Repair Bonus Austria 2026: Geräte-Retter-Prämie — Complete Guide

The short version

Yes, the Repair Bonus Austria 2026 is still running. Since 12 January 2026 it carries a new official name: Geräte-Retter-Prämie ("Device Saver Premium"). If you fix a washing machine, a TV, or a coffee machine at a registered repair shop, you get half the bill back, capped at 130 euros.

• Subsidy rate: 50 percent of the gross repair cost
• Maximum per voucher: 130 euros (down from 200 euros under the old programme)
• Cost-estimate voucher: additional 50 percent up to 30 euros
• Voucher validity: 3 weeks (21 days) from issue
• Where to apply: the federal portal at geräte-retter-praemie.at
• Administrator: Kommunalkredit Public Consulting (KPC) on behalf of the BMLUK
• Legal basis: Austrian Environmental Funding Act (Umweltförderungsgesetz, UFG) and the Circular-Economy funding rules
• Bicycles and e-bikes: no federal coverage in 2026; Vienna covers them via the Wiener Reparaturbon

If you remember the old "200 euro Repair Bonus" figure, drop it. That was the rate until end of 2025. The 2026 cap is 130 euros, and our broader overview of 2026 changes in Austria confirms it.

---

What changed about the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

The Repair Bonus has run in Austria since 2022, with a few pauses when the budget ran out. At the start of 2026 the federal government rebranded the scheme. Same idea, slightly different figures, new portal.

| Area | Reparaturbonus (until 2025) | Geräte-Retter-Prämie (from 12 Jan 2026) | |---|---|---| | Maximum subsidy per repair | 200 € | 130 € | | Subsidy rate | 50 % | 50 % (unchanged) | | Cost-estimate subsidy | not separate | maximum 30 € | | Voucher validity | 4 weeks | 3 weeks (21 days) | | Bicycles and e-bikes | partially covered | no federal coverage | | Portal | reparaturbonus.at | geräte-retter-praemie.at | | Funding framework | EU NextGenerationEU / Recovery Plan | Austrian Environmental Funding Act (UFG) |

The drop to 130 euros was the most-debated change. The Chamber of Labour (Arbeiterkammer) and the Austrian Repair Network (Reparaturnetzwerk) read it pragmatically: a lower ceiling at the same percentage means more vouchers from the same pot, and for any repair below 260 euros the consumer pays the same out of pocket as before.

---

Which devices does the Repair Bonus Austria 2026 cover?

Repair, service, and maintenance of electrical and electronic devices used in private households are eligible. The device must run on mains power, a battery, or a solar module. The eligible categories:

| Category | Examples | |---|---| | Major household appliances | Washing machines, dishwashers, dryers, fridges, ovens | | Small appliances | Coffee machines, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, kettles, blenders | | Consumer electronics | Televisions, stereo systems, game consoles, soundbars, AV receivers | | Office equipment | Printers, scanners, monitors, external drives, computers | | Small climate appliances | Mobile air conditioners, air purifiers, fan heaters | | Cordless tools | Drills, jigsaws, hedge trimmers, cordless lawnmowers | | Health and care devices | Hearing aids, inhalers, electric toothbrushes, care aids | | Baby items | Baby monitors, electric breast pumps, heated changing mats |

The BMLUK publishes a "List of Eligible Electrical Devices" PDF with the full breakdown. If you are unsure whether your specific device qualifies, the partner shop can check on the portal during voucher creation.

What's no longer covered in 2026

The exclusion list got stricter. Not eligible:

• Vehicles and vehicle parts, including e-bikes and e-scooters
• Smartphones and mobile phones (despite a persistent rumour to the contrary)
• Garden equipment with combustion engines
• Power-generating devices like generators or small solar systems
• Gas-powered or diesel-powered devices
• Built-in fixtures (kitchen ovens fixed in place)
• New purchases and exchanges for refurbished replacement units
• Rented or borrowed devices
• Repairs already covered by warranty, statutory guarantee, or insurance

The bicycle exclusion caused noise in spring 2026. Vienna responded with a fresh round of the Wiener Reparaturbon on 22 April 2026, which now picks up bicycles among other non-electric items. Details further down.

---

How to apply for the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

The application is fully digital. No paper forms, no office visit.

Step by step

1. Check eligibility. Is the device on the eligible-devices list? Out of warranty? If yes, continue.
2. Find a partner shop. geräte-retter-praemie.at has a postal-code search with filters for federal state (Vienna, Lower Austria, Styria, and the rest) and device category.
3. Request the voucher. Online: name, address, chosen partner shop, device category. The voucher code arrives by email.
4. Use it within 3 weeks. Bring the code to the partner shop, get the device repaired.
5. Pay your share. Only the difference. The shop deducts the subsidy and bills KPC directly.

