Živnostenské oprávnění

Under Czech law

Trades are regulated by the Trade Licensing Act (živnostenský zákon, Act No. 455/1991 Sb.). The volná (free) trade covers some eighty listed activities under a single registration with no qualification requirement (§ 25 and Annex 4); řemeslné (craft) and vázané (bound) trades require documented qualifications (Annexes 1 and 2); koncesované trades need a concession (Annex 3). General conditions are essentially full legal capacity and integrity (§ 6). Registration happens at any trade office — including electronically — and the first registration fee is 1 000 Kč per notification.

Companies hold trade licences just like individuals: a new s.r.o. typically registers its trades between the notarial deed and the commercial-register entry. Operating without the right licence is the unauthorised business offence of § 61 and, at scale, § 251 of the Criminal Code (neoprávněné podnikání).

A practical example

A freelance developer registers the free trade and works for years. She then starts offering accounting services on the side — a bound trade requiring qualification. A client dispute brings the gap to light: performing a bound trade on a free-trade licence exposes her to fines and gives the unhappy client an argument she acted without authorisation.

When you need a lawyer

Mostly at the edges: activities straddling regulated categories (financial services, health-adjacent services, staffing), concession applications, and inspections or fines from the trade office. For routine registration, the trade office itself is enough.