Business registration

Business registration and licences in Vienna are within the competence of Municipal Department 63 - Commerce and Trade - and the Municipal district offices.

• Commerce and Trade (MA 63) (German)
• Municipal district offices - addresses (German)

Requirements

To apply for a business licence the following requirements have to be met:

• General requirements:
  • Personal suitability (legal age)
  • Integrity
  • No grounds for disqualification (exemption from disqualification)
  • EEA or Swiss citizen or relevant certificate of residence (business licence for foreigners)
• Special requirements
  • Proof of qualification is required for regulated trades and crafts (German)
  • Businesses under the Austrian Law on Freight Transport and Occasional Transport (German)
    • Proof of qualification
    • Financial efficiency
    • Sufficient number of parking lots
    • EEA citizenship of the applicant.

Business licences for foreigners

Foreign individuals may carry on trade or business the same way as Austrian nationals, unless trade regulations provide otherwise. They may also be appointed business managers under trade law provided agreements have been made to that end between their country and Austria.

Nationals of countries where such agreements have not been made, persons who have been granted asylum and stateless persons may carry on trade or business the same way as Austrian nationals, unless trade regulations provide otherwise. They must, however, already be legally residing in Austria in accordance with the relevant provisions pertaining to gainful employment. Nationals of third countries not yet legally residing in Austria (first applicants) and wishing to carry on trade or business require a certificate of residence allowing them to become gainfully employed before they can legally carry on that trade or business.

Citizens of the following countries require no certificate of residence

EU Member States and EEA countries:
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Spain

Family members of citizens of EU or EEA countries who are entitled to temporary or permanent residence in an EU or EEA country have the right to carry on a trade or business just like Austrian nationals.
The following persons qualify as family members in this context:

1. the spouse,
2. direct descendants of a citizen of an EU or EEA country and of their spouse, provided that they are below the age of 21 or dependants of that person, as well as
3. dependent relatives in the direct ascending line of a citizen of an EU or EEA country and of their spouse.

Further regulations

Regulations other than those mentioned above apply for the following businesses:

• employment placement services (persons must be nationals of an EEA country which has made relevant agreements with Austria)
• licensed businesses under the act governing goods transportation and occasional transport (see above)
• chimney sweeps (Austrian nationality required)
• manpower leasing (persons must be nationals of an EEA country which has made relevant agreements with Austria)
• manufacturing of arms (gun-smiths) including arms trade (Austrian nationality required)

Legal entities and partnerships under commercial law with no seat or branch in the country may not carry on trade or business, unless relevant agreements between their country and Austria provide otherwise.