Veterinary practitioner – List of veterinary practitioners – Entry

General information

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.

Enterprises affected

all persons who intend to take up veterinary practice in Austria (including official veterinarians)

Requirements

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).

Deadlines

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.

Competent authority

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

Procedure

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.

Required documents

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

Costs and fees

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).

Legal bases

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

Expert information

Information (→ ÖTK)^{German text} of the Austrian Veterinary Chamber

Means of redress or appeal

If the legal requirements for registration in the list of veterinarians are not met, the board shall refuse registration by notice. An appeal against the decision may be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court (BVwG).