Psychological counselling and diagnostics
Field of activity No. 31 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: Specific expertise set by law (education, experience, certification).
- Vázaná živnost
- Field No. 31
- See conditions below
- 8 activity examples
Psychological counselling and diagnostics is a regulated trade in which a psychologist provides counselling and carries out psychodiagnostics outside the field of healthcare. Professional qualification consists of a university degree in the field of study of psychology and practical experience in the field, which cannot be replaced by general experience.
Professional qualification under Section 24 and Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act: a university degree in the field of study of psychology. For a regulated trade, professional qualification is laid down separately directly in Annex 2 and cannot be replaced by general experience as it can with a craft trade.
In addition to the university degree, practical experience in the field is evidenced:
- for a single-subject study of psychology, 1 year of experience in the field,
- for a multi-subject study, 3 years of experience in the field.
Clean criminal record: yes (Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act). Medical fitness: no. Professional liability insurance: no.
Professional qualification may also be evidenced 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
- psychological counselling for individuals, couples and families
- psychodiagnostics of personality, abilities and performance
- career and professional counselling and diagnostics
- counselling on coping with stress and life crises
- psychological assessment of candidates in personnel selection (assessment)
- counselling in the area of relationships and interpersonal relations
- lecturing and consultancy in applied psychology
- counselling on developing parenting and educational competences
What the trade is and what it is for
The trade Psychological counselling and diagnostics is a regulated trade listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It entitles you to provide expert psychological counselling and to carry out psychodiagnostics on a business basis – that is, continuously, independently, in your own name and for the purpose of profit.
In practice, this trade covers the work of a psychologist who helps clients address personal, relationship, educational or work-related difficulties, using standardised psychological methods to do so – interview, observation and diagnostic tests. The aim is to understand the client's situation, describe their abilities, personality characteristics or the sources of their difficulties, and propose a suitable course of action. This is an activity outside the field of healthcare; exactly where the boundary lies is discussed in the following chapter.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
The trade typically covers:
- individual, couple and family counselling for common life difficulties;
- psychodiagnostics of personality, abilities, performance and interests;
- career and professional counselling, personnel diagnostics and assessment;
- counselling on coping with stress, strain and life changes;
- lecturing, consultancy and awareness-raising in applied psychology.
Where the trade ends. This trade does not extend to the practice of the medical profession of psychologist. Clinical psychology, psychology in healthcare and psychotherapy provided as a health service are governed by Act No. 96/2004 Coll. and the Health Services Act, not by the Trade Licensing Act – for these you need the relevant professional qualification of a healthcare worker, not a trade licence. Likewise, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in the medical sense do not fall under this trade. If you provide only general counselling without psychodiagnostics and without an expert psychological methodology (e.g. life coaching), it may be a different, often unqualified (free) trade; in borderline cases we recommend asking the Trade Licensing Office directly.
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 and a clean criminal record. The office verifies the clean criminal record of a Czech citizen itself from the Criminal Records Register. At the same time, there must be no obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act.
2) Professional qualification (Section 24 and Annex 2 to the Act): for a regulated trade, professional qualification is laid down separately directly in Annex 2 and cannot be replaced by general experience as it can with a craft trade. The guarantor of this trade is the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The following is required:
| Education | Required experience |
|---|---|
| University degree in the field of study of psychology – single-subject study | 1 year of experience in the field |
| University degree in the field of study of psychology – multi-subject study | 3 years of experience in the field |
The relevant provisions of the Trade Licensing Act are Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. The recognition of professional qualifications obtained in another EU member state is governed by a separate statute, Act No. 18/2004 Coll. Neither medical fitness nor professional liability insurance is required.
Responsible representative (Section 11 of the Act): if you do not meet the professional qualification yourself (typically in the case of a legal person, or where you do not have an education in psychology), you can appoint a responsible representative who meets both the qualification and the clean criminal record requirement and is responsible for the proper running of the trade. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.
How to notify or obtain the licence step by step
This is a notifiable trade, so there is no administrative proceeding with the issue of a concession.
- Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF) – with a single filing you also handle registrations with the Social Security Administration and your health insurer.
- File it with any municipal Trade Licensing Office (the office of a municipality with extended competence), electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
- Submit proof of professional qualification (a university diploma in the field of psychology and proof of experience in the field) and pay the administrative fee.
- The office enters you in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days of a flawless notification. The trade licence takes effect on the day of notification, so you may start trading before the extract physically arrives.
A detailed universal procedure can be found in the guide How to start a trade.
Documents and fees
- a completed Unified Registration Form (JRF);
- proof of identity;
- a university diploma in the field of psychology + proof of experience in the field (1 year for single-subject study, 3 years for multi-subject study);
- for a responsible representative, additionally their consent and proof of their competence (Section 11);
- an administrative fee for the first notification of CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic filing via the portal.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a university degree for this trade?
Yes. A regulated trade requires a university degree in the field of study of psychology. The education and experience in the field may, where applicable, be evidenced through a responsible representative under Section 11.
Can I practise clinical psychology or psychotherapy in healthcare on the basis of this trade?
No. The practice of the profession of psychologist in healthcare, clinical psychology and psychotherapy as a health service are governed by Act No. 96/2004 Coll. and the Health Services Act, not by a trade licence.
How much experience do I have to evidence?
For single-subject study of psychology, 1 year of experience in the field; for multi-subject study, 3 years of experience in the field.
How long does processing take and when can I start?
The office issues the extract within 5 working days of a flawless notification, but the licence takes effect on the day of notification.
Do I need professional liability insurance?
Not under the Trade Licensing Act. For this trade neither professional liability insurance nor medical fitness is required; insurance can be taken out voluntarily.