Weapons and ammunition – development, manufacture, repair, transport, purchase and sale

A licensed (concession) trade covering the development, manufacture, repair, modification, transport, purchase, sale, hire, storage, decommissioning and destruction of weapons and ammunition. It belongs to the strictest category of business under Annex No. 3 to the Trade Licensing Act. The authorisation arises only on the day the decision granting the concession becomes final; the concession requires a professional qualification, fulfilment of the general conditions and an opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Conditions for operating

General conditions for operating a trade under s. 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity and a clean criminal record.
The entrepreneur must not be subject to obstacles to operating a trade under s. 8 (in particular an imposed ban on activity in the field).
The concession is granted in administrative proceedings; an opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade is required. In addition to the trade authorisation, reliability under the Firearms Act No. 119/2002 Coll. is also assessed for the handling of weapons.

The professional qualification is laid down by Annex No. 3 in conjunction with ss. 6 to 8 and s. 27 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. and differs according to four areas of activity:
1) Development, manufacture, repair and modification of weapons: university, higher vocational or secondary education with a school-leaving examination, or secondary education with an apprenticeship certificate (gunsmith/toolmaker field), or a retraining certificate; 3–4 years of practice (4 years for retraining).
2) Purchase, sale, transport, hire and storage of weapons: university education (economics, military, police or technical sciences), higher vocational or secondary with a school-leaving examination, or an apprenticeship certificate (specialised shop assistant or gunsmith), or retraining; 1–2 years of practice.
3) Manufacture and repair of ammunition: professional qualification together with a pyrotechnician's authorisation / licence and a minimum age of 21.
4) Development of ammunition: university education focused on technical sciences and technologies.

Medical fitness is not required under the Trade Licensing Act. Liability insurance is not required. If the entrepreneur does not personally meet the professional qualification, a responsible representative may be appointed under s. 11, who must meet both the general and professional conditions; one person may be a responsible representative for at most four entrepreneurs.

Examples of activities

Development and design of firearms
Manufacture and series assembly of weapons
Repair and modification of hunting and sporting weapons
Purchase and sale of weapons and ammunition in a gun shop
Transport and storage of weapons for third parties
Hire of weapons to customers
Manufacture and repair of ammunition
Decommissioning and destruction of weapons and ammunition

What the trade is and what it is for

This trade covers the entire life cycle of weapons and ammunition, i.e. their development, manufacture, repair, modification, transport, purchase, sale, hire, storage, and decommissioning and destruction. It belongs to the licensed (concession) trades under Annex No. 3 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). This is the strictest category of business: you may do business only after the Trade Licensing Office grants you a concession, i.e. a permit it decides on in administrative proceedings. For this activity an opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade is additionally required.

The purpose of the strict regulation is public order and security. The state therefore assesses not only the applicant's expertise but also their clean criminal record and the absence of obstacles to operating the trade.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The trade covers in particular:

development, manufacture, repair and modification of weapons,
purchase, sale, transport, hire and storage of weapons,
manufacture and repair of ammunition, development of ammunition,
decommissioning and destruction of weapons and ammunition.

Boundary with neighbouring activities: This trade authorisation regulates the business side of the matter. It does not replace obligations under the Firearms Act (No. 119/2002 Coll.) or under the act on the handling of military material; for many activities you also need a firearms licence, and weapons must be duly registered. Trade in military material outside the regime of this trade requires a separate permit. The operation of a shooting range is a separate licensed (concession) trade.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

You must meet the general conditions under s. 6 of the Trade Licensing Act, i.e. full legal capacity and a clean criminal record. Furthermore, you must not be subject to obstacles to operating a trade under s. 8 (for example an imposed ban on activity in the field). For the handling of weapons, reliability under the Firearms Act (No. 119/2002 Coll.) is assessed in addition to the Trade Licensing Act.

The professional qualification is laid down by Annex No. 3 in conjunction with ss. 6 to 8 and s. 27 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. and differs according to four areas of activity:

Development, manufacture, repair and modification of weapons – university, higher vocational or secondary education with a school-leaving examination, or an apprenticeship certificate (gunsmith/toolmaker field), or a retraining certificate; practice of 3–4 years (4 years for retraining).
Purchase, sale, transport, hire and storage of weapons – university education (economics, military, police or technical sciences), higher vocational or secondary with a school-leaving examination, or an apprenticeship certificate (specialised shop assistant or gunsmith), or retraining; practice of 1–2 years.
Manufacture and repair of ammunition – professional qualification together with a pyrotechnician's authorisation / licence and a minimum age of 21.
Development of ammunition – university education focused on technical sciences and technologies.

If you do not personally meet the expertise, you can appoint a responsible representative under s. 11, who must meet both the general and professional conditions. In doing so, one person may be a responsible representative for at most four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

This trade cannot merely be notified – you must apply for a concession.

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF).
Submit it at any Trade Licensing Office (the municipal trade licensing office), electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
Provide documents on professional qualification and practice; the office verifies the clean criminal record from the criminal records itself.
The office will request an opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The application is decided in administrative proceedings, the time limit usually being 30 days. The authorisation arises only on the day the decision granting the concession becomes final, not on submission of the application.

The detailed general procedure can be found in the guide How to set up a trade.

Documents and fees

URF (concession application).
A document on professional qualification (diploma, certificate, apprenticeship certificate, retraining certificate) and proof of practice.
For ammunition, a pyrotechnician's authorisation / licence and proof of being aged 21.
Administrative fee for a concession application: CZK 1,000 (first entry into business), for a further concession CZK 500.
An opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (arranged by the office as part of the proceedings).

Frequently asked questions

Is it enough to notify the trade?

No. This is a licensed (concession) trade, so you must submit a concession application and await the decision in administrative proceedings. You may do business only after the decision granting it becomes final.

How long does processing take?

The time limit for the decision is usually 30 days. It may be extended if supporting documents need to be supplemented or if an opinion of the Ministry of Industry and Trade has to be awaited.

How much will I pay?

For a concession application CZK 1,000 on first entry into business, for each further concession CZK 500.

What if I do not have the required education?

You can appoint a responsible representative under s. 11 who meets the professional qualification. For some variants the expertise can also be proven by a retraining certificate with longer practice.

Do I need the same education for all activities?

No. The requirements differ according to the four areas (weapons vs. ammunition, manufacture vs. trade). Check the specific variant for your activity with the Trade Licensing Office.