What's New in Austrian Trade Law (2026)
New entries in the Federal Law Gazette that mention the Trade Act (GewO) are pulled from the RIS every day and added here once they have been checked against our pages — including those that change nothing for registration.
January 2026: Unemployment Benefit and Side Businesses
Since 1 January 2026, marginal self-employment alongside unemployment benefit (AMS) is only allowed in five exceptions set out in law; before, staying below the marginal-earnings threshold was enough. Existing side activities without a matching exception had to end by 31 January 2026. The five exceptions and the repayment risk are explained in German on Arbeitslosengeld und Gewerbe seit 2026.
February 2026: GISA-Express
May 2026: Six Weeks Instead of Four for Temporary Facility Changes
Federal Law Gazette I No. 33/2026 (published 19 May 2026) amended § 81 para 2 no 11 of the Trade Act (GewO): the period for temporary changes to an approved business facility rose from four to six weeks. Nothing changes about trade registration itself.
Correction of 28 September 2026: this page said the rule was “mainly relevant for gastronomy and event businesses”. That was too broad — a wine evening in a restaurant garden is not a supra-regional cultural or sporting event. The German page was corrected on 27 August 2026; the English page followed late.
July 2026: New Insurance Mediation Regulation
The Versicherungsvermittlungs-Verordnung 2026 (Federal Law Gazette II No. 217/2026, published 22 July 2026) re-regulates the qualification requirements for insurance mediation (§ 94 no 76 GewO) and the insurance part of commercial financial advisory (§ 94 no 75). Important for existing businesses: exam certificates issued under the 2003 regulations remain explicitly valid under § 9 of the new regulation.
September 2026: FinanzOnline Regulation 2027 — No Effect on Registration
The FinanzOnline-Verordnung 2027 (Federal Law Gazette II No. 274/2026, published 11 September 2026) takes effect on 1 January 2027 and replaces the 2006 regulation. It governs participation, access credentials and the duty to file electronically with the tax administration. The Trade Act appears in it only in a list of laws; trade registration and proof of qualification are unchanged.
Exam Fees Covered by Government (Since July 2023)
The federal government covers the fees for master exams (Meisterprüfung), qualification exams (Befähigungsprüfung) and the entrepreneur exam, for the first and second attempt. Preparation courses are optional and still cost money; prices vary widely by trade and provider. Full cost breakdown →
Timeline of Recent Changes
| When | What Changed | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | New insurance mediation regulation (BGBl II 217/2026) | Updated qualification rules, old certificates stay valid |
| Sep 2026 | FinanzOnline Regulation 2027 (BGBl II 274/2026) | No effect on trade registration; applies from 1 Jan 2027 |
| May 2026 | Facility changes for events: six weeks permit-free (BGBl I 33/2026) | Only for supra-regional cultural or sporting events, no risk to life or health |
| Feb 2026 | GISA-Express launched | Automated processing for standard cases |
| Jan 2026 | Unemployment benefit: side business only in five exceptions | Existing side activities had to end by 31 Jan 2026 unless an exception applies |
| July 2023 | Exam fees covered by government | Master/qualification exams free (first and second attempt) |
What This Means for You
- Starting costs less: registration is free, and so are the exam fees
- Standard cases are faster: GISA-Express processes them automatically
- Unemployment benefit and a side business rarely combine since January 2026
- Event exemptions are narrow: six weeks only for supra-regional events