Installation, repairs, inspections and testing of pressure equipment and containers for gases

Q: When can I start doing business?

The authorisation arises on the day of notification. The office will make the entry in the register within 5 working days.

A craft trade (Annex 1 to the Trade Licensing Act) comprising the installation, repairs, inspections and testing of dedicated and non-dedicated pressure equipment – steam and liquid boilers, stationary pressure vessels and metal pressure containers for gases. It requires a professional qualification under Section 21 or Section 22 of the Trade Licensing Act and, for the actual performance of inspections and tests, additionally an authorisation and a certificate for activities on dedicated technical equipment under Act No 250/2021 Coll. and Government Regulation No 192/2022 Coll.

Conditions for operating

General conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity and a clean criminal record.

Professional qualification under Section 21 (one of the variants):
- an apprenticeship certificate in a field of education of a technical, in particular mechanical engineering, orientation;
- a school-leaving certificate from complete secondary vocational education of a technical (mechanical engineering) orientation;
- a diploma or other proof of completion of a higher vocational school or university in the relevant field of education;
- proof of recognition of professional qualification, or of obtaining a professional qualification for the relevant activity under the act on the recognition of further education results.

Alternatively under Section 22 (if you do not have education directly in the field):
- education in a related field (apprenticeship certificate, school-leaving certificate, higher vocational school or university) + 1 year of practice in the field;
- proof of retraining for the relevant activity + 1 year of practice in the field;
- 6 years of practice in the field without proof of education.

According to the database of regulated activities (uok.msmt.cz), this activity further requires practice in the field of pressure equipment: 3 years for complete secondary vocational education of a technical orientation, 2 years for university education of a technical orientation; in general, at least five years of practice in the field of pressure equipment is expected. These requirements are closely linked to demonstrating the professional qualification for performing activities on dedicated technical equipment (see below), not to the notification of the trade itself.

For the actual performance of activities (in particular inspections and tests), an authorisation of the organisation and a certificate of professional qualification of an inspection technician are required under Act No 250/2021 Coll., on occupational safety in connection with the operation of dedicated technical equipment, and Government Regulation No 192/2022 Coll., on dedicated technical pressure equipment; the inspection technician's certificate is issued and registered by the Technical Inspection of the Czech Republic (TIČR). For pressure equipment operated in connection with mining activity or activity carried out by mining methods, the special regime under Section 12(9) of Czech Mining Authority Decree No 392/2003 Coll. applies, within the competence of the Czech Mining Authority.

The qualification may be demonstrated through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act; one person may act as a responsible representative for at most 4 entrepreneurs.

Examples of activities

initial and operational inspections of stationary pressure vessels
pressure tests of Class I–IV boilers
installation and repairs of steam and hot-water boilers
inspections and tests of metal pressure containers for gases (pressure cylinders, tanks)
internal inspections and periodic examinations of dedicated pressure equipment
repairs and maintenance of expansion and pressure vessels
extraordinary inspections after repair or failure of pressure equipment
commissioning of pressure equipment and trial operation
repairs and inspections of fire extinguishers

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade "Installation, repairs, inspections and testing of pressure equipment and containers for gases" is a craft trade listed in Annex 1 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No 455/1991 Coll.). It authorises you to provide professional care for dedicated pressure equipment – that is, equipment that operates under overpressure and whose failure could endanger people's health and lives. This includes in particular steam and liquid boilers, stationary pressure vessels and metal pressure containers for gases (for example pressure cylinders).

The purpose of this trade is to ensure that pressure equipment is safely assembled, maintained and regularly inspected. In addition to the trade authorisation, the performance of most of these activities is therefore also subject to the separate regime of safety of dedicated technical equipment under Act No 250/2021 Coll. and Government Regulation No 192/2022 Coll.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The content of the trade is defined by Government Regulation No 278/2008 Coll. The trade covers in particular:

installation and commissioning of boilers, stationary pressure vessels and metal pressure containers for gases;
repairs, reconstruction and maintenance of pressure equipment;
inspections (initial, operational, internal) and pressure tests of this equipment;
installation, repairs, inspections and tests of non-dedicated pressure equipment and related preparatory and finishing work;
repairs and inspections of fire extinguishers.

