Business in the field of hazardous waste management

A regulated trade listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act, authorising the commercial management of hazardous waste – its collection, transport, storage, treatment, recovery and disposal. It requires documented professional qualification (a combination of prescribed education and practice) under Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act; unlike a craft trade, it cannot be substituted by general practice.

Conditions for operating

General conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity (usually reaching 18 years of age) and a clean criminal record.
Professional qualification under Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. – one of the following variants:
1) university education + 1 year of practice in the field,
2) higher professional education in a technical or natural-science field of study + 3 years of practice in the field,
3) secondary education with a school-leaving examination (maturita) in a technical or natural-science field of study + 3 years of practice in the field,
4) a retraining certificate or another document evidencing professional qualification + 4 years of practice in the field.
The qualification cannot be replaced merely by longer practice (unlike a craft trade) – it is always a combination of prescribed education or retraining and a corresponding length of practice.
The professional qualification may be evidenced through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act (one person may be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs).
The trade licence arises on the day of notification, provided all conditions are met.
Medical fitness is not required; liability insurance is not required. Note: the actual operation is additionally governed by the Waste Act and usually requires a separate permit from the regional authority.

Examples of activities

Collection and purchase of hazardous waste from producers
Transport and haulage of hazardous waste
Storage and accumulation of hazardous waste
Treatment of hazardous waste prior to further handling
Operation of a facility for the recovery of hazardous waste
Operation of a facility for the disposal of hazardous waste

What this trade is and what it is for

The regulated trade “Business in the field of hazardous waste management” (listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act) authorises the commercial management of waste that has hazardous properties. This concept covers in particular the collection, purchase, transport, storage, treatment, recovery and disposal of hazardous waste. These are activities with a high risk to human health and the environment, and that is why the Act requires documented professional qualification.

Note: the trade licence is only one of the conditions. The actual operation is additionally governed by the Waste Act (No. 541/2020 Coll.) and usually requires separate permits from the regional authority. A trade licence on its own is therefore not sufficient to operate a facility.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

This regulated trade typically covers:

collection and purchase of hazardous waste from producers,
transport and haulage of hazardous waste,
storage and accumulation of hazardous waste,
treatment of hazardous waste prior to further handling,
operation of a facility for the recovery or disposal of hazardous waste.

What does not belong here: the management of other (non-hazardous) waste, which falls under an unqualified (free) trade (the field “Waste management, except hazardous waste” under Annex 4). The boundary is therefore the hazardous property of the waste under the Waste Act. If you handle ordinary municipal or construction waste without hazardous properties, you do not need the regulated trade.

Statutory conditions for obtaining it

You must meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity (usually reaching 18 years of age) and a clean criminal record. A clean criminal record is required for this trade (Section 6 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.) and is also assessed from the perspective of any ban on activity in the field.

You must also evidence professional qualification. The decisive provisions are Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll., and the required professional qualification is set out directly in Annex 2. The Act offers four equivalent variants:

university education + 1 year of practice in the field,
higher professional education in a technical or natural-science field of study + 3 years of practice in the field,
secondary education with a school-leaving examination (maturita) in a technical or natural-science field of study + 3 years of practice in the field,
a retraining certificate or another document evidencing professional qualification + 4 years of practice in the field.

Unlike craft trades, here the qualification cannot be replaced merely by longer practice – a combination of prescribed education (or retraining) and a corresponding length of practice is always required.

If you do not meet the professional-qualification conditions yourself (typically a legal entity, or where the entrepreneur lacks them), you may evidence them through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. The responsible representative must meet both the general and the professional conditions and is responsible for the proper operation of the trade; one person may act as a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How to notify the trade step by step

You fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF).
You submit it at any Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
You attach documents evidencing professional qualification (a diploma, certificate or retraining certificate) and documents evidencing practice, and where applicable documents relating to the responsible representative.
You pay the administrative fee of CZK 1,000 (for electronic submission CZK 800).
The Trade Licensing Office enters the trade in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days of receiving a flawless notification (Section 47).

The licence arises on the day of notification, provided all statutory conditions are met (Section 10). You will find the detailed procedure in the guide How to start a trade.

Documents and fees

proof of identity,
proof of completed education or a retraining certificate,
proof of professional practice (of the length according to the chosen variant),
a declaration and documents relating to the responsible representative (if appointed),
administrative fee of CZK 1,000 (notification) / CZK 800 (electronically).

Frequently asked questions

Besides the trade, do I also need a permit under the Waste Act to operate?

Yes. The trade licence is the basis, but operating a facility for hazardous waste management usually requires a separate permit from the regional authority under Act No. 541/2020 Coll., on waste. Verify the specific obligations with the regional authority.

Can I substitute practice if I only have an apprenticeship certificate?

No. An apprenticeship certificate without the maturita, or practice on its own, is not sufficient. You must meet one of the four statutory variants – always a combination of prescribed education (or retraining) and a corresponding length of practice.

What if I, as the company owner, do not have the qualification?

You may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act who meets the professional qualification. In this way you evidence the condition on behalf of the entrepreneur. One person may at the same time be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How much will the notification cost me?

The administrative fee is CZK 1,000 for ordinary submission and CZK 800 for electronic submission via rzp.gov.cz. On top of that, allow for any costs of permits under the Waste Act.

How soon can I start trading?

The licence arises on the day of notification. The Trade Licensing Office issues the extract from the Trade Register within 5 working days of receiving a flawless notification.