Glass Cutting and Etching

Glass Cutting and Etching is a craft trade (field No. 8) covering the cutting, etching, frosting and engraving of glass, as well as painting and decorating glass with precious metals, enamels and lustres, the making of stained glass and the production of cut glass. It requires a professional qualification under Section 21 or Section 22 of the Trade Licensing Act, and the licence arises on the day of notification.

Examples of activities

• Glass cutting (flat, edge and shape cutting of products)
• Etching and frosting glass with hydrofluoric acid or by sandblasting
• Engraving and graving motifs and reliefs into glass
• Production of cut glass and crystal
• Painting utility glass with precious metals and applying high enamel including firing
• Colouring glass surfaces with lustres and glass paints
• Making stained glass
• Cutting and refining lead crystal
• Production of cut components (chandelier drops, ornaments)
• Repairs and re-cutting of damaged glass products

What the trade is and what it is for

Glass Cutting and Etching is a craft trade listed in Annex No. 1 to the Trade Licensing Act under field No. 8. It authorises you to refine and decorate glass continuously, independently and for profit using both mechanical and chemical techniques - that is, in particular by cutting, etching, frosting and engraving - and to produce cut glass products.

In practice, this trade covers both craft and small-scale industrial production: from the hand-making of cut crystal and utility glass, through the individual engraving of gift items, to the decoration of glass by frosting, painting with precious metals and enamels, or the making of stained glass. It is a traditional Czech craft with a long history, closely linked to glass production but itself focused on the finishing and decoration of already produced glass.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Under the Glass Cutting and Etching trade fall, according to the content scope, in particular:

• glass cutting - flat, edge and shape cutting of glass products made of soda-lime, lead, coloured and overlay glass, including the working of tops and bottoms, the cutting of "kugler" decors, the boring of necks and mechanical polishing,
• frosting and etching of glass with etching and frosting baths or salts based on fluorides and hydrofluoric acid, including the creation and removal of protective varnishes,
• engraving and graving of motifs, inscriptions and reliefs (including raised ones) into glass,
• sandblasting (blasting) as a form of frosting and creating decor,
• painting utility glass with precious metals, colouring glass surfaces with lustres and glazes and applying high enamel including the subsequent firing,
• making stained glass,
• production of cut glass and crystal, cutting of chandelier drops and ornaments,
• repairs and re-cutting of damaged glass products.

The boundaries with neighbouring trades are important. The mere melting and shaping of glass (glass furnace production, glass blowing) or the production of costume jewellery and glass beads are separate craft fields of Annex No. 1 - if you were to carry them out, you need the relevant trade licence for that field. By contrast, painting and decorating glass with paints, precious metals and enamels, as well as the making of stained glass, are part of this trade itself. If you are unsure how a specific activity is classified, verify it in advance with the Trade Licensing Office.

Conditions for obtaining the trade under the law

As this is a craft trade, you must meet two groups of conditions set out in Sections 6 to 8 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.

General conditions under Section 6:

• full legal capacity (which may be replaced by a court's approval for a person over 16 years of age),
• a clean criminal record - assessed in relation to the field; in the case of a disciplinary penalty, only any ban on activity in the field is examined.

In addition, none of the obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 may exist (e.g. bankruptcy or a ban on activity).

The professional qualification is, for a craft trade, a special condition under Section 7 and is demonstrated under Section 21 by one of the documents: an apprenticeship certificate in the relevant field, a maturita certificate in the relevant field (or with subjects of vocational preparation), a diploma from higher professional education or a university in the relevant area, a document on recognition of professional qualification, or a document on obtaining a full professional qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll.

If you do not have education exactly in the field, you use the substitute ways under Section 22:

• an apprenticeship certificate, maturita or higher professional education in a related field + 1 year of experience in the field,
• university education in a related area (without experience),
• retraining for the given activity + 1 year of experience,
• 6 years of experience in the field without proof of education.

You do not have to meet the qualification in person - you can appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 who meets the conditions of Section 21 or Section 22 on your behalf and is responsible for the proper operation of the trade. One person may be a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

1. Verify that you meet the general conditions and the professional qualification (or that you have a responsible representative).
2. Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF) for a natural person.
3. Submit it at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, online via the portal rzp.gov.cz (with the Citizen Identity), by data box, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
4. Submit the documents on professional qualification and pay the administrative fee.
5. The office will enter you in the Trade Register and issue an extract within 5 working days. The licence, however, arises already on the day of notification.

You can find the detailed procedure in the guide how to start a trade.

Documents and fees

• A completed URF (natural person) and proof of identity.
• Documents on professional qualification under Section 21 or Section 22 (apprenticeship certificate, maturita, diploma, retraining + confirmation of experience, etc.).
• A document on the legal grounds for using the premises, if the registered seat is other than your residence.
• An administrative fee of CZK 1,000 for the first notification, CZK 800 for electronic submission.
• Entry deadline: 5 working days from a flawless notification.

Frequently asked questions

What education do I need for glass cutting and etching?

Under Section 21, an apprenticeship certificate in the relevant glassmaking field is sufficient. A maturita, higher professional education or university education in the field, recognition of professional qualification, or a full professional qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. are also accepted.

What if I do not have education directly in the field?

You use Section 22: you supplement education in a related field with a year of experience, university education in a related area does not require experience, or you document retraining with a year of experience or 6 years of experience in the field.

Can I operate the trade on the basis of experience alone?

Yes. Under Section 22, the qualification can be demonstrated by six years of experience in the field even without proof of education.

Do I need a health certificate or insurance?

No. For this trade, neither medical fitness nor liability insurance is required. However, always observe occupational safety, especially when etching with hydrofluoric acid.

How quickly can I start doing business?

The trade licence arises on the day of notification. The office issues the extract from the register within 5 working days, but you can do business before it physically reaches you.

Sources

• MEYS - database of regulated activities (trade detail)
• Act No. 455/1991 Coll., on trade licensing
• Government Regulation No. 278/2008 Coll., on the content scope of individual trades
• Ministry of Industry and Trade