Activities that breach the integrity of human skin
Field of activity No. 33 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: Specific expertise set by law (education, experience, certification).
- Vázaná živnost
- Field No. 33
- See conditions below
- 6 activity examples
A regulated trade (field No. 33) for tattooing, piercing, permanent make-up and other procedures that breach the skin. It requires evidence of professional qualification under Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act; the licence takes effect on the day of notification.
Professional qualification under Annex 2 to the Act (regulated by Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.) – it is sufficient to meet one of the options:
1) Professional qualification to practise the profession of physician or dentist under Act No. 95/2004 Coll., or
2) Professional qualification to practise a medical profession under Act No. 96/2004 Coll., or
3) Secondary education with a school-leaving examination (maturita) or with an apprenticeship certificate in the field of education of hairdresser, and a retraining certificate for activities that breach the integrity of human skin, or
4) A retraining certificate or another document on professional qualification for the relevant work activity issued by an institution accredited under special legislation, or by an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, or by the ministry within whose remit the sector in which the trade is operated falls + 4 years of experience in the field, or
5) A document on the verification or recognition of a full vocational qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. + 1 year of experience in the field.
Professional qualification cannot be replaced by general experience alone, as it can with a craft trade. A responsible representative may be appointed under Section 11 (one person for no more than four entrepreneurs). Clean criminal record: yes. Medical fitness: no. Professional liability insurance: not required by law.
Examples of activities
- tattooing
- cosmetic (temporary) tattooing
- piercing
- permanent make-up (micropigmentation of eyebrows, eyeliner and lips)
- scarification
- applying earrings and jewellery by puncture
What the trade is and what it is for
The trade “Activities that breach the integrity of human skin” comprises services in which there is an intervention beneath the surface of, or through, the client's skin. It includes in particular tattooing, piercing, permanent make-up (micropigmentation) and other similar decorative or aesthetic procedures. This is a regulated trade listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act under field No. 33. The purpose of the regulation is to protect the client's health: because the skin barrier is breached, there is a risk of transmitting infections, and the law therefore requires evidence of professional qualification and compliance with hygiene rules.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
Typical activities include:
- tattooing and cosmetic (temporary) tattooing,
- piercing, including punctures on various parts of the body,
- permanent make-up, i.e. micropigmentation (eyebrows, eyeliner, lips),
- scarification and other procedures that breach the skin.
The boundary with neighbouring trades is important. Ordinary cosmetic services, make-up application, hairdressing, manicure or pedicure, in which the skin is not breached, belong elsewhere (the craft trade “Cosmetic services” or “Pedicure, manicure”). Conversely, medical and aesthetic procedures that may be performed only by a healthcare facility (for example the application of injectable fillers, botulinum toxin or laser removal of tattoos on medical indication) are not a trade but the practice of a medical profession under special legislation.
Conditions for obtaining the licence under the law
The applicant must meet two groups of conditions.
General conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity and a clean criminal record. The clean criminal record is evidenced by an extract from the Criminal Records Register, which the office obtains itself. Under Section 8, the business must not be barred by obstacles to operating a trade (for example a previous bankruptcy or a court-imposed ban on the activity in the field).
Professional qualification under Annex 2 to the Act (regulated by Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It is sufficient to meet one of these options:
- professional qualification to practise the profession of physician or dentist under Act No. 95/2004 Coll., or
- professional qualification to practise a medical profession under Act No. 96/2004 Coll. (for example general nurse), or
- secondary education with a maturita or with an apprenticeship certificate in the field of education of hairdresser, and a retraining certificate for activities that breach the integrity of human skin, or
- a retraining certificate or another document on professional qualification for the relevant work activity issued by an institution accredited under special legislation, or where applicable by the ministry within whose remit the field falls, and 4 years of experience in the field, or
- a document on the verification or recognition of a full vocational qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. and 1 year of experience in the field.
If you do not meet the professional qualification yourself, you can operate the trade through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Act. This is a natural person who meets both the general and the professional conditions and is responsible for the proper running of the trade. The same person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.
How to notify the trade step by step
The procedure is the same as for other notifiable trades:
- Prepare your proof of professional qualification (diploma, school report, retraining or vocational qualification certificate, proof of experience).
- Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF). It combines the trade notification, tax registration and the notifications to the Social Security Administration and your health insurer.
- File the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
- Pay the administrative fee: CZK 1,000 for notification at the office, or CZK 800 for an electronic filing via rzp.gov.cz.
- The Trade Licensing Office will usually enter you in the Trade Register within 5 working days and issue an extract. The trade licence, however, takes effect on the day of notification, provided you meet all the conditions.
A detailed guide can be found in the article How to start a trade.
Documents and fees
- Documents: proof of identity, a completed JRF, proof of professional qualification (one of the options above), and where applicable proof of experience and the consent and documents of the responsible representative.
- Fees: CZK 1,000 for notification at the office, CZK 800 for an electronic filing.
- Time limit: registration usually within 5 working days; the licence takes effect on the day of notification.
- Professional liability insurance: not required by law, but advisable for procedures that breach the skin.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need proof of medical fitness for this trade?
No. According to the database of regulated activities, medical fitness is not required for this trade. You must, however, meet the clean criminal record requirement under Section 6.
Can I replace the qualification with experience in the field alone?
Not with experience directly. Unlike a craft trade, with a regulated trade the qualification cannot be replaced by years of experience alone. Experience applies only as a supplement to some options (4 years for retraining, 1 year for a recognised vocational qualification).
What if I do not meet the professional qualification?
Yes, the trade can be operated through a responsible representative under Section 11 who meets the professional qualification and is responsible for the proper running of the trade. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.
What hygiene obligations await me?
The premises must meet the hygiene requirements under Act No. 258/2000 Coll., on the protection of public health, and related legislation (operating rules, sterilisation, waste handling). Verify the specific obligations with the locally competent regional public health authority.
Does permanent make-up belong here too?
Yes. Permanent make-up means introducing pigment beneath the skin, which breaches its integrity, so it falls under this regulated trade and not under ordinary cosmetic services.