Who actually needs a trade licence?
As soon as you work regularly, independently, and for payment, you need a trade licence in Austria — even as a side business, even for "just a few hours a week". Helping your neighbour once is not a business; cleaning for payment every week is.[1] Without registering, you risk fines and have no insurance cover — read more in the guide working legally.
Free or regulated trade — what is the difference?
- Free trade: no exam, no proof of qualification. Examples: home help (simple cleaning in private households), courier services, trading. You can start working from the day you register.[3]
- Regulated trade: requires proof of qualification (master craftsman exam, certificates, or years of practice). Examples: hairdressing, electrical work, or cleaning of monuments, façades, and buildings.
For cleaners
Which documents do you need?
- Passport or ID card (if your name has changed: e.g. marriage certificate)
- Registration confirmation if you do not have your main residence in Austria — otherwise your registered address is enough
- Residence permit that allows self-employed work (only for third-country nationals)
- Criminal record certificate from your country of origin, if you have been registered in Austria for less than 5 years
- Proof of qualification — only for regulated trades
How does registration work?[2][4][5]
-
Choose the exact wording for your trade
The precise description of your activity, for example "home help, consisting of carrying out simple cleaning tasks". The Chamber of Commerce helps for free with the right wording — it determines what you are allowed to do. -
Register online or in person
Online: with ID Austria via the Business Service Portal (usp.gv.at) — around 20 minutes. In person: at the district authority, or in cities at the Magistrate (in Vienna: MA 63). Both are free. -
Get your GISA entry
Your trade is entered in GISA (Trade Information System Austria). The GISA extract replaces the old "Gewerbeschein" and is your official proof. -
After that: SVS and tax office
The SVS is informed automatically — expect a letter from them (what the SVS costs). You report your activity to the tax office within one month and receive your tax number.
What does the trade cost you ongoing?
- Registration
- €0
- one-off, fee-free
- SVS minimum contribution
- approx. €161/month
- + €155.40/year accident insurance (2026)
- WKO basic fee
- approx. €50–150/year
- depends on trade and state
- Putting your business on hold
- €0
- possible at any time, stops SVS contributions
Important for your planning: up to €55,000 in annual turnover you charge no VAT thanks to the small business VAT exemption, and income tax only applies above €13,539 annual profit (2026). And if your profit stays below €6,613.20 a year — for example as a side business — you may even be able to save on the SVS minimum contribution: SVS exemption for micro-businesses.[6][7]
Can this work without official jargon?
Yes. bop guides you step by step through business registration, the SVS, and your tax number — every question explained, in your language. And after that, bop takes over the whole office for you: invoices, appointments, official mail. You will find the full overview in the guide Becoming self-employed in Austria.