A practical guide to trade licences, self-employment and business in Czechia

Types of trade licences

Unqualified trade: what it is and the list of fields

An unqualified trade (živnost volná) is the simplest and most common form of business — you need no education or work experience. Meeting the general conditions is sufficient. You file the notification for a single fee and can start doing business straight away.

no qualification required 80+ fields single fee of 1,000 Kč online 800 Kč
List of unqualified trade fields Back to types of trade licences

How an unqualified trade works

It may come as a surprise, but by law there is only a single unqualified trade. It is called "Manufacturing, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 of the Trade Licensing Act" and is divided into dozens of fields of activity listed in Annex No. 4 of the Trade Licensing Act (No. 455/1991 Coll.).

When you file the trade notification, you choose from this list one, several or even all of the fields in which you want to do business. A typical programmer, graphic designer, copywriter, e-shop or consultant gets by with a few fields — for example "Provision of software and IT consultancy", "Wholesale and retail" or "Advertising, marketing" — and does not have to document any education anywhere.

For an unqualified trade the trade authorisation arises as early as the date of notification (provided you meet the conditions); you do not have to wait for the extract to be issued. The office enters you in the Trade Register and issues the extract with IČO (business ID) within 5 working days.

General conditions (§ 6)

For an unqualified trade, no professional qualification needs to be documented (the special conditions under § 7 do not apply). It is sufficient to meet the general conditions under § 6 of the Trade Licensing Act, which apply to every trade:

  • Full legal capacity — traditionally stated as reaching the age of 18. A minor from the age of 16 may operate a business with the consent of their legal representative approved by a court.
  • Good standing (no criminal record) — evidenced by a criminal record extract; for Czech citizens the office obtains this automatically. A person finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business activity is not considered to be of good standing.

That is all — no apprenticeship certificate, diploma or work experience. This is what distinguishes an unqualified trade from a craft trade, regulated trade and permit (concession) trade, where professional qualification must be documented.

A single fee for any number of fields

A major advantage of an unqualified trade lies in the fees. On notification you pay a single administrative fee of 1,000 Kč (electronically with a 20% discount, i.e. 800 Kč) — and it does not matter whether you notify one field or all of them at once.

Moreover, you can add fields free of charge at any time afterwards. Extending an unqualified trade with an additional field costs 0 Kč — you simply notify the change at the trade licensing office (živnostenský úřad). It therefore makes sense to notify straight away even those fields you may only use in the future.

The fees are governed by Act No. 634/2004 Coll., on administrative fees (item 24 of the schedule). Verified 2026.

Fees for an unqualified trade

ActionFeeElectronically (−20%)
First notification of an unqualified trade (one or all fields)1,000 Kč800 Kč
Extension of an unqualified trade with an additional field0 Kč—
Change of details + new extract (e.g. business address (sídlo))100 Kč80 Kč
Suspension / cancellation of a trade0 Kč—

Whether you notify one field or all 80+ at once, you pay only once. Adding a further field later is free of charge. Rates under Act No. 634/2004 Coll. (item 24 of the schedule), verified 2026.

How many fields does an unqualified trade actually have?

The numbering of Annex No. 4 ends at item 82, but it skips some entries, so depending on the source either 80 or 82 fields are stated. To be safe, we therefore speak of "80+ fields". The current and complete list is issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) and you will find it in our catalogue. Verified 2026.

Practical examples of an unqualified trade

An unqualified trade is commonly used, for example, by a courier and food delivery → or stall and market sales →. Neither field requires an apprenticeship certificate — the general conditions are sufficient.

Frequently asked questions about the unqualified trade

Do I need education or work experience for an unqualified trade?
No. For an unqualified trade, no professional qualification needs to be documented. You only need to meet the general conditions under § 6 — legal capacity (usually age 18) and good standing (no criminal record).
How much does notifying an unqualified trade cost?
The administrative fee for the first notification is 1,000 Kč, or 800 Kč when submitted electronically. You pay it only once, regardless of how many fields you notify. Verified 2026.
How do I add another field to an unqualified trade?
Simply notify the change at any trade licensing office. Extending an unqualified trade with an additional field is free of charge — you pay 0 Kč.
How many fields does an unqualified trade have?
Depending on the source, 80 or 82 fields are stated (the numbering of Annex No. 4 ends at number 82, but it skips some entries). To be safe, we therefore speak of 80+ fields. You will find the complete, current list in the catalogue.
Is there only one unqualified trade, or several?
By law there is only one unqualified trade — "Manufacturing, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3". It is divided into 80+ fields of activity, from which you choose the ones you need when filing the notification.

Related articles

Browse all 80+ fields of the unqualified trade

In the catalogue you will find the complete list of fields of the unqualified trade, along with a description of what falls under each. Choose the ones in which you want to do business.

List of unqualified trade fields