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

Third countries

Trade Licence for Third-Country Nationals

Outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, you will additionally need a valid Czech residence permit (not necessarily for the purpose of business), along with documents accompanied by an official translation.

valid residence in Czechia criminal record extract + translation

What you need in addition to EU nationals

  • A valid Czech residence permit (permanent residence, long-term residence or a visa; not necessarily for the purpose of business),
  • a criminal record extract from your home country with an official translation into Czech,
  • a travel document,
  • for a craft trade, regulated trade (vázaná) or permit (concession) trade, documents evidencing professional qualification (recognised in the Czech Republic),
  • proof of business address (sídlo).

Your qualifying residence permit does not have to be issued specifically for the purpose of business — any valid long-term residence will do (for example permanent residence, long-term residence for another purpose, or an employee card consistent with its original purpose). Without proof of residence under § 5(5) of the Trade Licensing Act, the office will not issue the trade authorisation.

Apostille, super-legalisation and the 3-month deadline

Under § 46(1)(b) of the Trade Licensing Act, the criminal record extract from your home country must not be older than 3 months as of the notification date. Under § 5(3), documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by an official translation into Czech, and the authenticity of the signature and stamp on the original must be verified — in practice, by an apostille (for countries party to the Hague Convention) or by super-legalisation via the Czech embassy or consulate in the country of origin (for other countries). If your home country does not issue criminal record extracts at all, a statutory declaration replaces it.

Step-by-step procedure

  1. Secure a valid Czech residence permit permanent, long-term residence or another valid residence permit (OAMP)
  2. Obtain a criminal record extract from your home country with an official translation into Czech
  3. Choose the type of trade and the field → detail
  4. Fill in the Single Registration Form (JRF)
  5. Submit the notification at the trade licensing office (živnostenský úřad) → detail
  6. Once the extract is issued, register with ČSSZ (Czech Social Security Administration) and arrange health insurance → detail

The order of steps is crucial

Without proof of a valid Czech residence permit, the trade licensing office will not issue the trade authorisation (proof of residence under § 5(5) of the Trade Licensing Act). Secure your residence status first, ideally with the assistance of OAMP or an advisory centre for foreign nationals.

Frequently asked questions

What residence permit do I need?
A valid Czech residence permit is enough — it does not have to be specifically for business; permanent or long-term residence granted for another reason (or an employee card consistent with its purpose) also qualifies. Verify your specific situation with the OAMP (Department for Asylum and Migration Policy).
Do I have to translate my criminal record extract?
Yes, the criminal record extract from your home country must be submitted with an official (court-certified) translation into Czech.
Does my residence permit have to be issued specifically for the purpose of business?
No. Any qualifying long-term residence permit is enough — permanent residence, long-term residence granted for another reason, or an employee card consistent with its purpose. Verify your specific situation with OAMP.
What is an apostille and super-legalisation?
An apostille is a simplified authentication of a public document under the Hague Convention — used for documents from countries that signed the convention. For other countries, super-legalisation via the Czech embassy or consulate in the country of origin replaces it.
What if I don't yet have a valid residence permit at the time of notification?
Without proof of valid residence, the office will not issue the trade authorisation (§ 5(5) of the Trade Licensing Act). Sort out your residence status as the very first step, ideally well before the notification itself.