In brief
- A contact database supplies company contacts: business address, the business’s phone number, website and a general email address. The Austrian contact database contains no names of contact persons.
- Names appear in public registers and legal notices: the Firmenbuch (companies register) lists the persons authorised to represent a company, the register of associations its representatives, the chamber lists the professionals. These sources are meant for individual searches.
- Named contacts are personal data. Marketing calls and emails require prior consent, also towards businesses; the letter remains the way to make a first approach.
What the contact database contains
Each record describes an establishment with its name, business address and the contact details it publishes itself. On 3 November 2026, 187,261 records had a phone number, 191,590 a website and 112,824 an email address of their own. The phone number is the published number of the business, not a personal direct line; the email address is a general business address. So far all records come from Overture Maps, open map data that contain no persons. We do not take over the Firmenbuch in bulk.
Where named contact persons are public
Scroll the table sideways.
| Source | Which names | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Firmenbuch | sole traders and persons authorised to represent, such as the managing directors of a GmbH (§ 3 FBG) | individual search (§ 34(1) FBG); bulk queries only under licence |
| Website legal notice | for sole traders the owner’s name; many companies also name their management | on the company website (§ 5 ECG) |
| Register of associations | name and function of the association’s representatives | free individual search, no bulk queries |
| GISA | for natural persons the name of the licence holder (§ 365a GewO) | free individual search (§ 365e GewO) |
| Chamber lists | lawyers, doctors, tax advisers, chartered engineers | search case by case, observe terms of use |
What else the registers show and why bulk queries are ruled out is explained in Firmenbuch, GISA and the register of associations.
Adding contact persons step by step
- Import company contacts: load address, phone number and website into your CRM. The website is the quickest route to the legal notice.
- Look up names only for real target customers: search the legal notice or the Firmenbuch specifically for the businesses you actually want to approach. Individual searches are the intended route.
- Approach by letter: write to the business address, for the attention of the management or the relevant department. If the recipient is named, inform them about source and purpose under Art. 14 GDPR at the latest with this first letter.
- Obtain consent: ask for a response in the letter, for instance via a reply card or a form. Only those who have consented may receive marketing emails or calls (§ 174 TKG 2021).
- Record objections immediately: anyone who objects to the use of their data (Art. 21 GDPR) is blocked, also for future mailings.
When the switchboard number is useful
The business’s number helps where there is no marketing call or where consent exists: when calling back after an enquiry, for appointments with existing customers, when searching for suppliers and when maintaining your CRM. For field sales planning, the postcode assigns each establishment to a district. How a mailing to business customers works is shown in B2B addresses for sales.
Frequently asked questions
May I call a company’s management directly?
For marketing purposes only with prior consent. In Austria, § 174(1) TKG 2021 also applies to businesses, whether you dial the switchboard or a direct line. For a first approach, use an addressed letter to the management.
Can I buy contact persons from kontaktdatenbank.at?
No. The contact database contains company contacts, not names of individuals. If another provider supplies contact persons, ask about the source, data status and legal basis, and how the people concerned are informed under Art. 14 GDPR.
Are company contacts personal data?
For legal entities such as a GmbH, no. For sole traders, freelancers and named contact persons, yes: then the information duty under Art. 14 GDPR and the right to object under Art. 21 GDPR apply.
As of 8 November 2026. General information, not legal advice.
