Tiere: Erlaubnis für gewerbsmäßige Zucht, Haltung, Handel und weitere Tätigkeiten

For many activities in the commercial handling of animals you need a permit from the competent authority. You can find out more about this here.

You need a permit from the competent authority if you wish to carry out the following activities on a commercial basis:

• Breeding, keeping of vertebrate animals other than farm animals and game in enclosures
• Trade with vertebrates
• Maintenance of a riding and driving operation
• Displaying animals and making animals available for such purposes
• Control of vertebrate animals as pests
• Training dogs for third parties or instructing the training of dogs by animal owners

This permit is also required if you

• keep animals in an animal shelter or similar institution
• keep animals in a zoological garden or other institution where animals are kept and exhibited
• train dogs for third parties for protection purposes, maintain facilities for this purpose
• bring or import vertebrate animals other than farm animals into the country for the purpose of sale for a fee or other consideration, or arrange for the sale of such animals that are to be or have been brought into the country for a fee or other consideration conduct animal exchanges for the purpose of exchange or sale of animals by third parties
• keep or breed vertebrates or cephalopods intended to be used in animal experiments or whose organs or tissues are intended to be used for scientific purposes
• Keep or breed vertebrate animals for the removal of organs and tissues for purposes other than scientific research

• Application for a permit stating the place, date and handwritten signature
• Extract from the central business register
• If applicable, a certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority (if the applicant's reliability has not already been proven elsewhere or is known to the competent authority)
• Proof of identity
• Information with signature of the applicant about:
  • Name and business address of the applicant,
  • activity for which the permit is requested
  • Type of animals involved with anticipated maximum number of animals intended to be housed,
  • address, type and description of the premises and facilities intended for the activity, sketch or blueprint of the premises, if applicable
  • name and business address of the person responsible for the activity
  • professional qualification of the person responsible for the activity and proof thereof
• Evidence of the required expertise (certified copy of the expertise certificate).

Tip: You can apply for the certificate of good conduct at the local registration office; it can be sent directly from there to the competent food control and veterinary office.

General requirements are that

• you have a professional qualification or
• professional knowledge and skills in the field you wish to operate commercially, or with regard to the keeping, care and accommodation of the animal species concerned, and
• have the necessary reliability and
• the rooms and facilities used for the activity allow the animals to be fed, cared for and housed in accordance with the legal requirements.

The permit may be granted subject to time limits, conditions and requirements, insofar as this is necessary for the protection of the animals.

A fee range of 27 to 500 EUR (procedural costs, service fee, other expenses if applicable) is currently set for the granting of the permit.

Notice: The underlying administrative cost regulations are currently being revised.

• After you have submitted the application and all required documents to the competent authority in writing or electronically, these will first be checked for completeness and your personal requirements.
• They will also inform you whether you still need to undergo an interview with the competent authority to prove the professional knowledge and skills required for the activity or whether additional documents are required.
• Subsequently, an on-site appointment will be arranged with you and the existence of the animal protection requirements necessary for the performance of the intended activity will be checked.

The competent authority shall decide on the application in writing within a period of four months from receipt of the application. The time limit may be extended by up to two months if this is justified by the extent and difficulty of the examination of the fulfillment of the requirements for the permit. When calculating the time limit, periods during which the applicant has not complied with the requirements regarding the form and content of the application in accordance with the legal ordinance despite a written request from the competent authority shall not be taken into account.

No time limits are provided, but the activity may only be started if a valid permit has been obtained.

Please enquire about the exact requirements with the responsible authority in good time before the intended commencement of the activity.

Acting without the required, valid permit is an administrative offense.

You can appeal against the decision on your application or against a decision not made in due time in accordance with the Administrative Court Code (objection, if necessary action before the Administrative Court).

• Permission to breed, keep and trade in animals Issuance.
• A permit is required for certain activities involving the handling of animals.
• The permit is issued by the competent authority upon application.
• Requirements:
  • a professional qualification or
  • professional knowledge and skills in the area to be operated commercially or with regard to the keeping, care and accommodation of the animal species in question
  • reliability
  • that the premises and facilities used for the activity enable the animals to be fed, cared for and housed in accordance with the legal requirements.
• There are no deadlines, but the activity may only be started if a valid permit is available.
• For the issuance of the permit, a fee range of 27 to 500 EUR (procedural costs, delivery fee, other expenses if applicable) is currently set.
• Responsible: the competent veterinary and food control office of the county or independent city in which the activity is to take place.

Contact the competent veterinary and food control office of the county or independent city in which the activity is to take place. If the activity is carried out simultaneously at different establishments, a separate permit must be applied for at the respective locally competent authority for each place of establishment.

In principle, the application for permission can be made informally.