stream. RDKS sensor service adds a growing technical
component since EU regulation made TPMS mandatory for new vehicles.
Overlap with Auto Mechanic
The auto mechanic trade (Kfz-Technik, §94 Z.34) also covers tire work as part of general vehicle service. A standalone Vulkaniseur license is for businesses specializing exclusively in tire services.
Related Guides
Qualification: how to prove it
Vulkaniseur is a regulated trade under §94 Z.71 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.71 . Last reviewed April 2026. This is not legal advice.
Legally binding: German text of GewO 1994.