Criminal record certificate

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General information

The criminal record certificate (Strafregisterbescheinigung) is a document containing either all of a person's registered convictions in the Crime Register, and/or information that there are no such convictions. Only the person who filed the application can be issued the document. 

Applicants for jobs in various sectors, including security and surveillance, will need to provide a copy of their current criminal record certificate as part of their job application. In most cases, the certificate must not be more than three months old. 

Citizens can also apply for a special criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare (Strafregisterbescheinigung Kinder- und Jugendfürsorge). This special certificate can be applied for and issued if:  

  • if this is required for the examination of suitability to carry out a specific professional or organized voluntary activity within his/her area of responsibility, which mainly involves the supervision, care, upbringing, nursing or education of minors, and

  • this requirement has been confirmedGerman text  by the person's (future or current) employer, or by the (future or current) relevant representative of the voluntary organisation concerned. 

Furthermore citizens can also apply for a special criminal record certificate for care and support (Strafregisterbescheinigung Pflege und Betreuung). This special certificate can be applied for and issued if:  

  • is required for the examination of suitability to carry out a specific professional or organized voluntary activity within his/her area of responsibility, which mainly involves the care and support of vulnerable individuals (§ 220b StGB), and

  • this requirement has been confirmedGerman text   by the person's (future or current) employer, or by the relevant (future or current) representative of the voluntary organisation concerned. 

The criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare and the criminal record certificate for care and support provide information on whether or not convictions against sexual integrity and self-determination and related entries such as court bans on activities are entered in the criminal record and marked accordingly.

You can also apply for a special criminal record certificate for terrorism and offences against the state, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. This certificate will be issued if it is required

  • for checking suitability for a specific task within the scope of an individual's professional responsibilities
    • in critical infrastructure (see Section 74 para. 1 (11) of the StGB, the manufacture, distribution or trade in or of ammunition and explosives (see Section 13 and Section 19 of the SprG), the acquisition, transportation, possession or use of restricted raw materials for explosive substances (see Section 10 of the ChemG; or
    • in a company that makes use of explosives for detonation (see Section 132 of the GewO), a company specialising in pyrotechnics (see Section 107 of the  GewO), the security industry (Section 129 of the GewO) or the arms industry (§ 139 of the GewO)

and provided that

  • this requirement has been confirmedGerman text   by the person's (future or current) employer, or by the relevant (future or current) representative of the voluntary organisation concerned.

The special criminal record certificate for terrorism, offences against the state, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes shows whether the individual has been convicted of terrorist offences, offences against the state, genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, and also shows whether there are any associated entries or instructions on the individual's record, such as whether they are subject to judicial supervision.

Nationals of other EU member states who request a criminal record certificate and/or a special criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare and/or a special criminal record certificate for care and support and/or a special criminal record certificate for terrorism, offences against the state, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes can ask for relevant information from the register of offences in other EU member states to be forwarded to the Austrian authorities and then added to their Austrian criminal record certificate by the Criminal Records Office at Vienna State Police Department.

Competent authority

Tip

If you require a simple criminal record certificate, you can apply for it online. Note that you cannot apply online for the special criminal record certificates such as the special criminal record certificate children and youth welfare or the special criminal record certificate for care and support because those certificates can only be issued following confirmation from the employer and/or organisation requesting them. To apply online for a criminal record certificate, you will need a ID Austria oder EU Login. Information on the changeover from mobile phone signature and citizen cards to ID AustriaGerman text.

Advice

In the case of State Police Departments or Police Departments it is recommended to make an appointment online if you have to go to the authorities.

How to apply for a special criminal record certificate and/or special criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare and/or the special criminal record certificate for care and support:

  • If you live in a city where there is a state police department (Landespolizeidirektion) or police department( Landespolizeikommisariat), go to the State Police Department or Police Department
  • If you live in a city without a state police department or in a city or municipality without a police department, apply to the Mayor
    • If you live in the Chartered Cities of Krems or Waidhofen/Ybbs, you should apply to the Municipal Administration
    • If you live in the chartered urban district of Rust, apply to the state police department of Burgenland, which is the safety authority of the first instance for the municipality (Gemeinde) of Rust 
  • If you are applying from outside Austria, apply to your local Austrian representation authority (→ BMEIA) 

You can apply for a criminal record certificate at any competent authority in the area where you are currently resident, regardless of the location of your primary residence. You can only apply for and collect criminal record certificates during opening hours (Parteienverkehrszeiten), which often differ from the office hours(Amtsstunden). Please check the opening hours for the relevant authority in advance and whether you need to make an appointment. To see the contact details for individual authorities, click on the links above (e.g. "state police department" or "mayor") and enter the relevant postcode or the name of the municipality. If more than one office appears under the same postcode, you will be prompted to select the right one. 

