Anyone who wants to do business in the Czech Republic under the Trade Licensing Act must submit a trade registration (for trades classified as technical, bound or free) or a concession application (for concession trades) to the Trade Licensing Office. The classification of trades is defined by Act No. 455/1991 Coll., on Trade Licensing, as amended.

To acquire a trade licence and run a trade it is necessary to meet the conditions laid down by the Trade Licensing Act. The subject of the trade is the deciding factor, as its definition has fundamental significance for the specifications of the trade and in connection with that determining whether in addition to fulfilment of the general conditions (full legal capacity, clear criminal record) the fulfilment of special conditions for running the trade will also be required, i.e. professional or other qualifications as stipulated by the Trade Licensing Act. It is also important whether the trade licence is being applied for by a natural or legal person.

The registration or concession application is submitted on a form issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Submissions can also be made through a public administration contact point – the Czech Submission Verification Information National Terminal – Czech POINT, which include:

a) notaries
b) regional authorities
c) registry offices (matrika)
d) municipal authorities, the authorities of municipal districts or municipal divisions of territorially divided statutory cities and the City of Prague municipal district authorities, the list of which is laid down by the implementing legislation
e) embassies listed by the implementing legislation
f) holders of a postal licence and the Czech Chamber of Commerce

Submissions can also be made electronically with a secure electronic signature and sent to the central Electronic Filing Room of the Trade Register. The competent Trade Licensing Office indicated by the applicant will process the submission and, if possible, also deal with it electronically. An application for creating and sending a submission in the Single Registration Form (JRF) format is available for free on the public Trade Register website at http://www.rzp.cz/.

A natural person shall attach the following to a trade registration or concession application:

  • if they are a citizen of a different European Union member state, a criminal record statement or equivalent document issued by the competent judicial or administrative authority of that state or the member state of last residence, or a statement from the Criminal Register with an appendix containing the information contained in the criminal record of the member state of which they are a citizen, or the member state of last residence; if the member state of last residence is the Czech Republic, the procedure under Section 6 (3), sentence two, of the Trade Licensing Act shall be followed (the Trade Office shall request a statement from the Criminal Register). If the state in question does not issue criminal record checks or an equivalent document, the natural person shall issue a solemn declaration on a clear criminal record made before a notary or authority of the member state of which they are a citizen, or before a notary or authority of the member state of last residence. These documents may not be older than 3 months.

  • if they are a citizen of a non-EU member state and do not have permanent residence in the Czech Republic, a criminal record statement or equivalent document issued by the state of which the natural person is a citizen. If the state in question does not issue criminal record checks or an equivalent document, the natural person shall issue a solemn declaration on a clear criminal record made before a notary or authority of the state of which they are a citizen or before a notary of authority of the state of last residence. These documents may not be older than 3 months.

  • for technical trades, bound trades and concession trades, a document evidencing professional qualification

  • a document demonstrating the legal grounds for use of the space of their registered office if it differs from their residence, or if their residence is at the address of a registration office, special registry or at the address of an administrative authority, or if they have located a branch office of a foreign entity there; to demonstrate legal grounds for the use of a space it is sufficient to provide a written declaration of the owner of the property, flat or commercial premises where the space is located that it consents to such location

  • if an authorised representative is appointed, a declaration of the authorised representative that they agree with the function and documents on their professional qualification if the law so requires; for an authorised representative that is a national of an EU member state other than the Czech Republic, documents demonstrating a clear criminal record as laid down for persons from such states

  • if they are a foreign national that is obliged to have a permit for residence in the Czech Republic, they must submit a document demonstrating allocation of a visa for residence over 90 days or a long-term residence permit

  • if they are a foreign entity that is setting up a branch office in the Czech Republic, they shall also submit a document showing it has a branch outside the Czech Republic and documents on the operation thereof

  • a document showing payment of the administrative fee

 A legal person shall attach the following documents to a trade registration or concession application:

  • if it is a legal entity with its registered office in a country other than the Czech Republic, a criminal record statement or equivalent document issued by the competent judicial or administrative authority of that state showing that there is no obstacle to operation of the trade pursuant to Section 8 (5)

  • if this country does not issue criminal record checks or an equivalent document, the legal entity shall submit a solemn declaration made before a notary or authority of that state that it has no obstacle to operation of a trade pursuant to Section 8 (5); these documents may not be older than 3 months

  • if the authorised representative is a national of an EU member state other than the Czech Republic, an equivalent document on a clear criminal record as laid down for persons from such states

  • a document demonstrating professional qualification of the authorised representative – for technical trades, bound trades and concession trades

  • a declaration of the authorised representative that they consent to the function

  • a document that the legal entity was established or constituted unless it is registered in a commercial register or equivalent or if such registration has not yet been made, or a document that the legal entity has been registered in such a register, with the exception of a commercial or other public register, if registration has already been made; statements from a commercial register or equivalent may not be older than 3 months

  • for a foreign legal entity a statement from the commercial register or equivalent kept in the state of the registered office and a document on operation of a foreign branch; no document on operation of a foreign branch shall be submitted for legal entities with registered office, central administration or principal site in an EU member state; register statements may not be older than 3 months

  • a document demonstrating legal grounds for use of the space where the legal entity has its registered office in the Czech Republic, or the space where the foreign branch of a foreign entity is located in the Czech Republic, unless the reported address has already been recorded in a commercial register or other register; to demonstrate legal grounds it is sufficient to provide a written declaration of the owner of the property, flat or commercial premises – or a declaration of a person authorised to dispose of such – that it consents to such location

  • a document showing payment of the administrative fee