Dienstleistungen
Operation of patient transports - apply for authorisation
Would you like to operate patient transport services or extend, change or expand your already authorised patient transport service?
Then you must obtain a licence before starting to operate the change or extension.
Please note: You will receive the licence for a maximum of four years.
If you wish to continue the operation after the authorisation period has expired, you must apply for a new authorisation in good time before it expires.
Online application
Note: Enter a municipality or town in the urban or rural district in which you wish to operate. As soon as you have entered a postcode or town, we will be able to show you the online application form for the relevant authority at this point.
The application forms are available to download online depending on the services offered by the municipality or district.
Responsible department
the responsible body depends on the operating area. This can cover parts of a rescue service area or an entire rescue service area.
- If the operating area is located in a city district: the city administration
- If the operating area is located in a district: the district office
- If the operating area covers several urban and rural districts and
- the registered office of your company is located within Baden-Württemberg: the municipal administration or district office in whose area your company is based
- the registered office of your company is located outside Baden-Württemberg: the regional council in whose district the operating area is located.
Example:
A company based in Bavaria would like to apply for a licence to provide patient transport services in the entire Bodensee-Oberschwaben rescue service area. The operating area therefore covers several districts and the company's registered office is outside Baden-Württemberg. The competent authority would therefore be the Regional Council of Tübingen.
Details
Prerequisite
- Ensuring the safety and efficiency of the business:
The economic circumstances of the business are decisive. The economic basis for the provision of business equipment, vehicles and personnel must be sufficient - Reliability of the applicant as an entrepreneur or the person appointed to manage the business:
Due to the legal interests of life and health involved in patient transport, strict rules apply to reliability. The person must therefore be able to demonstrate that they will fulfil their responsibilities. - Professional aptitude of the applicant as an entrepreneur or of the person appointed to manage the company:
Professional aptitude must be proven by an examination or by appropriate activity in a road passenger transport company. In addition, the applicant must- have passed the examination to become a paramedic or
- provide evidence of three years' employment in a rescue service organisation with active participation in the rescue service.
- Signing of the digital radio participation agreement
- Compliance with the regulations regarding the ambulances used and their staffing:
- The ambulances used must be specially equipped and recognised as ambulances according to the vehicle registration certificate. The competent licensing authority decides on this.
- The ambulances must be manned by two suitable persons, whereby at least one paramedic must always look after the patients. The second person must be at least qualified as a paramedic.
Procedure
The application must contain the following information:
- Person submitting the application/person appointed to manage the business
- Operating area
- Operating and standby times
- List of ambulances with their licence plates
Deadlines
none
Required documents
- Passport or identity card of the applicant
- Proof of the safety and efficiency of the company:
- Proof of equity capital or a list of assets signed by a tax consultant, tax agent, auditor or credit institution
- Certificate in tax matters from the tax office
- Clearance certificate from the municipality
- Clearance certificate from the social insurance institution confirming the proper payment of health, pension and unemployment insurance contributions for employees
- Clearance certificate from the employers' liability insurance association confirming payment of accident insurance contributions
- If applicable, a certified copy of the entry in the commercial or cooperative register at the local court
- If applicable, articles of association with list of shareholders
- Proof of the reliability of the applicant/person appointed to manage the business:
- Current certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority
- Extract from the driving aptitude register
- Extract from the central trade register
- If you are applying for the licence for the first time, also: Proof of the professional suitability of the applicant/person appointed to manage the business:
- Proof of three years of managerial activity in a company that operates road passenger transport, or
- Proof of having passed the examination in accordance with the Professional Licence Ordinance for Road Passenger Transport
- and
- Proof of passing the examination as a paramedic or
- Proof of at least three years of active work in the rescue service.
Note: The professional suitability is generally considered to be given for the rescue service organisations named in the Rescue Service Act.
- Copies of the vehicle registration certificates showing that the ambulances are recognised as such;
- Proof of the main inspection of the ambulances;
- Proof that the ambulances are properly manned by two suitable persons (e.g. duty roster, certificate from the divisional committee);
- Proof of proper hygiene conditions (e.g. by submitting a hygiene plan drawn up in consultation with a hygienist) and
- possibly a remuneration agreement with the funding organisations (you can also submit this at a later date).
Note: In special cases, the competent authority may request further documents.
Costs
The authorisation is subject to a fee. Please enquire at the responsible office about the amount of the fees.
Miscellaneous
Scope and content of the authorisation:
The authorisation applies
- to the person applying for authorisation as an entrepreneur,
- for patient transport in a specific operating area and
- for the individual vehicle bearing a licence plate number
- for a maximum of 4 years, depending on the content of the authorisation.
The licence contains the following ancillary provisions:
- more detailed provisions of the operating and transport obligation and the operating hours,
- Obligation to guarantee proper hygienic conditions,
- Obligation to comply with the provisions of the ordinance on the operation of road passenger transport companies,
- Obligation to conclude an agreement on financing with the payers of the rescue service (statutory health insurance funds) and
- Obligation to observe the integrated control centre's switching monopoly.
Note: The authorising authority may issue further ancillary provisions at its own discretion. These can
- regulate the cooperation between the companies and with the divisional committee for the rescue service and
- oblige the companies to document the transport orders and their processing.
If a reserve vehicle is to be approved for an existing licence, the licensing authority may impose further ancillary provisions.
You must notify the competent authority of the commencement of operations, stating the area of operation and the individual vehicles, each with a licence plate number.
You must also ensure that your provisions for patient transport are included for information purposes in the area plan for the rescue service area
Legal basis
Gesetz über den Rettungsdienst (Rettungsdienstgesetz - RDG):
- § 29 Genehmigungspflicht
- § 30 Genehmigungsvoraussetzungen
- § 31 Umfang der Genehmigung, Anzeige der Betriebsaufnahme und Anzeige der Betriebsaufgabe
Rettungsdienstplan 2022 Baden-Württemberg:
- § 67 ff. Genehmigung zum Betrieb von Notfallrettung und Krankentransport
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 13.05.2025