In Austria, a private gym runs as a free trade (freies Gewerbe) that needs no qualification. The harder questions are the premises and the operating concept for unstaffed hours: zoning, a possible operating facility permit (Betriebsanlagengenehmigung) and a risk assessment the WKO recommends for studios without staff. Customers pay online by card, eps-Überweisung, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Klarna and get their door code by SMS. Sparekey costs €990 for setup and €26 a month for Operations (Betrieb).
Trade registration
The WKO names the free trade “Vermietung von Sportgeräten und Sporteinrichtungen” for fitness studios. A sole trader or a single-person GmbH can do all founding steps online through the business service portal (USP): trade registration, tax and social insurance, and for a GmbH the commercial register. You can also register through GISA. Once registered, you can start, and you become a customer of the WKO.
Two limits: a sauna or solarium beyond an ancillary service needs its own registration, and writing training plans for customers is a separate free trade (fitness trainer). Agree the exact wording with the WKO founder service.
Premises: zoning and the operating facility permit
Do this before you sign a lease:
- Zoning and approved use. The municipality must allow a gym on the site, and the approved use in the building file must match.
- Operating facility permit. Whether you need one depends on the equipment, noise and effects on neighbours. A sauna or infrared cabin always needs one. Gyms under 800 m² can use the simplified procedure.
- Land rules. Some states regulate the operation of sports facilities. Ask the district authority.
Many district authorities (Bezirkshauptmannschaft, Magistrat) offer project consultation days (Projektsprechtage) where you can clarify all of this in one meeting. Take a floor plan and a short description of how the gym runs without staff.
Running without staff: what the WKO expects
The WKO guide for studios with unstaffed hours recommends a risk assessment that covers:
- Equipment: CE-marked machines, regular checks, instructions on site (also by QR code) and pictograms for exercises.
- Emergencies: an emergency phone that always works, visible emergency numbers, a first-aid kit, a defibrillator and free access for rescue services.
- Fire safety: extinguishers, escape-route lighting and marked escape routes.
- Customer instructions: escape routes, how to use the machines, training alone only with a phone or near an emergency button, hygiene.
Put these into your house rules and booking terms. Customers confirm them when booking. Our house rules template is a starting point, and what can go wrong covers the typical incidents.
VAT: 20% or the small-business exemption
The Austrian VAT guidelines treat the use of a gym as a taxable service of its own kind, not an exempt rental of premises, so 20% applies. Up to €55,000 annual turnover you can use the small-business exemption and charge no VAT, but you then cannot reclaim input VAT on equipment. Your Steuerberater can tell you which is better for your investment.
Payments: Stripe with eps
Austrian customers pay online by card and by eps-Überweisung, a payment straight from their own online banking that all Austrian banks support. In Austria we set up Stripe with:
- cards (Visa, Mastercard)
- eps-Überweisung
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Klarna
The Stripe account is in your name, payouts arrive in euros on your Austrian account, and the setup is included. Stripe verifies your business before payouts, so start early.
Registrierkasse and receipts
You need a cash register only when annual turnover exceeds €15,000 and cash sales exceed €7,500. Card and mobile payments in person count as cash sales. Online-shop sales are exempt as long as customers do not pay you directly in cash, but you still issue a receipt.
For a gym paid only online through the booking page, the online-shop rule is the one that applies. A card terminal or cash at the gym turns those payments into cash sales.
Invoices
Sparekey issues an invoice for every paid booking, in German and in euros, with your details and the VAT treatment your Steuerberater confirms. Invoices up to €400 can be simplified invoices. E-invoicing between businesses is not mandatory in Austria. Keep invoices for seven years. The CSV export goes to your Steuerberater.
Door access
For unstaffed hours, the door has to work every time and resist tampering. We recommend a 2N keypad with a maglock, installed by a professional door and access installer. Nuki is the simpler and cheaper alternative on the existing lock. Its downside is that customers can tamper with it more easily. Both cost the same with Sparekey.
The customer gets a time-limited PIN by SMS right after booking. It is valid only for the booked time. A stored backup code covers internet outages. Extra doors or a shared building entrance are solved during setup at no extra cost. See 2N keypad and maglock.
Cameras and insurance
The data protection authority (DSB) does not approve cameras in advance. You check yourself that the camera is needed and proportionate, put signs at eye level before the covered area and keep recordings for no more than 72 hours as a guideline. Keep changing rooms and toilets out of view. See cameras in an unstaffed gym.
The WKO recommends Betriebshaftpflicht and property insurance. Tell the insurer in writing that the gym runs without staff. See insurance and liability.
What Sparekey costs in Austria
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Setup (one-off) | €990 |
| Operations (Betrieb: hosting, maintenance and SMS sender name) | €26 / month |
| Door-code SMS | €0.04 per message |
No VAT is added, because Sparekey is not VAT-registered. You pay in euros by bank transfer. The price includes Stripe with eps, German booking pages and invoices, and unlimited locations. See pricing and how setup works.
FAQ
Do I need a qualification to open a gym in Austria?
No. Running a fitness studio is a free trade. Writing training plans for customers is a separate free trade you add if you offer it.
Is a gym without staff allowed in Austria?
Yes. The WKO describes studios with unstaffed opening hours and what their risk assessment should cover. The district authority decides whether you need an operating facility permit.
Do I need a Registrierkasse if customers pay online?
Online-shop sales are exempt if customers do not pay you directly in cash. Card or cash at the gym count as cash sales.