Craft Activities in Luxembourg: Lists A, B, C and the Brevet de Maîtrise

If you want to start a craft business (artisan) in Luxembourg, the qualification you need — a brevet de maîtrise in Luxembourg, a vocational diploma or experience, or nothing at all — depends on which list your activity is on. There are three lists — A, B, and C — set out in annexes 1 to 3 of the law of 2 September 2011.

You always need a business permit (autorisation d’établissement) — even for List C activities where no qualification is required.

List A — the most regulated craft activities

List A covers craft activities that need real technical training. According to Guichet.lu, to get the business permit you need ONE of:

• Brevet de maîtrise (master craftsman certificate) covering the activity, OR
• A bachelor’s degree covering the essential parts of the activity, OR
• A bachelor’s degree partially covering the activity + 1 year practice, OR
• A bachelor’s degree not directly covering the activity + 2 years practice, OR
• A previous List A business permit + 3 years experience, OR
• DAP/CAP + 6 years in a management role

List A is grouped into 5 sectors:

• Food — baker, pastry chef, butcher, caterer
• Health and fashion — optician, hearing aid specialist, hairdresser
• Mechanics — auto mechanic, gunsmith, body repair specialist
• Construction — electrician, carpenter, painter, roofer
• Multimedia — electronics installer

The brevet de maîtrise is the gold standard for List A. If you have it for your specific activity, no further evidence is needed.

List B — vocational diploma or 3 years experience

For List B, Guichet.lu says you need ONE of:

• A DAP (diplome d’aptitude professionnelle) — or an equivalent vocational diploma such as CAP or CATP — covering the activity or its essential parts, OR
• Three years of regular full-time professional practice in the activity, including knowledge of business management

List B is also grouped into sectors. Common examples:

• Food — ice cream maker, sausage producer, miller
• Fashion and health — manicurist, jeweller, dry cleaner, cobbler
• Mechanics — locksmith, blacksmith, sharpener
• Construction — landscaper, chimney sweep, window installer, cleaner
• Media — bookbinder, sound technician, instrument maker
• Materials — florist

Practical tip: If you do not have the diploma but have 3 years of relevant experience, gather your CCSS affiliation history (for Luxembourg work) or EC certificate of professional experience (for EU work). The Ministry will use these to verify your experience.

List C — no qualification needed

For List C, Guichet.lu requires no professional qualification. You just need the business permit (with the standard 4 criteria).

Common List C activities:

• Food — distiller, brewer
• Fashion — clothing alterer, presser, tattooist, pet groomer
• Services — vehicle cleaner, taxi/ambulance rental, domestic helper
• Media and entertainment — photographer, camera operator, sound producer
• Artistic crafts — woodworker, metalworker, glassblower, ceramicist

List C does NOT mean “anything goes.” You still need:

• A business permit (50 EUR fee)
• Clean professional integrity (criminal record + declaration of honour)
• Fixed premises in Luxembourg
• Effective day-to-day management

We covered List C in more depth in our article on activities that need no qualification.

Foreign diplomas — getting them recognised

If your diploma is from another country, it goes into your business permit file, and the Ministry of the Economy checks it there; you need it formally recognised first only if the ministry asks. Guichet.lu’s List A page says the ministry may require an equivalence of a non-university diploma from the Education ministry’s Service de la reconnaissance des diplômes, or an entry of a degree in the register of titles to establish its level. The amended law of 28 October 2016 sets the recognition rules and names six competent ministers, the Economy’s among them:

• EU/EEA diplomas — mutual recognition rules often apply (faster process)
• Non-EU diplomas — case-by-case assessment, may require additional training

The register of titles is kept by the MESR (Ministère de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement supérieur), at mesr.gouvernement.lu.

If the ministry asks for a recognition or a register entry, it rules on your qualification only once you have it.

How to register with the Chambre des Métiers

Your membership of the Chambre des Métiers (cdm.lu) is automatic: according to the Chamber’s affiliation form, craft businesses are members from the day the ministry grants their craft permit. You still return that form, with the documents it lists, to the Chamber (cdm.lu) so it can issue your affiliation card.

Quick reference

For the full picture of business permits, see our article on the 4 criteria for a business permit.