Comparison · 17 chambers
Every German Approbation route, compared.
Approbation fees range from €130 (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) to €600 (Hamburg). FSP fees run €350–€700. Drittstaat processing runs from ~4 weeks (M-V official figure) to 20+ months (Bayern, FOIA average). Sort by what matters for your situation.
Last verified
Fastest
~4 wk
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (official)
Slowest
20+ mo
Bayern (FOIA average 16.5 mo)
Average gap
~14 mo
Between fastest & slowest tier
Tap any header to re-sort. Default: fastest Drittstaat processing first.
| State / Authority | FSP chamber | Flags | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sachsen-Anhalt Landesverwaltungsamt Halle (Saale) | 2–4 months · Faster | €200 | €500 | Ärztekammer Sachsen-Anhalt | OnlineJob offerShortage | Full guide → |
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern LAGuS Rostock | 2–5 months · Faster | €130 | €700 | Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (also conducts FSP for Schleswig-Holstein applicants) | Shortage | Full guide → |
Bremen Senatorin für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz Bremen | 3–7 months · Mid-tier | €305 | €530 | Ärztekammer Bremen (on behalf of the Senatorin) | Full guide → | |
Sachsen Landesdirektion Sachsen Dresden | 3–7 months · Mid-tier | €330 | €590 | Sächsische Landesärztekammer (SLÄK) | OnlineJob offer | Full guide → |
Saarland Landesamt für Soziales Saarbrücken | 4–9 months · Mid-tier | — | — | No FSP at Ärztekammer Saarland | telc OK | Full guide → |
Thüringen Thüringer Landesverwaltungsamt Weimar | 4–9 months · Mid-tier | — | €600 | Landesärztekammer Thüringen | Job offerShortage | Full guide → |
Brandenburg LAVG Potsdam | 4–12 months · Mid-tier | €300 | €487 | Landesärztekammer Brandenburg | OnlineShortage | Full guide → |
Hamburg Sozialbehörde Hamburg | 5–12 months · Mid-tier | €600 | €550 | Ärztekammer Hamburg | Job offer | Full guide → |
Rheinland-Pfalz LSJV Mainz | 5–12 months · Mid-tier | €200 | €425 | Bezirksärztekammer Rheinhessen (on behalf of LÄK RLP) | Syria → KP | Full guide → |
Schleswig-Holstein LAsD Neumünster | 5–12 months · Mid-tier | €200 | €700 | Ärztekammer Schleswig-Holstein (ÄKSH) | Job offertelc OK | Full guide → |
Berlin LAGeSo Berlin | 6–14 months · Mid-tier | €430 | €550 | Ärztekammer Berlin | Online | Full guide → |
Hessen HLfGP Frankfurt am Main | 6–15 months · Mid-tier | — | €650 | Landesärztekammer Hessen (LÄKH) | Full guide → | |
Baden-Württemberg Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart Stuttgart | 12–18 months · Slower | €300 | €420 | Landesärztekammer Baden-Württemberg (via four Bezirksärztekammern) | Full guide → | |
Niedersachsen NiZzA Hannover | 7–18 months · Slower | €300 | €490 | Ärztekammer Niedersachsen (ÄKN) | OnlineJob offer | Full guide → |
Bayern ZAABY Munich | 12–20 months · Slower | €400 | €550 | Bayerische Landesärztekammer (BLÄK) | Online | Full guide → |
Westfalen-Lippe Bezirksregierung Münster Münster | 9–24 months · Slower | €400 | €400 | Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe (ÄKWL) | OnlineJob offer | Full guide → |
Nordrhein Bezirksregierung Münster Düsseldorf | 12–36 months · Slower | €400 | €350 | Ärztekammer Nordrhein (AeKNo) | OnlineJob offer | Full guide → |
Sachsen-Anhalt
Landesverwaltungsamt · Halle (Saale)
Processing
2–4 months
Appro. fee
€200
FSP fee
€500
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
LAGuS · Rostock
Processing
2–5 months
Appro. fee
€130
FSP fee
€700
Bremen
Senatorin für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz · Bremen
Processing
3–7 months
Appro. fee
€305
FSP fee
€530
Sachsen
Landesdirektion Sachsen · Dresden
Processing
3–7 months
Appro. fee
€330
FSP fee
€590
Saarland
Landesamt für Soziales · Saarbrücken
Processing
4–9 months
Appro. fee
—
FSP fee
—
Thüringen
Thüringer Landesverwaltungsamt · Weimar
Processing
4–9 months
Appro. fee
—
FSP fee
€600
Brandenburg
LAVG · Potsdam
Processing
4–12 months
Appro. fee
€300
FSP fee
€487
Hamburg
Sozialbehörde · Hamburg
Processing
5–12 months
Appro. fee
€600
FSP fee
€550
Rheinland-Pfalz
LSJV · Mainz
Processing
5–12 months
Appro. fee
€200
FSP fee
€425
Schleswig-Holstein
LAsD · Neumünster
Processing
5–12 months
Appro. fee
€200
FSP fee
€700
Berlin
LAGeSo · Berlin
Processing
6–14 months
Appro. fee
€430
FSP fee
€550
Hessen
HLfGP · Frankfurt am Main
Processing
6–15 months
Appro. fee
—
FSP fee
€650
Baden-Württemberg
Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart · Stuttgart
Processing
12–18 months
Appro. fee
€300
FSP fee
€420
Niedersachsen
NiZzA · Hannover
Processing
7–18 months
Appro. fee
€300
FSP fee
€490
Bayern
ZAABY · Munich
Processing
12–20 months
Appro. fee
€400
FSP fee
€550
Westfalen-Lippe
Bezirksregierung Münster · Münster
Processing
9–24 months
Appro. fee
€400
FSP fee
€400
Nordrhein
Bezirksregierung Münster · Düsseldorf
Processing
12–36 months
Appro. fee
€400
FSP fee
€350
Apply where you can start, not where you want to settle
An Approbation issued in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen-Anhalt, or Sachsen is valid in Hamburg, Munich, or Frankfurt the day it's granted. If you have flexibility, the eastern states cut 6–18 months off your wait versus Bayern, NRW, or Hessen. Many applicants relocate to a faster state for the application stage and move later.
Approbation authority ≠ FSP chamber
In Berlin, LAGeSo issues the Approbation but Ärztekammer Berlin runs the FSP. In NRW both Nordrhein and Westfalen-Lippe applicants apply to Bezirksregierung Münster, but the FSP chambers are separate. Sending paperwork to the wrong body is one of the most common reasons for delays — check both columns above before you apply.
Coming 1 November 2026
The Kenntnisprüfung becomes the default route.
From 1 Nov 2026, most Drittstaat applicants will skip the documents-based Gleichwertigkeitsprüfung entirely. State-by-state processing dynamics will shift. The Bundestag passed the enabling law on 26 March 2026. Read the full reform breakdown →