This trade differs from neighbouring fields. Dedicated gas equipment and the filling of containers with gases is covered by a separate craft trade, "Installation, repairs, inspections and testing of gas equipment and filling of containers with gases"; lifting equipment (lifts, cranes) by the trade "Installation, repairs, inspections and testing of lifting equipment"; and electrical equipment by the trade "Installation, repairs, inspections and testing of electrical equipment". Classic plumbing and heating-engineering installation of distribution systems falls under the trade "Plumbing, heating engineering". If your activity spans several areas, it is usually necessary to notify several craft trades.

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.

You must also demonstrate a professional qualification under Section 21: with an apprenticeship certificate, a school-leaving certificate, a higher vocational school or university diploma in the relevant field of education of a technical (mechanical engineering) orientation, or with proof of recognition of professional qualification. If you do not have education directly in the field, you will use the alternative ways under Section 22: education in a related field with one year of practice, retraining with one year of practice, or 6 years of practice in the field without proof of education.

According to the database of regulated activities (uok.msmt.cz), qualified practice is also required for pressure equipment: 3 years for complete secondary vocational education of a technical orientation, 2 years for university education of a technical orientation, this being practice in the field of pressure equipment (at least five years is generally expected). These requirements are tied to demonstrating the professional qualification for work on dedicated technical equipment.

For the actual performance of inspections and tests, you additionally need a certificate of professional qualification of an inspection technician under Act No 250/2021 Coll. and Government Regulation No 192/2022 Coll.; it is issued and registered by the Technical Inspection of the Czech Republic (TIČR). For pressure equipment operated in connection with mining activity, the special regime under Section 12(9) of Czech Mining Authority Decree No 392/2003 Coll. applies, within the competence of the Czech Mining Authority.

If you do not meet the qualification yourself, you can demonstrate it through a responsible representative under Section 11 (one person may act as a responsible representative for at most 4 entrepreneurs).

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Verify that you meet the general conditions and the qualification (or arrange a responsible representative).
Fill in the Unified Registration Form (JRF).
Submit the notification at any Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Provide your proof of education and practice and pay the administrative fee.
The Trade Licensing Office will make the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days of notification; the trade licence arises on the day of notification.

A detailed procedure can be found in the guide how to start a trade.

Documents and fees

proof of identity;
proof of professional qualification under Section 21 or Section 22 (education, practice, retraining);
proof of the required practice in the field of pressure equipment;
where applicable, documents relating to the responsible representative (Section 11);
administrative fee of CZK 1,000 on notification, or CZK 800 for electronic submission via rzp.gov.cz (a 20% reduction under Act No 634/2004 Coll., on administrative fees).

Frequently asked questions

Is a trade licence enough for me to carry out inspections of pressure equipment?

No. The trade licence is the basis, but the inspections and tests of dedicated pressure equipment themselves may only be carried out by a person holding an inspection technician's certificate under Act No 250/2021 Coll. and Government Regulation No 192/2022 Coll. The certificate is issued by TIČR and is usually valid for 5 years.

What education is required?

For Class I–III boilers and Class I stationary pressure vessels, complete secondary vocational education of a technical orientation or university education of a technical orientation; for Class IV boilers and Class II stationary pressure vessels, complete secondary vocational education of a technical orientation. A mechanical engineering orientation is recognised in particular.

Can I obtain the trade on the basis of practice alone?

Yes, under Section 22 of the Trade Licensing Act the qualification for the notification of the trade can be demonstrated by 6 years of practice in the field even without proof of education. For the actual performance of inspections and tests, however, an inspection technician's certificate and the associated qualified practice in the field of pressure equipment are additionally required; consult the scope with the Trade Licensing Office and TIČR.

Are a clean criminal record and medical fitness required?

A clean criminal record yes (the general condition under Section 6). The law does not prescribe special medical fitness or liability insurance for the notification of this trade, but requirements may follow from the regulations on the safety of dedicated technical equipment.

When can I start doing business?

The authorisation arises on the day of notification. The office will make the entry in the register within 5 working days.