Day care for children under three years of age
Field of activity No. 30 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: Specific expertise set by law (education, experience, certification).
- Vázaná živnost
- Field No. 30
- See conditions below
- 7 activity examples
A regulated trade for full-day educational care of children under three years of age (nannies, mini-nurseries and similar forms of day care). The trade licence takes effect on the day of notification; the requirement is professional qualification evidenced by one of four legally recognised options.
Professional qualification under Section 24 and Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act – it is sufficient to evidence any one of these four options:
1) Professional qualification to practise the medical profession of general nurse, healthcare assistant (practical nurse), nursing aide, midwife or paramedic under Act No. 96/2004 Coll.
2) Professional qualification to practise the profession of social worker or social services worker under Act No. 108/2006 Coll.
3) Professional qualification to practise the profession of nursery school teacher under Act No. 563/2004 Coll.
4) Vocational qualification for the activity of a nanny for children up to the start of compulsory schooling under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. (certificate obtained after passing an examination before an authorised person).
Professional qualification may also be ensured through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.
Examples of activities
- full-day supervision and educational care of a child under three years of age at the provider's premises or in the family
- running a mini-nursery or private day-care facility for toddlers
- caring for a child as a nanny on a regular basis
- providing meals, rest and hygiene for the child during the day
- developing motor, cognitive and social skills appropriate to the child's age
- accompanying the child and supervising outdoor activities
- individual care for a child with increased needs in a day regime
What this trade is and what it is for
The trade “Day care for children under three years of age” is a regulated trade listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.) under field No. 30. It entitles you to provide continuous, full-day educational care for children under three years of age – that is, for the youngest age group, which cannot be placed in an ordinary nursery school.
The activity consists of everyday care for the child in a day regime: supervision, ensuring safety, meals, hygiene and rest, while also developing basic motor, cognitive and social skills appropriate to the child's age. In practice, this trade covers in particular the activity of a nanny and the running of smaller facilities such as mini-nurseries or private crèches, provided they are not forms regulated by another statute (see below).
Because this is a regulated trade, in addition to the general conditions you must also evidence professional qualification – this is laid down separately for this trade and cannot be replaced by mere practical experience, as is possible with craft trades.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
The trade covers:
- regular full-day care for a child under three years in a day regime (both at the provider's premises and directly in the family),
- educational and instructional activity appropriate to a toddler's age,
- providing food, a drinking regime, hygiene, sleep and a safe environment,
- accompanying the child and supervising activities both indoors and outdoors.
By contrast, the following do not fall under this trade (they have a different regime):
- Children's group – regular care for children, typically from 6 months to the start of schooling, is governed by a separate statute, Act No. 247/2014 Coll. It is not a trade; the provider is entered in a register kept by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and meets its own conditions.
- Nursery school – pre-school education under the Education Act, entered in the register of schools, is not a trade.
- Occasional, irregular babysitting without the features of continuity need not be a trade at all.
The boundary is therefore defined by the age of the child (under three), the day regime and continuity – and by the fact that the activity in question is not subject to special legislation (children's group, Education Act).
Conditions for obtaining the licence under the law
You must meet two tiers of conditions.
1. General conditions (Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act):
- full legal capacity (for a minor over 16 this can be replaced by the court's consent),
- clean criminal record – this is required for this trade and, for a Czech citizen, the office verifies it itself from the Criminal Records Register.
2. Professional qualification (Section 24 and Annex 2):
The regulation is set out in Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. You evidence your competence by any one of the following four options – a single one is sufficient:
| Option | Document / qualification | Legislation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical profession: general nurse, healthcare assistant (practical nurse), nursing aide, midwife or paramedic | Act No. 96/2004 Coll. |
| 2 | Professional qualification of a social worker or social services worker | Act No. 108/2006 Coll. |
| 3 | Professional qualification of a nursery school teacher | Act No. 563/2004 Coll. |
| 4 | Vocational qualification for the activity of a nanny for children up to the start of compulsory schooling | Act No. 179/2006 Coll. |
Practical experience is not required and medical fitness is not evidenced. The most accessible route tends to be option 4 – passing the nanny vocational qualification examination before an authorised person; after passing, you receive a certificate with which you evidence your competence.
Responsible representative (Section 11): If you do not hold the professional qualification yourself, you can ensure it through a responsible representative – a natural person who meets the qualification and is responsible for the proper running of the trade. The same person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs. A responsible representative must also be appointed by an entrepreneur that is a legal person.
How to notify the trade step by step
- Verify the conditions – legal capacity, clean criminal record and one of the four options of professional qualification.
- Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF) for a natural person. With a single filing you handle the trade notification as well as the notifications to the Social Security Administration and your health insurer.
- File the notification – with any municipal Trade Licensing Office in the Czech Republic, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal (Citizen Identity), via a data box, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
- Submit the documents on professional qualification (diploma, school report, nanny vocational qualification certificate) and pay the administrative fee.
- Wait for registration. For a notifiable trade, the office enters you in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days. The licence takes effect on the day of notification – you may start trading before the extract arrives.
A detailed universal procedure can be found in the guide How to start a trade.
Documents and fees
- Completed JRF (natural person),
- proof of identity,
- proof of professional qualification under one of the four options (and, where applicable, the responsible representative's documents and declaration),
- proof of the legal grounds for using the premises, if the registered seat differs from the place of residence,
- proof of payment of the fee.
The administrative fee for the first notification of a trade is CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic filing. If you notify several trades at once, you pay the fee only once.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a university degree for this trade?
Not necessarily. It is sufficient to meet one of the four options. The most accessible is the nanny vocational qualification under Act No. 179/2006 Coll., which you obtain by passing an examination before an authorised person – without the need for a university diploma.
Is a “children's group” the same as this trade?
No. A children's group is governed by a separate statute, Act No. 247/2014 Coll., and is registered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; it is not a trade. This regulated trade covers in particular the activity of a nanny and similar forms of day care outside the children's group regime.
Do I have to evidence experience or a health card?
For this trade, experience is not required and medical fitness is not evidenced. What is evidenced is professional qualification and a clean criminal record.
What if I do not meet the professional qualification?
You can appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 who meets the qualification and is responsible for the proper running of the trade. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.
When can I start trading?
On the day of notification. The office issues the extract from the register within 5 working days, but the licence takes effect the moment a flawless notification is filed.