Administrative services A-Z

• Written form required: no
• Personal appearance required: no

Anyone wishing to be authorised as a district chimney sweep needs to be appointed by the competent authority.

The work as an authorised district chimney sweep is advertised publicly. This means that chimney sweeps must apply for one or more vacant sweeping districts or the position of authorised district chimney sweep .

Applicants may be appointed as an authorised district chimney sweep if they possess the requirements under craft law for the independent practice of the chimney sweeping trade. The selection between the applicants is made according to their suitability, qualification and professional performance.

The advertised sweeping districts are published at www.service.bund.de.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the five district governments are responsible for advertising and filling vacant sweeping districts in their respective administrative districts. Applications for a sweeping district can only be made electronically via the chimney sweep application portal (https://schornsteinfegerportal-fms.nrw.de/lip/form/display.do?%24context=452A2488FB8A6E29CF93).

In order to be appointed as a district chimney sweep, you must meet the legal requirements for the independent practice of the chimney sweeping trade and, on the basis of the application documents submitted, have

• Your suitability,
• your qualification and
• your professional performance.

The competent authority shall specify in the invitation to tender which documents are to be submitted. In particular, the competent authority may require the submission of the following documents:

• the written application containing the applicant's surname, first names, address, telephone number and, if available, electronic contact details,
• the curriculum vitae in tabular form, giving details of previous professional training and professional experience
• proof of fulfilment of the requirements for entry in the register of craftsmen,
• the certificates of the journeyman's examination and the examination for the master craftsman's diploma or of equivalent qualifications; in the case of in the case of a professional qualification acquired in another Member State of the European Union, in a State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in Switzerland, the documents and certificates to be submitted in accordance with the EU/EEA Crafts Regulation,
• the evidence of previous chimney sweep activities and of further and advanced training measures related to the profession,
• the declaration of consent to obtain information from the Trade Central Register,
• a declaration as to whether the applicant has been convicted of any criminal offences within the last twelve months prior to publication of the advertisement.
  • criminal convictions have been handed down against the applicant,
  • judicial criminal proceedings have become pending, or
  • pending preliminary proceedings have come to light,
• an indication of the applicant's ranking in preferred districts; and
• evidence of current service as an authorized district chimney sweep or a statement that no such office is held.

Is based on the respective administrative fee regulations of the state or on the fee statutes of the bodies responsible under state law.

Once you have submitted your application and all the documents are complete, the competent authority will check whether you meet all the requirements.

If you meet all the requirements, the competent authority will rank the applicants and make the selection between them.

The appointment is then made ex officio and must be made public. It is then notified to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control for entry in the Chimney Sweep Register.

The appointment of the authorised district chimney sweep is limited to seven years, but ends at the latest at the end of the month in which the appointed person reaches the age of 67.

An authorised district chimney sweep may not reapply before two years after the appointment takes effect.

• § Section 10 of the Chimney Sweep Trade Act (SchfHwG)
• § Section 6 (1) and Section 1 (2) HwO

Without appointment as an authorised district chimney sweep, the associated sovereign activities may not be carried out.

Ministry for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy NRW