GISA (Austrian Business Licence Information System)

GISA, the Austrian Business Licence Information System, is the nationwide commercial register of businesses and company founders. The portal reduces the need to go to district administrative authorities and helps business owners to cut costs.
Anyone wishing to set up a business should register under Business registration. Under certain conditions, companies can also be set up online. All information about this can be found in the Business Service Portal (USP).

First they need to meet all the requirements for being granted a business licence:
- Austrian citizenship, EU/EEA citizenship or Swiss citizenship; in certain circumstances citizens of third-party countries may be given a business licence
- Legal capacity (full legal capacity to run a business)
- No reasons for exclusion (e. g. previous offences)

For a regulated business, a certificate of competence is also required. You can find more information here.
GISA is an essential portal for business owners even after they have registered their business. If they relocate, open new sites or appoint new directors, this can be registered on GISA, online and free of charge.
GISA is currently the only official source of information for company-related data on all commercial enterprises based in Austria.

GISA, the Austrian Business Licence Information System, is the fully electronic standardised business portal for the whole of Austria. From registering to de-registering a business, business owners can perform a wide range of processes online. Free information about other Austrian business operators is also available to download. GISA is a pioneering Austrian project, the only one of its kind in the EU. It brings together 14 commercial registers on a single online portal.

How to register a business on GISA

If you meet all the criteria for operating a business, you can register it online

Getting started: Select the type of entity (natural or legal entity).
Business owner: Enter the personal details of the business owner and their authorised representative, where applicable.
Data: Enter details of the name of the business and its head office.
Optional: Confirm that you are licensed to run a business; the person making the application can determine whether the registration of their business in GISA is announced.
Attachments: Upload any documents relating to the business and compose any necessary notification for the trade authority.
Review: You can review all your entries again.
Conclusion: As the final step, your registration is submitted to the commercial authorities.

Within three months, the relevant district administrative authority (in Vienna: the Municipal District Office) will enter your business in the Austrian Business Licence Information System and send you the GISA extract as confirmation. If a reliability check needs to be carried out, this is also done within three months. In Austria, the whole process can be carried out free of charge.

Other functions in GISA

In addition to business registration, GISA, the Austrian Business Licence Information System, also offers:

GISA searches for your own data
Certified GISA extracts
GISA information about other businesses
Withdrawal of a business licence
Change of location
Registration and de-registration of an additional operating site
Appointment and de-registration of a commercial director
Confirmation of individual competence

Additional procedures for tour operators:

Initial notification
Repeat notification
Change notification
Modification notification
De-registration

You can find more information under summary of all the procedures.