AZAV (Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion (Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung), AZAV certification): AZAV stands for Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung, the Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion. It governs how training providers and their courses are approved so that the employment agency or the job centre can fund them.
What does AZAV mean?
The abbreviation stands for Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung (Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion). The ordinance supplements sections 176 to 184 SGB III. These state that providers need approval from a certification body to carry out employment promotion measures (section 176 SGB III).
Checks take place at two levels: the training provider as a whole (provider approval) and every single course (course approval).
Why AZAV matters to you as a participant
A course can only be paid for with an education voucher or through AVGS coaching if it is approved. For Qualifizierungsgeld, the provider must be approved.
Important: a provider with an AZAV certificate can also offer courses that are not approved. What counts is the approval of the specific course. Our course finder lists only approved courses. How to recognise the approval is explained in detail in the article AZAV approval explained.
Who certifies under AZAV and how long is the approval valid?
Certification is carried out by certification bodies (fachkundige Stellen). These are certification bodies accredited for this task by the accreditation body (section 177 SGB III). The Federal Employment Agency supervises the accreditation body in professional matters.
The provider approval is limited to a maximum of five years (section 181 (5) in conjunction with section 177 (3) SGB III). The approval of a course should be limited to a maximum of three years (section 5 (4) AZAV).
The law does not specify what a certification costs. The certification body must have a transparent procedure for determining and charging its expenses (section 177 (2) SGB III). Training providers who want to be certified will find information on our page for training providers.
In practice: an example
You find a course online and the website says “AZAV-certified”. At first, this only means that the provider is approved. Ask whether this exact course has a course approval, and ask for the details for the employment agency. Only then is the counselling appointment with the specific course worthwhile.
How we help you
We clarify with you which funding route fits your situation and look for an approved course in our course finder. All funding routes at a glance are on our funding page, and you can request an appointment here.
Frequently asked questions
What does the abbreviation AZAV stand for?
For Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung (Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion). It governs the approval of training providers and measures that are financed through employment promotion.
Who certifies under AZAV?
Certification bodies (fachkundige Stellen). These are certification bodies that have been accredited for this by the accreditation body (section 177 SGB III).
How long is an AZAV approval valid?
The provider approval for a maximum of five years; the approval of an individual course should be valid for a maximum of three years (section 181 SGB III, section 5 (4) AZAV).
Is it enough if the provider is AZAV-certified?
No. For the education voucher and the AVGS, the specific course must also be approved. A certified provider can additionally offer courses without approval.
Related terms
Sources
Legal texts and official bodies this article relies on. Links last checked on .
- Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion (AZAV)Federal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Section 176 SGB III: Principle of approvalFederal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Section 177 SGB III: Certification bodyFederal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Section 181 SGB III: Approval procedureFederal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de
- Section 5 AZAV: Approval procedureFederal Ministry of Justice, gesetze-im-internet.de
Note: This information is for general guidance and is not legal advice. Whether you receive funding is decided in each individual case by the responsible office, for example the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit), the job centre or the pension insurance. As of 08.11.2026.