Last checked against the official sources: 29 August 2026
If you hold a foreign professional qualification and want to work in it in Germany, you have a legal right to have it examined and compared with the corresponding German qualification. The Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BQFG) imposes a binding time limit on the competent body — and most applicants do not know the limit exists at all. Nor that it starts when the file is complete, not when you apply.
The procedure at a glance
- Legal basis
- Section 6 of the Professional Qualifications Assessment Act (BQFG).
- Decision period
- Three months for the competent body to issue its decision.
- When the period starts
- ⚠️ From receipt of the complete documents — not from the date you applied.
- Acknowledgement
- The body must confirm receipt of your application within one month and state what is missing.
- Extension
- The period may be extended once by a reasonable amount if the particularity of the case justifies it, and you must be informed immediately.
- Competent body
- Differs by profession and by federal state — there is no single body for all professions.
The point that costs people months
The three-month period does not begin when you send the application; it begins when the file is complete. In practice that means an incomplete file can sit indefinitely without any time limit running against the authority. Which is why the order of operations matters more here than almost anywhere else.
What to do, step by step
- Identify the competent body firstIt differs by profession and by state: chambers of industry and commerce, chambers of crafts, or health supervisory authorities for medical professions. Applying to the wrong body means starting from zero.
- Assemble the whole file before sendingEvery missing document delays the start of the period. Send the file complete and in one go rather than in instalments.
- Keep the acknowledgement of receiptThe body must confirm receipt within one month and identify what is missing. If nothing arrives within a month, follow up in writing and keep a copy.
- Document the date the file became completeThat is the date the three months are counted from, and it is your reference point if the decision is late.
Regulated and non-regulated professions
The distinction is fundamental, because it decides whether recognition is mandatory or optional:
- Regulated professions (reglementierte Berufe) — medical professions, nursing, teaching, law. They cannot be practised without formal recognition or a licence. Here recognition is a precondition for working at all.
- Non-regulated professions — most crafts, technical and commercial occupations. You can apply for jobs without formal recognition, but the recognition certificate measurably improves your chances and your bargaining position on pay.
Identifying the competent body comes before everything else. There is no single central authority handling all professions in Germany. Competence is split by profession and by federal state, and that is what confuses applicants most. Use the official portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de, run by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), to identify the body for your profession and your state before sending a single document.
Official sources
Section 6 BQFG — procedure and time limits · Official recognition portal — BIBB
Please note: this page is general guidance, not legal advice. Fees, required documents and compensatory qualification routes differ between professions and federal states — check with the body competent for your case.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the authority have to decide?
Three months — but the period starts on receipt of the complete documents, not on the date you applied. An incomplete file can therefore sit indefinitely without any limit running against the competent body.
What is the difference between regulated and non-regulated professions?
Regulated professions such as medicine, nursing, teaching and law cannot be practised without formal recognition, so recognition is a precondition for working. Non-regulated professions can be applied for without recognition, but the certificate measurably improves your chances and your pay negotiation.
How do I find the competent body for my profession?
There is no single central authority; competence is split by profession and state between chambers of industry and commerce, chambers of crafts and health supervisory authorities. Use the official portal anerkennung-in-deutschland.de before sending anything — applying to the wrong body means starting over.
Must the authority acknowledge my application?
Yes. It must confirm receipt within one month and state what is missing. If nothing arrives within a month, follow up in writing and keep a copy.
Can the three-month period be extended?
It may be extended once by a reasonable amount if the particularity of the case justifies it, and you must be informed immediately. Document the date your file became complete — that is the date the period runs from and your reference if the decision is late.
Can I work while the procedure is running?
In a non-regulated profession you can apply for work without recognition. In a regulated one you cannot practise without formal recognition or a licence — which is why the distinction decides your timeline, not just your paperwork.