The Versorgungswerk für Apothekerinnen und Apotheker (professional pension scheme for pharmacists) provides occupational old-age provision for pharmacists who are compulsory members of their state pharmacists’ chamber (Apothekerkammer). If you work as an employed pharmacist after your studies and practical year, in a public pharmacy, a hospital pharmacy or a company, you must check whether the duty to pay statutory pension insurance is replaced by an exemption in favour of the scheme.
Short answer: Employed pharmacists who are compulsory members of their chamber and pay into a professional pension scheme can apply for exemption from statutory pension insurance. The application should be filed within three months of starting work (§ 6 para. 4 SGB VI, as of October 2026). Contributions and benefits are set by the bylaws of the scheme in your state.
The most important points
- The duty to join a scheme follows from chamber membership. The rules differ by federal state.
- The exemption under § 6 SGB VI replaces statutory pension contributions with contributions to the professional scheme.
- The three-month deadline decides when the exemption takes effect.
- A change of employer or of activity requires you to check whether the exemption still applies.
- Contributions and benefits are set out in the bylaws of the scheme in your state. Check the current version there.
Who is affected?
The exemption rests on § 6 paragraph 1 sentence 1 number 1 SGB VI. It applies to employees who are compulsory members of a chamber and of a professional pension scheme, and who meet the conditions set out in the statute (gesetze-im-internet.de (in German)). An overview for employers describes the system: compulsory membership based on state law, with contributions that replace statutory pension contributions (fact sheet (in German), status 20 June 2022). For more on your career start and the insurance side, see Health Insurance After Graduation: Job Seeker Visa.
| Condition under § 6 SGB VI | What to check for your pharmacy job |
|---|---|
| A statutory duty to join the chamber at your place of work, existing for your profession before 1 January 1995 | Your pharmacists’ chamber can confirm on request whether this applies. |
| Income-related contributions under the bylaws, subject to the contribution assessment ceiling | Your contribution depends on your income from pharmaceutical work. The bylaws set the ceiling. |
| Benefits for reduced earning capacity, old age and surviving dependants | Check in the bylaws which benefits apply to you. |
The deadline and its effect
If you apply within three months, the exemption takes effect from the point when the conditions are met (§ 6 para. 4 sentence 1 SGB VI). A later application takes effect from the date it is received. The date of receipt at the scheme is decisive (§ 6 para. 2 sentence 5 SGB VI).
| Application | Effect |
|---|---|
| Within three months of the obligation starting | From the point when the conditions are met |
| After three months have passed | From the date of receipt, not retroactively |
When the job can become a problem
The exemption applies only to the specific employment or activity (§ 6 para. 5 sentence 1 SGB VI). In the pharmaceutical industry or in work outside the pharmacy, the question is therefore whether the work is specific to your profession. A 2019 case, which concerned a dentist, shows the pattern: the statutory pension insurance refused a new application because the industrial activity at that time was not profession-specific. According to APOTHEKE ADHOC of 15 November 2019 (in German), scientific activities in industry are now treated as profession-specific. Check your specific post in advance.
A change of employer counts too. A new contract needs a new application, and the three-month period starts with the new employment. An incorrect answer from a pension scheme does not bind the statutory pension insurance.
How to apply
You file the application yourself. For an exemption under § 6 paragraph 1 sentence 1 number 1 SGB VI, it must be submitted electronically through the scheme. The scheme forwards it to the statutory pension insurance provider, which decides and notifies you in text form (§ 6 paras. 2 and 3 SGB VI).
- Note the start date of your employment and count three months from it.
- Submit the electronic application through the scheme in your state as soon as your contract is signed.
- Inform your employer so that contributions are reported correctly.
- Keep the decision notice and show it to your employer if required.
Working out your contribution
We do not give a euro figure, because it changes with the bylaws and your income. Work it out this way:
- Find the current contribution rules of the scheme in your state and note the version date.
- Enter the contribution rate and the assessment ceiling in a table.
- Enter your expected income from pharmaceutical work. If it is above the ceiling, the bylaws decide how the contribution is capped.
- Agree with your employer whether it contributes and how this is shown on your payslip.
The scheme contribution is not the same as the chamber contribution. The chamber finances its tasks through a separate contribution. Plan the two items separately.
Which benefits are provided?
According to the overview for employers, professional pension schemes provide old-age, occupational disability and survivors’ benefits. They are funded by member contributions and receive no state subsidies (status: 20 June 2022). The same source says members are generally not worse off than in statutory pension insurance. The exact benefits are set out in the bylaws of your scheme. For health cover during the career start, see Pharmacy practical year: insurance and career paths.
When does the exemption fit, and when does it not?
The exemption fits if you work in pharmacy and the scheme takes over your old-age provision. It fits less well if you work permanently outside the profession. The statutory pension insurance can then be responsible again. A blanket comparison with statutory pension insurance is difficult, because it depends on your income and the bylaws.
A personal assessment of your job change is available from Academycon.
Frequently asked questions
Do I become a member automatically as an employed pharmacist?
If you are a compulsory member of the chamber, you belong to the scheme in states that have one. The obligation follows from chamber membership, not from an active registration. The exemption from statutory pension insurance, however, is an application that you must file on time.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
The exemption then takes effect only from the date your application is received. Until then, the duty to pay statutory pension insurance applies, with possible back payments. A later exemption does not apply retroactively.
Does the exemption continue after a job change?
Not automatically. It applies only to the specific employment or activity. With a new employer, file a new application within three months.
Who decides on the exemption?
In principle, the statutory pension insurance provider (§ 6 para. 3 sentence 1 SGB VI). Against a refusal, the legal remedies of Book X of the Social Code apply accordingly (§ 6 para. 3 sentence 4 SGB VI).
Does advice from the scheme protect me if something goes wrong later?
Not necessarily. The Landessozialgericht (state social court) held in the 2019 case that a professional pension scheme is not a benefit provider within the meaning of SGB I. Incorrect advice from the scheme is therefore not automatically attributed to the statutory pension insurance. Get important answers in writing and keep them.
What you should do now
- Check whether your chamber membership triggers the duty to join the scheme.
- File the electronic exemption application within three months of starting.
- Check at every change of job whether your activity is still profession-specific, and file a new application if needed.
- Read the bylaws of your scheme and calculate your contribution.
Related reading
- Pharmacy practical year: insurance and career paths
- Health Insurance After Graduation: Job Seeker Visa
- Private Health Insurance for Working Students in Germany
- Berufseinstieg nach dem Studium: So gelingt dir der Start (in German)
Sources: § 6 SGB VI, exemption from compulsory insurance (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026, in German); information portal for employers, „Berufsständische Versorgung“ (overview, status 20 June 2022, in German); APOTHEKE ADHOC case report, 15 November 2019, about a dentist (in German).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
