Point of single contact Professional recognition, approval to use the professional title engineer in Hamburg, only for applicants registered in Hamburg

Prerequisites

The basic requirement for approval is that your degree was obtained from a university and has a technical or scientific orientation. It will be checked whether the duration and content of your training correspond to the engineering training at a German university. Approval to use the protected German professional title of engineer is only legally required if you are aiming for or intend to work as a freelancer, to be included in the list of consulting engineers or in the list of engineers authorized to submit building documents at the Hamburg Chamber of Engineers - to register construction. On the other hand, the mere access to an engineering profession or the exercise of an engineering profession as an employee does not require a permit; This means that you can apply to the Hamburg job market with a foreign engineering degree without a prior recognition process.

Documents required

1. Award certificate (degree)
2. Translation of the award certificate into German (unless the original was awarded in German)
3. Index of subjects and grades (transcript of records)
4. Translation of the index of subjects and grades into German (unless the original was awarded in German)
5. Curriculum vitae with information on educational background in German
6. Proof of identity (identity card, passport or residence permit)
7. Confirmation of registration of residence in Hamburg (in the case of Section 2.1 of the application) or proof of a specific job offer (in the case of Section 2.2 of the application) and, if applicable, an explanatory letter in accordance with Section 2.4 of the application
8. If applicable, certificate of a name change (if the name in the award certificate differs from the name in the proof of identity)
9. If necessary, translation of the document about the name change into German

1-7 are mandatory uploads. 8-9 are optional.

The certificate of award and the list of subjects and grades must be confirmed by legalization from a German mission abroad or by an apostille from the country of study. It is currently also possible to submit officially/notarized copies made in Germany.

All translations must be carried out by a sworn translator.

Please note

no

Deadlines

None

Procedure

Option A – Application by post:
The certificate of award and the list of subjects and grades must be confirmed by legalization from a German mission abroad or by an apostille from the country of study. For information on this, see the Federal Foreign Office. It is currently also possible to submit officially/notarized copies made in Germany.
Please send your documents to this address:

Authority for science, research, equality and districts
General legal services and foreign academic degrees
Mrs. Brandenburg/Mrs. Behrendt
Hamburger Strasse 37
22083 Hamburg

Option B - Application via the web portal "Point of single contact professional recognition Hamburg"
( serviceportal.hamburg.de/HamburgGateway/Service/Entry/AFM_Beruf ):
With this option, in addition to the scans of the certified copies of the award certificate and the list of subjects and grades, scans of the originals of these documents must also be uploaded.

Processing time

An examination takes place within three months.

Fees

The fee is 150 euros. In cases where the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) has to be consulted, the fee can be up to 250 euros. In the event of a negative decision, the fee is reduced by a quarter.

Payment methods available

• Bill

Payment information

Transfer based on the fee notification, no cash payment possible.

Legal remedies

An objection to the issued decision can be raised within one month.

Legal basis

The authorization to use the professional title engineer results from:




§ 2 paragraph 1 of the Hamburg Engineering Act (HmbIngG)

https://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/bsha/document/jlr-IngGHAV8P2

Persons with a foreign university degree who would like to use the protected professional title "engineer" in Hamburg require approval from the authority for science, research, equality and districts in accordance with Section 2 (1) of the Hamburg Engineering Act (HmbIngG). This is a fee-based approval procedure for which fees of 150 to 250 euros are charged. The approval is only legally required if you intend to become self-employed or to be entered in the lists of the Hamburg Chamber of Engineers as an engineer authorized to submit building documents or as a consulting engineer.
On the other hand, the mere access to an engineering profession or the exercise of an engineering profession as an employee does not require a permit; ie you can apply to the Hamburg job market with a foreign engineering degree without prior recognition procedures.