If you want a cost estimate first, request a separate cost-estimate voucher. KPC reimburses 50 percent of the estimate cost, capped at 30 euros. If you go ahead with the repair afterwards, that runs on a second voucher.

Common mistakes when applying

• Voucher expired. 21 days passes faster than it sounds. Better to request the voucher only when the appointment is set.
• Wrong partner shop. The voucher is tied to the shop you picked. You can't switch mid-process.
• Multiple active vouchers. One voucher per person and device at a time.
• Device not on the list. If the shop says "this doesn't qualify," it is almost always the device list, not the voucher itself.

---

Repair Bonus Austria 2026 — partner shops in Austria

Finding a partner shop is the most common follow-up question. The 2026 partner network is being re-registered through KPC. Many shops from the old Reparaturbonus are back on the new portal, with some additions.

How to find a partner shop

• Online search on geräte-retter-praemie.at: postal code plus device category, results show address and phone number
• Reparaturnetzwerk Österreich (reparaturnetzwerk.at): an independent directory of certified repair shops, established well before the KPC portal
• Larger electronics retailers with their own workshops, Hartlauer runs in-store repair counters across many of its branches
• Local repair specialists for major appliances, often the fastest turnaround for washing machines and dishwashers

Partner shops by federal state

The portal's postal-code search filters by federal state automatically. For region-specific searches in Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, or Tyrol, enter a district postal code. Vienna additionally has the Wiener Reparaturbon for furniture, bicycles, and sports equipment.

In practice, partner-shop density varies sharply between cities and rural districts. Vienna, Graz, Linz, and Salzburg typically return double-digit results per device category. In sparsely populated districts the next workshop can be 30 kilometres away. Note: travel costs are eligible for reimbursement and built into the voucher.

Before booking, a short phone call to the shop pays off. Do they have a slot inside the 21-day window? Which brands and devices do they actually repair? Some workshops specialise in one brand family (only Miele, only Bosch, and so on).

---

Sample calculations for the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

| Repair | Invoice total | Subsidy (50 % up to €130) | Out of pocket | |---|---:|---:|---:| | Coffee machine: brew unit replacement | €120 | €60 | €60 | | Washing machine: pump and seal | €260 | €130 | €130 | | Dishwasher: heating element | €350 | €130 (capped) | €220 | | Vacuum cleaner: motor | €180 | €90 | €90 | | Television: mainboard | €420 | €130 (capped) | €290 | | Printer: print head | €90 | €45 | €45 | | Hearing aid: microphone module | €240 | €120 | €120 | | Cordless drill: trigger | €60 | €30 | €30 |

These are realistic figures from 2025/26 workshop bills, not fixed prices. Above 260 euros the voucher still pays out, but your share grows because the cap kicks in.

---

Repair or replace? When the Repair Bonus Austria 2026 actually pays off

A question most subsidy guides skip because it is uncomfortable: at what point does the voucher stop being worth it? The honest answer hinges on three factors.

1. Age of the device. A ten-year-old washing machine is likely to need a follow-up repair within a year or two. A four-year-old machine with a defined fault (pump, seal) is usually a safer bet.
2. Energy use of the old machine. An old tumble dryer without a heat pump can cost several hundred euros a year in electricity. Run that through our guide to dynamic electricity tariffs and the case for an efficient new buy often closes within three to five years.
3. Repair cost relative to a new device. Rule of thumb: if the subsidised repair stays under 40 percent of the new price for a comparable model, it is economically sensible. Above 60 percent, replacement gets attractive.

If you want a number rather than a rule of thumb, request a cost-estimate voucher (free up to €30 of estimate cost) and compare the figures with current new prices. Decide after that.

---

Wiener Reparaturbon 2026 as a complement to the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

The Wiener Reparaturbon opened a new round on 22 April 2026. It is not in competition with the Geräte-Retter-Prämie; it fills the gap left by the federal reform.

| Area | Wiener Reparaturbon 2026 | |---|---| | Subsidy rate | 50 %, max 100 € per repair | | Cost estimate | 50 %, max 55 € | | Eligible items | Bicycles, furniture, guitars, shoes, toys, sports equipment | | Not covered | Electrical appliances (those run via the federal scheme) | | Application | mein.wien.gv.at | | Administrator | City of Vienna |

For Vienna residents the rule of thumb: broken appliance, federal voucher; broken bike or guitar, Wiener Reparaturbon. Other federal states run separate bicycle and equipment programmes; check the relevant Land website (Land Niederösterreich, Land Oberösterreich, Land Steiermark, Land Kärnten) for the current conditions in your region.

---

Who runs the Repair Bonus Austria 2026 programme?

The Geräte-Retter-Prämie is a federal subsidy. The responsible ministry is the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate, Environment, Regions, and Water Management (BMLUK), which replaced the BMK in late 2025. Day-to-day administration sits with Kommunalkredit Public Consulting GmbH (KPC), a subsidiary of Kommunalkredit Austria AG.

