Okokuthokozisa okubandakanya ukudla kanye/noma utshwala e-Austria

These information pages can help you get started in learning about some of the laws and registration requirements that may apply to your Experiences on Airbnb. These pages include summaries of some of the rules that may apply to different sorts of activities, and contain links to government resources that you may find helpful.

Please understand that these information pages are not comprehensive, and are not legal advice. If you are unsure about how local laws or this information may apply to you or your Experience, we encourage you to check with official sources or seek legal advice.

Please note that we don’t update this information in real time, so you should confirm that the laws or procedures have not changed recently.*

When do food or alcohol related activities require a license?

If you serve food or alcohol, you generally need a hospitality trade license (Gastgewerbeberechtigung). The hospitality trade is a regulated trade which means that you have to provide proof of competence. You can read more information about the requirements for this license.

There are a few exceptions to the necessity of such a license, for example if you only provide simple dishes (like a barbecue) or serve non-alcoholic drinks (bottled or canned beer is also fine) to up to eight guests. Learn more about the exceptions

In addition to the hospitality trade license, you may need a permit for your premises - even if they are your private home - to host Experiences involving food and/or alcohol (Betriebsanlagenbewilligung). This is especially likely if you provide food or alcohol to more than 10 people at a time. Read more about the permit.

Apart from these regulations, any Experience involving food and/or alcohol must comply with food hygiene regulations. Read more about the food regulations.

Read more about the alcohol regulations.

Please be also aware that the production, commercial storage or processing of alcohol can require a permit under the Alcohol Tax Act (Alkoholsteuergesetz).

Finally, if you take your guests to a licensed bar or restaurant, you don’t need to worry about hospitality trade licenses or operational permits yourself.

However, please note that the general authorisation requirements for businesses (review the Section on Business Licensing in Austria) also apply to any of these activities.

What else should I know about experiences involving food or alcohol?

Even if no specific license is required, other laws may apply to these activities such as the following:

• Food laws (e.g. labelling, health and safety, information on allergens). These are checked frequently by the health and food safety authorities.
• Opening hours (which are restrictive in Austria). Information on opening hours for tourism-related businesses can be found on the Austrian Chamber of Commerce site.
• Staff and employee safety

In any event, your guests' health and safety should always be a top priority. You should inform yourself regarding all reasonable and prudent health and safety standards including in relation to food and drink storage and safety, food hygiene, cleanliness, labelling, equipment, preparation and information that your guests might need regarding food allergies or sensitivities. It’s also good practice and a sign of hospitality to ask your guests whether they have any dietary restrictions you need to keep in mind. Alcohol should not be provided for guests under 18 (16 for beer and wine) and as this area is regulated at state and not national level you should check any specific laws that apply in your area.

*Airbnb is not responsible for the reliability or correctness of the information contained in any links to third party sites (including any links to legislation and regulations).