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Germany Security Guard Test (§ 34a Sachkunde) 2026

Practise for the expert knowledge exam (Sachkundeprüfung) under § 34a of the Trade Regulation Act, taken at a Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK). The questions cover all seven exam subjects, from trade law and everyday rights such as self-defence and citizen's arrest, to accident prevention, de-escalation and security technology. The real written exam has 82 tasks in 120 minutes and you need half the points; it is followed by an oral exam.

  • Security guard
  • Germany
  • 100 questions
  • Checked October 11, 2026

Quick answer

The Expert knowledge exam for the guarding trade (Sachkundeprüfung, § 34a GewO) has 82 questions. Pass mark: At least 50% of the points in the written part (60 of 120), then at least 50% in the oral part. Time limit: 120 minutes. It is run by Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK). Minimum age: 18 (to work as a guard). Practise here for free with 100 questions, each with the answer and an explanation. Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026.

Read before you practiseStart with the Germany § 34a Sachkunde Study Guide: plain-language notes, diagrams and the numbers to remember.

  1. Question 1 of 25

    Which provision says that running a guarding business in Germany needs a permit?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Section 34a of the Trade Regulation Act (§ 34a GewO)

    § 34a GewO makes commercial guarding subject to a permit from the responsible authority. It also sets the rules for guards' training and reliability.

  2. Question 2 of 25

    Who runs the 40-hour instruction course (Unterrichtung) and the expert knowledge exam (Sachkundeprüfung)?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. The Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK)

    Both the instruction and the exam take place at an IHK, which issues the certificates.

  3. Question 3 of 25

    How long is the instruction course (Unterrichtung) that most guards must complete?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. 40 hours

    The Unterrichtung is a 40-hour course. You must attend it fully, without missed time.

  4. Question 4 of 25

    What level of German is needed to take part in the instruction course (Unterrichtung)?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Level B1

    The Guarding Ordinance requires language skills at least at level B1, because the course is taught orally in German.

  5. Question 5 of 25

    Which of these jobs needs the expert knowledge exam (Sachkundeprüfung), not just the 40-hour instruction?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Store detective protecting a shop against shoplifters

    § 34a(1a) GewO lists tasks that need the exam: patrols in public areas, protection against shoplifters, door work at discotheques, and leading roles in refugee housing and large events.

  6. Question 6 of 25

    Which of these jobs needs the expert knowledge exam (Sachkundeprüfung)?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Controlling the entrance of a discotheque

    Door work at the entrance of discotheques is one of the activities in § 34a(1a) GewO that need the exam.

  7. Question 7 of 25

    How long is the written part of the expert knowledge exam?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 120 minutes

    IHK exam regulations set the written part at 120 minutes. The tasks are the same across Germany.

  8. Question 8 of 25

    What do you need to pass the written part of the expert knowledge exam?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. At least 50% of the possible points

    The written part is passed with at least half of the total points. Only then may you take the oral part.

  9. Question 9 of 25

    Within what time must you pass the oral part after passing the written part?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Within two years

    If the oral part is not passed within two years of the written part, the whole exam counts as failed.

  10. Question 10 of 25

    Which subject areas are the main focus of the oral exam?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Public safety and order law (with trade law) and dealing with people

    The oral exam concentrates on public safety and order law including trade law, and on dealing with people, such as de-escalation.

  11. Question 11 of 25

    Before a security company deploys a new guard, what must it do?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Register the guard in the guard register (Bewacherregister)

    § 16 BewachV says the company must register guards in the Bewacherregister and receive confirmation before deploying them.

  12. Question 12 of 25

    Which authority has run the Bewacherregister since October 2022?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis)

    The register started in 2019 at the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA). Since 10 October 2022 Destatis has run it.

  13. Question 13 of 25

    How often, at the latest, must the authority check a guarding business owner's reliability again?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Every five years

    § 34a(1) GewO says reliability must be checked again at regular intervals, at the latest after five years.

  14. Question 14 of 25

    When must a guard receive a company ID card (Ausweis)?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Before starting guard work for the first time

    § 18 BewachV says the business must give each guard an ID before they first start guarding. It must look clearly different from official IDs.

  15. Question 15 of 25

    What must a guard carry on duty under § 18 BewachV?
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The company ID card and the identity document listed in the register

    Guards must carry their company ID and the identity document recorded in the Bewacherregister and show them to enforcement officials on request.