The legal basis is the Environmental Funding Act (Umweltförderungsgesetz, UFG) together with the Circular-Economy funding directives. The previous EU NextGenerationEU framing is no longer the formal basis. From a consumer's perspective, the change is invisible.

---

How to get the most out of the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

A few things that save money or frustration in practice:

1. Use the cost-estimate voucher. It costs nothing extra and you know the bill before the repair starts.
2. Plan multiple devices. One voucher per device, in sequence. Allowed, as long as they don't overlap.
3. Book the workshop slot before requesting the voucher. 21 days is shorter than it feels. In Vienna and Graz, slots are often two to three weeks out in 2026.
4. Weigh up older devices honestly. A €350 repair on an eight-year-old washing machine, with €130 back, can be more economical than a new buy. Or not. Factor in the energy use of the old machine.
5. Keep the paperwork. If KPC follows up, the invoice and the voucher email are the two documents you need.

To put this in context with other 2026 changes in Austria, the Repair Bonus runs alongside subsidies for solar panels and EV chargers, the Klimaticket Austria, and the social electricity tariff. Same household, several ways to recover a few hundred euros a year.

---

The environmental angle of the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

The Geräte-Retter-Prämie is more than a consumer subsidy. It is part of Austria's circular-economy strategy: repairing saves raw materials, avoids electronic waste, and stretches the useful life of devices that are otherwise functional. The 2026 figures will appear in the BMLUK's first programme review, so we do not quote numbers that aren't officially published yet.

What older programme years confirmed: a subsidised repair typically extends a device's life by several years. In a household that translates directly into not having to buy a new replacement, which rarely costs less than €400 for the same category.

---

FAQ — Repair Bonus Austria 2026

Is the Repair Bonus still called Repair Bonus in 2026?

Officially no. Since 12 January 2026 the federal programme is the Geräte-Retter-Prämie (Device Saver Premium). Everyday usage still calls it Repair Bonus, and the official portal links both names.

How much does the 2026 Repair Bonus pay?

50 percent of the gross repair cost, capped at 130 euros per voucher. A separate cost-estimate voucher pays an additional 50 percent up to 30 euros.

How long is the voucher valid?

3 weeks (21 days) from the moment it is issued. The programme runs through 2026 subject to the annual budget remaining available.

What happens if my voucher expires?

The code becomes invalid and the subsidy is forfeited. You can request a new voucher immediately once the previous one has expired or been redeemed. Only one active voucher per person and device is allowed at a time.

Where do I apply?

Online at geräte-retter-praemie.at. Pick a partner shop, specify the device category, get the voucher code by email. Free, no government ID needed.

Are bicycles and e-bikes covered in 2026?

Not at federal level. Vienna covers bicycles via the Wiener Reparaturbon (max 100 euros). Some federal states run their own bike programmes.

Which devices are covered?

Electrical and electronic devices for private households, with mains power, a battery, or a solar module. Smartphones and e-bikes are excluded.

How do I find partner shops near me?

Use the postal-code search on geräte-retter-praemie.at. Reparaturnetzwerk.at lists certified shops independently.

Can I use the Repair Bonus more than once?

Yes. One voucher per repair, multiple repairs and multiple devices are allowed. No individual cap per person.

---

Bottom line on the Repair Bonus Austria 2026

The Repair Bonus is not gone. It is renamed and slightly smaller. The 2026 Repair Bonus Austria offers up to €130 back on eligible device repairs — worth claiming if you have a broken appliance. Five things to take away:

1. Geräte-Retter-Prämie is the new official name. Repair Bonus survives in everyday use.
2. 130 euros instead of 200 is the figure to update in any calculation.
3. Bicycles dropped out of federal coverage. Vienna closed the gap; other states vary.
4. 3-week validity is short; book the workshop slot before you request the voucher.
5. geräte-retter-praemie.at is the only official portal.

If you have a broken appliance at home that fits the eligible-devices list, leaving 60 to 130 euros on the table by skipping the voucher is the only mistake worth avoiding. Ten online minutes is the entire process.

---

Sources

• BMLUK: Geräte-Retter-Prämie launch announcement, 12 January 2026 (bmluk.gv.at)
• oesterreich.gv.at: Geräte-Retter-Prämie programme page
• Chamber of Labour Austria: "Geräte-Retter-Prämie (formerly Reparaturbonus)" (arbeiterkammer.at)
• ORF: "New Repair Bonus: maximum 130 euros from 2026" (help.orf.at)
• City of Vienna: Wiener Reparaturbon press conference 19 April 2026 (presse.wien.gv.at)
• Reparaturnetzwerk Österreich: programme launch coverage (reparaturnetzwerk.at)
• Kommunalkredit Public Consulting (KPC): scheme administration

Last reviewed: 26 May 2026. All information without guarantee. Programme changes after press time are possible.