The Österreichische Tierärztekammer (Austrian Veterinary Chamber) is obliged to keep a list of veterinary practitioners, whereby each registered person shall be assigned a distinctive number (veterinary number), entitled to practise their profession in Austria. The list of veterinary practitioners has to comprise, among other things, the following data:

• Name
• Date and place of birth
• Nationality
• Academic degree
• Place of practice or place of employment, in the case of cross-border veterinary activity within the framework of the freedom to provide services, a corresponding reference,
• in the case of partial professional practice, a corresponding note,
• Official title(s) and titles bestowed
• Successful passing of qualification exam for official vets
• if need be, the cessation, interruption, withdrawal, prohibition and resumption of the practice of the profession,
• if need be, the opening and closing of veterinary home pharmacies,
• if need be, the participation in a veterinary company

Persons who intend to practice the veterinary profession have to notify this to the Österreichische Tierärztekammer (Austrian Veterinary Chamber) and to apply for entry into the list of veterinary practitioners for the intended place of practice submitting proof for their identity and education.

The following general and special requirements have to be met:

• Full capacity to act
• a legal residence in the entire federal territory of Austria, with which the right to pursue a self-employed or employed gainful activity is associated
• either a

  • a degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna or

  • a foreign degree nostrified at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna as a diploma degree or

  • a certificate of training equivalent to a diploma in accordance with the Directive on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications, accompanied, where applicable, by the certificates provided for therein

• as well as a proof of trustworthiness by means of a criminal record certificate or, if applicable, a comparable proof of the home country or country of origin as well as a certificate of the competent authority of the home country or country of origin that the person has not been temporarily or permanently prohibited from practicing the veterinary profession, and a
• sufficient knowledge of the official language (German).

All necessary documentation has to be attached to the application.

Certain requirements may be waived for nationals of the Swiss Confederation or EEA states ( → RIS).

The application has to be done before the intended taking up of veterinary activity; practice must not be taken up before the positive completion of the application and receipt of the veterinary card (in the case of cross-border activity, only after receipt of the confirmation).

The Österreichische Tierärztekammer (Austrian Veterinary Chamber) has to settle the application within three weeks. Notwithstanding the above, a decision on an application for partial professional access shall be taken within four months at the latest.

Competence for the procedure lies with the Austrian Veterinary Chamber ( → ÖTK).

The application has to be addressed in writing to the competent authority. In case the application is not settled favourably the entry has to be denied by the Österreichische Tierärztekammer (Austrian Veterinary Chamber) by notice.

The following documents have to be attached to the application:

• Proof of fulfilling the general and special requirements (refer to section requirements)
• Identity card
• Two photos

For the registration, fees according to the Tarifordnung der Österreichischen Tierärztekammer (Austrian Veterinary Chamber) will accrue.

In the case of an appeal against a notice of denial the usual costs of administrative procedures may accrue.

Please note that costs may accrue for the issuing of the Veterinary Practitioner's Identity Card (no veterinary card, but confirmation for cross-border veterinary practitioners under the freedom to provide services).

• §§ 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 15 Tierärztegesetz
• Tierärzteliste- und -ausweisverordnung
• Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications

I have noted that the data provided by me, as well as any data received by the administration over the course of the preliminary investigation, will be automatically processed as per article 6, para. 1 lit. c and e of the General Data Protection Regulation in accordance with the underlying material laws of the legal process. Furthermore, I am aware that this is for the purpose of executing the legal procedure initiated by me, the granting of regulatory approval and also for the purpose of review. I have read the general information regarding: 

• the right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, withdrawal and objection, as well as on data portability
• the right to lodge a complaint with the Austrian data protection authority
• the responsibilities of the process controller and the data protection officer as per https://datenschutz.stmk.gv.at.

Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection

1 January 2024