The applicant must appear in person at the responsible authority at least once except when applying online using their citizen card (e-signature), either when they submit their application or when they collect their certificate, in order to verify their identity. This means that you can arrange for someone else to submit your application or to collect your certificate on your behalf. Individuals submitting applications or collecting certificates on behalf of someone else will need to show they are legally legally authorised to do so. As a rule, applicants represented by their solicitors are not generally required to appear in person, provided that the authorised solicitor submits a copy of the applicant's official photo ID along with the application.

Procedure

The applicant must appear in person at the responsible authority at least once except when applying online (ID Austria or EU Login), either when they submit their application or when they collect their certificate, in order to verify their identity. This means that you can arrange for someone else to submit your application or to collect your certificate on your behalf. Individuals submitting applications or collecting certificates on behalf of someone else will need to show they are legally authorised to do so. 

As a rule, applicants represented by their solicitors are not generally required to appear in person, provided that the authorised solicitor submits a copy of the applicant's government-issued photographic ID along with the application. 

Required documents

  • Official phtot ID card (proof of identity). Nationals of other EU member states requesting that data be retrieved from the member state concerned must present proof of their citizenship/s – e.g. a passport or national ID card) 
  • Any previous names must be stated in the application. Evidence of these previous names must be submitted in the form of, e.g. a  birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, adoption certificate. 
  • If someone else is submitting your application or collecting your certificate, they must present proof of legal authorisation to do so. 
  • If you are applying for a special criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare or a criminal record certificate for care and support, you must also provide a completed confirmation, filled in and signed by your (current or future) employer or the organisation that has asked you to obtain the certificate. 

If the applicant's identity cannot be reliably established on the basis of their official phtot ID card, for example if the surname on their application does not match their ID because they have changed their surname and their ID has not yet been updated, they must also provide suitable evidence of their change of name (marriage certificate, confirmation of change of name, etc.). Any academic titles not included on an applicant's government-issued photo ID must be evidenced by providing a copy of the relevant degree certificate or academic transcript. 

Costs and fees

The fee for applying for and issuing a criminal record certificate is usually 30.70 Euro for applications using the standard procedure or 25 Euro for electronic applications. The breakdown of fees is as follows: 

For the application 

For issuing a criminal record certificate 

  • Certificate fee: 14.30 Euro
    The certificate fee will be waived if the criminal record certificate is being obtained solely in order to present it to a specific office (natural person or legal entity, such as an employer or a authority). In this case, the certificate costs 16.40 Euro (and 10.70 Euro for electronic applications using ID Austria). 
  • Federal administration fee: 2.10 Euro

Further information

If you have applied for the certificate in person and online, the certificate can be sent to you upon request. Certificates are usually delivered by official government post (RSa-Brief (in person). However, applicants can also request their certificates be sent out in the standard post. 

If the criminal record certificate, special criminal record certificate for children and youth welfare and/or special criminal record certificate for care and support shows no convictions, the certificate issued will be bilingual (German and English). 

At the police departments in Vienna, criminal record certificates are usually issued on the spot, provided that all documents required to establish the applicant's identity are provided when the application is submitted, and that no arrest warrants, or alerts to determine whereabouts, etc. have been issued in relation to the applicant. In the case that the certificate is issued on the spot, it is not therefore possible for the applicant to arrange for a third party to represent them. 

Provided all the relevant requirements are met, various other authorities throughout Austria can and do issue criminal record certificates within a few minutes. However, if the municipality to which the application is submitted does not have direct access to the register of criminal offences, it may take around 10 days for the certificate to be issued. Applications made to Austrian representations abroad may also take longer to process. 

Advice

Criminal convictions that are not subject to restricted divulgence (Beschränkter Auskunft) will appear in a criminal record certificate, which may be problematic for individuals applying for a new job. You can ask for a criminal conviction to be subjected to restricted divulgence by petitioning for a pardon. There are usually no formal requirements for such pardons; they can simply be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Justice (→ BMJ). However, as a minimum, they should set out why the offence should be restricted (e.g. the genuine prospect of obtaining a specific job) and a justification as to why the pardon should be granted (e.g. particularly positive behaviour since the offence was committed or following release from custody). To avoid any queries, you should provide all the following information, specifically: 

  •  Full name 
  • Date of birth and place of birth 
  • Address 
  • Court, reference and date of the decision(s) you wish to have pardoned. 

Generally speaking, applications for pardons will only be considered after half the expiration period (Tilgungsfrist) for the offence has elapsed. There is no legal entitlement to such pardons. 

Legal basis

Strafregistergesetz 1968 (especially Sections 10, 10a, 11)

Link to form

Certified translation
Last update: 10 November 2023

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of the Interior