Fitting, Manufacture and Repair of Orthopaedic Footwear

A craft trade covering the manufacture, fitting and repair of made-to-measure orthopaedic footwear and orthopaedic footwear aids. To obtain it, a professional qualification under Section 21 or Section 22 of the Trade Licensing Act is required, together with meeting the general conditions under Sections 6 to 8.

Examples of activities

• Manufacture of made-to-measure orthopaedic footwear according to the individual needs and health condition of the customer
• Making orthopaedic insoles and inserts for footwear
• Fitting and mounting orthopaedic adjustments on mass-produced footwear (e.g. raising the sole, wedges)
• Repairs and renovation of orthopaedic and medical footwear
• Footwear adjustments for shortening or deformities of the lower limbs
• Making orthopaedic footwear aids and supports
• Measuring feet and taking impressions for made-to-measure manufacture
• Modelling and making lasts for individual orthopaedic footwear

What the trade is and what it is for

The "Fitting, Manufacture and Repair of Orthopaedic Footwear" trade is a craft trade listed in part A of Annex No. 1 to the Trade Licensing Act. It authorises you to manufacture, adjust and repair footwear that is adapted to the specific health and anatomical needs of the customer. Unlike ordinary footwear manufacture, this involves individual making and adjustments that address orthopaedic defects, deformities or diseases of the lower limbs.

This trade covers the making of made-to-measure footwear, the production of orthopaedic insoles and inserts, the fitting of orthopaedic adjustments on finished footwear and repairs of medical footwear. The activity often combines manual craftsmanship with knowledge of orthopaedics and prosthetics.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The trade includes:

• the manufacture of made-to-measure orthopaedic footwear according to the customer's anatomy and health condition,
• the making of orthopaedic insoles, inserts and supports,
• the fitting of orthopaedic adjustments on mass-produced footwear (raising the sole, wedges, levelling of length),
• repairs and renovation of orthopaedic and medical footwear,
• measuring feet and taking impressions for made-to-measure manufacture.

Boundaries with neighbouring trades:

• The ordinary manufacture and repair of footwear without an orthopaedic focus does not fall here, but under the unqualified (free) trade "Manufacture and repair of footwear, leather goods and saddlery" (field No. 11 of Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act), which expressly excludes the manufacture of orthopaedic footwear.
• The manufacture and repair of mass-produced prostheses, orthoses and other orthopaedic-prosthetic aids is a separate regulated trade (Annex No. 2) and requires a professional qualification under Act No. 96/2004 Coll. on non-medical health professions.
• The dispensing and sale of orthopaedic aids or medical devices may in itself fall under an unqualified (free) trade or be subject to regulations on medical devices.
• The provision of health care (e.g. an orthopaedic examination by a doctor) is not a trade and is governed by special health-care regulations.

In case of doubt about the classification of a specific activity, contact the Trade Licensing Office.

Conditions for obtaining the trade under the law

You must meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act - full legal capacity and a clean criminal record. Medical fitness and liability insurance are not required here. Furthermore, there must be no obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 - this may arise in particular in connection with insolvency proceedings or bankruptcy over the entrepreneur's assets.

As with every craft trade, you must document your professional qualification. Under Section 21, you prove it in particular by an apprenticeship certificate, a maturita certificate in the relevant field, a diploma from higher professional education or a university in the relevant area, a document on recognition of professional qualification under Section 7(5) or a document on professional qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll.

If you do not have education directly in the field, you use Section 22: education in a related field (apprenticeship certificate, maturita, higher professional education, university degree) or retraining supplemented by 1 year of experience in the field. Alternatively, 6 years of experience in the field even without proof of education is sufficient.

If you do not meet the qualification conditions yourself, you can appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 - a person who meets the qualification and is responsible for the proper operation of the trade. The same person may be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

1. Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF) to notify the craft trade.
2. Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the portal rzp.gov.cz, or through a Czech POINT contact point.
3. Submit the documents - professional qualification (Section 21 or Section 22), and where applicable the appointment of a responsible representative and consent to the location of the business premises.
4. Pay the administrative fee of CZK 1,000 for notification (CZK 800 for electronic submission).
5. Wait for the entry - the Trade Licensing Office will make the entry in the Trade Register, as a rule within 5 working days. The trade licence arises already on the day of notification.

You can find the detailed procedure in the guide /jak-zalozit-zivnost.

Documents and fees

• Proof of identity and a completed URF.
• Proof of professional qualification under Section 21, or proof of education/retraining and experience under Section 22.
• Appointment of a responsible representative (if you do not prove the qualification yourself) under Section 11.
• Document for the business premises (the owner's consent to the location of the registered seat/premises).
• Administrative fee: CZK 1,000 (notification), CZK 800 (electronic submission).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be trained directly in the footwear field?

Not necessarily. Under Section 21, education in the relevant field is sufficient, but under Section 22 you can obtain the trade even with a related field and 1 year of experience, after retraining with 1 year of experience, or on the basis of 6 years of experience in the field.

Is a health certificate or assessment required?

No. For this trade, medical fitness is not demonstrated according to the materials of the Ministry of Education. However, a clean criminal record and full legal capacity under Section 6 are required.

Can I operate the trade without my own qualification?

Yes, if you appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 who meets the professional qualification and is responsible for the proper operation. One person may be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How quickly can I start doing business?

The trade licence arises on the day of notification. The office makes the entry in the Trade Register as a rule within 5 working days.

Does this also cover the sale of finished medical devices?

The mere sale, as a rule, does not - this trade concerns manufacture, fitting and repairs. The sale may be governed by another trade or by regulations on medical devices. Verify this with the Trade Licensing Office.

Sources

• MEYS - database of regulated activities (trade detail)
• Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll. (Zakony pro lidi)
• Ministry of Industry and Trade