The §34a Sachkundeprüfung is the knowledge exam required to work in Germany’s private security industry (Bewachungsgewerbe) in roles that go beyond basic guard duties. Here is exactly how the written exam is structured, straight from the governing regulation.
How many questions are on the §34a Sachkundeprüfung?
The written part consists of 82 questions in 120 minutes. Each question carries as many points as it has correct answers, at most two, so the paper totals 120 points. That means most questions are worth 1 point, and a smaller set of two-answer questions is worth 2 points each.
This point scale changed on 1 July 2025, moving from an older 100-point version to the current 120. If you come across older study material quoting 72 questions or 100 points, treat it as outdated.
What score do you need to pass the written part?
You need 60 of 120 points, exactly 50 percent, to pass. There is an important scoring rule to know before you sit down: if a question has two correct answers and you select more than two options, or the wrong combination, you get zero points for that question, not partial credit. Selecting only one of the two correct answers on a 2-point question earns you nothing either, since the point only pays out on the full correct set.
Only after clearing the written part are you admitted to the oral exam, which must also be passed. Both parts sit inside a single overall qualification; there is no separate certificate for the written half alone.
What subject areas are tested?
§ 7 BewachV names seven Sachgebiete, and every written question falls into one of them:
- Recht der öffentlichen Sicherheit und Ordnung (public security and order law), including trade law and § 34a of the Gewerbeordnung itself.
- Datenschutzrecht (data protection law), meaning the GDPR and the Bundesdatenschutzgesetz as they apply to guard and security work.
- Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB), covering possession, property, house rights, liability, and found-property rules.
- Straf- und Strafverfahrensrecht einschließlich Umgang mit Waffen (criminal and criminal procedure law, including weapons handling), drawing on the StGB, StPO, everyone’s citizen’s-arrest rights, self-defence, and the Weapons Act.
- Unfallverhütungsvorschrift Wach- und Sicherungsdienste (accident prevention rules for guard and security services), based on DGUV Vorschrift 23 and DGUV Vorschrift 1.
- Umgang mit Menschen (dealing with people), covering behaviour in dangerous situations and de-escalation technique.
- Grundzüge der Sicherheitstechnik (basics of security technology), covering mechanical security, alarm systems, and access control.
Neither the DIHK nor individual chambers publish an official breakdown of how many of the 82 questions come from each area. Study material that claims an official per-topic question count, ours included, is working from an estimate of syllabus weight, not a published quota.
What does the oral part involve?
The oral exam runs roughly 15 minutes per candidate, and up to five candidates can be examined together in one session. It focuses mainly on subject areas 1 (public security and order) and 6 (dealing with people), typically through discussion of a case scenario. There is no published nationwide catalogue of oral scenarios, so the exact questions vary by examiner and chamber.
A pass on the written part starts a two-year clock: if you have not also passed the oral part within that window, the whole Sachkundeprüfung counts as not passed, and you would need to retake the written exam again.
Do you need to take a prep course first?
No. A preparation course is not a legal requirement to register for the exam; self-study is an accepted route. Do not confuse the Sachkundeprüfung with the separate 40-hour “Unterrichtung” under § 34a GewO required for lower-level guard roles. They are two different qualification paths with different requirements, and passing the Sachkundeprüfung exempts you from needing the 40-hour course.
What does the exam cost, and can you retake it?
There is no fixed nationwide fee. Depending on the Chamber of Industry and Commerce you register with, the cost typically falls between roughly 122 and 430 euros, so confirm the current schedule with your chamber before registering. Both the written and oral parts can be retaken individually if you fail one of them, and there is no nationally standardised waiting period between attempts, though the two-year rule above still applies once you have passed the written part.
Every fact above comes from § 34a of the Gewerbeordnung and the Bewachungsverordnung (BewachV), both freely available at gesetze-im-internet.de, plus DGUV Vorschrift 23 and DGUV Vorschrift 1 for the accident-prevention subject area. RiverMap Learning’s §34a Sachkunde practice app drills all seven subject areas with original questions citing the specific provision behind each answer, and includes a timed mock built to the same 82 question, 120 point, 60 to pass structure as the real written exam.