  16. Question 16 of 25

    A guard is doing a patrol in a shopping centre open to the public. What must the guard wear in a visible place?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. A badge with their name or code number and the company name

    § 18(3) BewachV requires a visible badge for certain tasks, such as patrols in areas open to the public and door work at discotheques.

  17. Question 17 of 25

    What rule applies to a security company's uniforms?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. They must not be confused with police or military uniforms

    § 19 BewachV says uniforms must clearly differ from those of the armed forces and enforcement authorities, including badges.

  18. Question 18 of 25

    When must a guard wear a uniform under § 19 BewachV?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. When entering fenced-off private property (befriedetes Besitztum) on duty

    Any guard who is supposed to enter fenced-off or enclosed property while on duty must wear a uniform.

  19. Question 19 of 25

    What is the minimum liability insurance cover for personal injury that a guarding business must have per claim?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. 1,000,000 euros

    § 14 BewachV sets minimum cover of 1 million euros for personal injury and 250,000 euros for property damage.

  20. Question 20 of 25

    Which rights may private guards use when dealing with third parties?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The everyday rights anyone has, such as self-defence, necessity and self-help

    § 34a(5) GewO says guards only have the rights of 'everyone' (Jedermannrechte), self-help rights passed to them by contract, and any powers given by law.

  21. Question 21 of 25

    What principle must a guard always follow when using these everyday rights?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Necessity: use only what is needed

    § 34a(5) GewO says the principle of necessity (Erforderlichkeit) must be followed whenever these rights are used.

  22. Question 22 of 25

    Which level of government mainly makes police and public order law in Germany?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The federal states (Länder)

    Under Article 70 of the Basic Law, the states make laws in areas not given to the federal level. Each state has its own police law.

  23. Question 23 of 25

    In police law, what does 'public safety' (öffentliche Sicherheit) mainly protect?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The legal order, individual rights and state institutions

    Public safety covers written law, people's rights and goods such as life and property, and the work of state bodies. Unwritten social rules belong to 'public order'.

  24. Question 24 of 25

    A guard or the business uses a weapon on duty. What must the business owner do?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Report it without delay to the responsible authority and the police

    § 20 BewachV requires an immediate report to the authority responsible for § 34a GewO and to the local police.

  25. Question 25 of 25

    Under the GDPR, what counts as personal data?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Any information about an identified or identifiable person

    Article 4 of the General Data Protection Regulation defines personal data as any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

What to know before the test

  • Since 1 July 2025 the written part has 82 tasks worth up to 120 points, with 120 minutes to answer them. Before that it had 72 questions.
  • Some tasks have one correct answer and some have up to two. If you tick more answers than a task has correct solutions, you get 0 points for it.
  • You need at least 50% of the points in the written part to take the oral part. The oral part takes about 15 minutes per person, with up to five candidates together, and also needs 50%.
  • You must pass the oral part within two years of passing the written part, or the whole exam counts as failed.
  • The exam is required for patrols in public areas, store detectives, door work at discotheques, and leading roles in refugee housing and at large access-controlled events. Most other guards need the 40-hour instruction course (Unterrichtung).
  • Guards must be at least 18 (unless they hold a listed qualification) and be registered in the national guard register (Bewacherregister) before they start work.
  • Private guards have no police powers. They may only use the everyday rights anyone has, such as self-defence, necessity and self-help, and must keep to what is necessary.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the § 34a Sachkundeprüfung?

Since 1 July 2025 the written part has 82 tasks worth 120 points in total, and you have 120 minutes. The mock exam here uses 82 single-answer questions with a 50% pass line, so the scoring is simpler than the real exam.

What is the pass mark?

You need at least 50% of the points in the written part, which is 60 of 120 points. Then you need at least 50% in the oral part.

What is the difference between the Unterrichtung and the Sachkundeprüfung?

The Unterrichtung is a 40-hour course with no formal exam, enough for most guard jobs. The Sachkundeprüfung is a written and oral exam needed for patrols in public areas, store detectives, disco door staff, certain leading roles, and for running a security business.

Can I take the exam in English?

IHK exam rules state that the exam is held in German. The 40-hour Unterrichtung also requires German at level B1.

Can I retake the exam?

Yes. You can register again for a failed part. The oral part must be passed within two years of the written part, or you must start again.

Do I need the exam to open my own security company?

Yes. § 34a GewO refuses a permit if the owner, or the managers, cannot show a passed Sachkundeprüfung. Liability insurance and a reliability check are also required.

Sources

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