Life situations
Trades requiring a license
Basically in the Federal Republic of Germany there is freedom of trade. There are however exceptions to this rule.
For some trades, special license requirements are necessary are necessary, such as specialist knowledge tests, courses, concessions, approval or special permits.
In particular the following business activities require a license:
- Running restaurants and bar services
- Running a taxi business
- Financial service provider
- Trading with weapons, ammunition and explosives
- Crafts
- Manufacturing weapons and pharmaceutical products
- Debt collection agencies
- Ambulance services
- Real estate agents
- Nursing services
- Private hospitals
- Security services
- Insurance brokers
Note: This list is not complete. For these trades you have to provide evidence of your personal reliability, also often your professional skills and if necessary your financial rating or specific premises.
To the procedures and services
- Amusement arcade - apply for operating licence
- Apply for a permit to purchase and handle explosive substances on a commercial basis
- Apply for a restaurant licence
- Apply for permission to provide extrajudicial legal services
- Applying for a certificate of competence for the commercial handling and trading of substances with a risk of explosion
- Applying for a licence to run a private hospital
- Applying for a permit for care services
- Applying for a permit for the importation of medicines
- Applying for a permit for the trade of broker, property developer, construction supervisor or loan broker
- Applying for a rental vehicle permit
- Applying for a taxi permit
- Applying to operate a pharmacy
- Catering trade - Apply for a temporary permit
- Commercial installation of gaming machines with winning possibilities
- Commercial road haulage - apply for a permit
- Energy supply - apply for grid operation approval (country)
- Financial investment brokers - applying for a permit
- Guarding trade - apply for a permit
- Itinerant Trade License
- License for auctions
- License for financial services providers according to the German Banking Act
- License for Insurance Brokers and Insurance Consultants
- License for pawnbrokers
- License to manufacture or trade in weapons
- Manufacture of medicinal products - apply for a licence
- Operation of medical transport - applying for a permit
- Product-specific insurance brokers - Applying for a permit exemption
- Special use of roads outside the locality - applying for permission
- Special use of roads within the locality - applying for permission
- Straußwirtschaft - Show operation
Release note
The German original version of this text was drafted in close cooperation with the relevant departments. The Wirtschaftsministerium released it on 25.04.2019. Only the German text is legally binding. The Federal State does not assume any liability for the translated texts.
In cases of doubt or if you have any questions or problems, please contact the relevant authorities directly.
Contact
Bürger- und Standesamt (Bürgeramt)
eMail buergeramt@heidenheim.de
Telefon (0 73 21) 3 27-33 42
Fax (0 73 21) 3 23-33 32