Articles on: Becoming Self-Employed

HORECA Business Permit in Luxembourg (Restaurants, Cafes, Hotels)

If you want to open a restaurant, cafe, hotel, or food truck in Luxembourg, you need a HORECA business permit (autorisation d'etablissement HORECA). The qualification requirement has three paths — you only need to satisfy one of them.

Qualification path	What it means
Certificate of access	Pass the HORECA training organised by House of Training
One year of professional experience	Documented HORECA work in Luxembourg or another EU country
Previous business permit	You already held a HORECA permit before

The HORECA permit is issued by the Ministry of Economy under the law of 2 September 2011 — same as any business permit. The 4 standard criteria still apply (integrity, qualification, fixed premises, effective management).

Path 1: Certificate of access (most common)

The most popular route is to take the HORECA access course (formation d'acces aux professions de l'HoReCa) organised by the Chamber of Commerce via House of Training.

Duration: ~18 hours total (15 hours of training + 3-hour exam), spread over a few days
Format: in person + final written exam
Cost: check current pricing on houseoftraining.lu
Certificate: issued by the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Economy after passing the final exam
Validity: no time limit — the certificate is valid for life

Practical tip: The certificate is valid for the entire HORECA sector — restaurants, bars, cafes, AND hotels. You do not need separate certificates for each.

Path 2: One year of professional experience

If you have already worked in HORECA for at least one year, you may be exempted from the training. You need to prove your experience with:

CCSS affiliation certificate (for work in Luxembourg) — shows your employer and dates
EC certificate of professional experience (for work in another EU country) — issued by the equivalent authority in your country of origin

The experience must be in the HORECA sector specifically — general food handling or unrelated hospitality work usually does not count. The Ministry of Economy assesses each case.

Path 3: Previous business permit

If you already held a HORECA business permit in the past (for example, you closed a restaurant and now want to open a new one), you can submit your old permit as proof of qualification. No retraining needed.

What about diplomas?

A relevant diploma in hospitality, catering, or hotel management can also count as proof of qualification. This includes:

DAP / CAP / CATP in hospitality or catering
Bachelor's or master's degrees in hotel / restaurant management

In practice, most applicants without prior HORECA experience choose the House of Training certificate path because it is fast, well-known to the Ministry, and inexpensive compared to a full diploma.

Other obligations beyond qualification

The qualification is just one piece. To actually run a HORECA business, you will also need to deal with:

Food safety rules (HACCP) — enforced by ALVA (Administration luxembourgeoise veterinaire et alimentaire) — required for any establishment serving food
Alcohol licence (concession de cabaretage / Schanklizenz) — if you serve alcohol — issued by the Service cabaretage of the Administration des Douanes et Accises (ADA), not the commune or the Ministry of Economy
Premises requirements — kitchen, sanitation, accessibility
Music or terrace licences — depending on your concept

We will cover these in future articles. For now, focus on getting your qualification and business permit sorted first.

HORECA is one of the most regulated sectors in Luxembourg. Plan extra time for compliance before your opening date — particularly for kitchen inspection and alcohol licensing.

Short-term rentals — Airbnb-style accommodation since September 2023

Since the law of 26 July 2023 (in force 1 September 2023), if you rent residential property for 90 cumulative nights or more per year, you are treated as an "operator of an accommodation establishment" — a HORECA activity. This means:

You need a HORECA business permit
You must complete specific mandatory training (food safety, hygiene, human rights, child protection) within 6 months of starting the activity

Practical tip: This catches many private landlords by surprise. If you rent your apartment or a spare room on Airbnb, Booking.com, or similar platforms, count your nights — once you cross 90 cumulative nights in a year, you fall into the HORECA regime.

Where to apply

Qualification (House of Training certificate): houseoftraining.lu
Business permit: MyGuichet.lu (Ministry of Economy)
For full guidance: House of Entrepreneurship — free advice on starting a HORECA business

Quick reference

Question	Answer
Three qualification paths	Certificate of access OR 1 year experience OR previous permit
Certificate validity	Lifetime — no expiry
Where to take the course?	House of Training (Chamber of Commerce)
Does the certificate cover all HORECA?	Yes — restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels
Need separate alcohol licence?	Yes, if you serve alcohol
Food safety (HACCP) included?	No — separate compliance step
Do I still need a business permit?	Yes — HORECA permit IS a business permit

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

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This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional tax, legal, or accounting advice. Every situation is different — consult a qualified professional (tax adviser, accountant, or lawyer) for advice specific to your circumstances. BravoLisa does not accept liability for decisions made based on this information.

Last updated: April 2026. Rates and thresholds may change — always verify with the relevant authorities for the most current figures.

Updated on: 16/04/2026

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