Special protective disinfection, pest control and rodent control
Field of activity No. 22 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: Specific expertise set by law (education, experience, certification).
- Vázaná živnost
- Field No. 22
- See conditions below
- 8 activity examples
A regulated trade for professional DDD - special protective disinfection, pest control and rodent control to protect public health. The professional qualification is set by Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act through Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. and cannot be replaced by practice. The licence comes into existence on the date of notification.
No obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 of the TLA. Medical fitness is not required. Liability insurance is not required. Practice is not required.
The professional qualification is set directly in Annex 2 (Section 24 of the TLA) and cannot be replaced by practice. For all three DDD regimes, Annex 2 refers it to Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. You can evidence it by one of the following options:
1) A certificate of professional competence under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. - completion of a specialised course (or otherwise acquiring knowledge to the extent set by the implementing regulation) and successfully passing an examination of professional competence before a commission. The relevant provision is Section 58(1) (without toxic substances, outside food and agricultural establishments), Section 58(2) (food or agricultural establishments), or Section 58(3) (toxic or highly toxic substances outside such establishments).
2) A vocational qualification for the activity of a sanitation worker under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. - without fumigants for the regimes under Section 58(1) and (2), with fumigants for the regime under Section 58(3).
3) Proof of professional qualification obtained in another Member State under Section 7(5)(j), (k), (l) or (m) of the Trade Licensing Act.
The option to appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the TLA who meets the professional and general conditions (one person for no more than 4 business holders).
Examples of activities
- protective disinfection of surfaces, water and air
- pest control - extermination of cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas and ants
- rodent control of buildings and sewers (brown rats, mice)
- extermination of mosquitoes and ticks in the outdoor environment
- DDD in food and agricultural establishments
- protective interventions in healthcare facilities and warehouses
- monitoring of pest occurrence and barrier measures
- DDD using toxic or highly toxic substances outside food establishments
What this trade is and what it is for
The regulated trade "Special protective disinfection, pest control and rodent control" (Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll.) entitles the holder to professionally exterminate and suppress agents and vectors of diseases, harmful and epidemiologically significant arthropods, rodents and other animals, and to destroy pathogens. It is referred to by the abbreviation DDD (disinfection, disinsection, deratisation).
The purpose of this activity is to protect public health. This is so-called special protective DDD, which under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., on the protection of public health, may be carried out only by a person with a proven professional qualification. It concerns premises where ordinary maintenance is not sufficient and where a professional intervention with products (biocides), often toxic, is needed.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
This regulated trade includes in particular:
- protective disinfection, i.e. the destruction of pathogenic micro-organisms (bacteria, viruses, moulds) on surfaces, in water and in the air,
- pest control (disinsection), i.e. the extermination of insects and arthropods (cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, ticks),
- rodent control (deratisation), i.e. the extermination of rodents (brown rats, mice, rats) in buildings, sewers and the outdoor environment,
- protective interventions in business premises, residential buildings, healthcare facilities, warehouses, and food and agricultural establishments,
- monitoring of pest occurrence and preventive (barrier) measures.
Annex 2 distinguishes three regimes according to the products used and the environment: DDD without hazardous chemical substances and mixtures classified as toxic or highly toxic (outside food and agricultural establishments), DDD in food or agricultural establishments, and DDD using toxic or highly toxic substances (outside food and agricultural establishments). A separate professional qualification requirement applies to each regime; always verify the scope of your licence according to the specific activity.
Boundaries with neighbouring trades. The treatment of plants, plant products, premises and soil against harmful organisms using plant protection products is a separate regulated trade. Organising courses to acquire the knowledge needed to perform DDD is also a separate regulated trade (with professional qualification under Section 58(1) of Act No. 258/2000 Coll.). Ordinary cleaning without biocidal products does not fall under this trade.
Statutory conditions for obtaining the trade
As with every trade, you must meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (for a minor it can be replaced by a court's approval),
- a clean criminal record under Section 6(2) of the TLA,
- usually the age of 18.
In addition, there must be no obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 of the TLA (e.g. a court-imposed ban on the activity relating to the field, or the statutory consequences of insolvency). The law requires neither medical fitness nor liability insurance.
You must also prove a professional qualification. For a regulated trade it is set directly in Annex 2 (Section 24 of the TLA) and cannot be replaced by practice as is the case with a craft trade. Practice is not required here. For all three regimes, Annex 2 refers the professional qualification to Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. A person has the professional qualification if they:
- hold a certificate of professional competence under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. - i.e. they have completed a specialised course (or otherwise acquired professional knowledge to the extent set by the implementing regulation) and successfully passed an examination of professional competence before a commission; the relevant provision is Section 58(1) (without toxic substances, outside food and agricultural establishments), Section 58(2) (food or agricultural establishments), or Section 58(3) (toxic or highly toxic substances outside such establishments), or
- have obtained a vocational qualification for the activity of a sanitation worker under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. - without fumigants for the regimes under Section 58(1) and (2), with fumigants for the regime under Section 58(3), or
- provide proof of a professional qualification obtained in another Member State under Section 7(5)(j), (k), (l) or (m) of the TLA.
Responsible representative (Section 11 of the TLA). If you do not meet the professional qualification yourself (or a legal person is doing business), you can appoint a responsible representative who meets both the professional and the general conditions. One person may perform this role for no more than 4 business holders.
How to notify or obtain the trade step by step
This is a notifiable regulated trade; the licence comes into existence on the date of notification.
- Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF) - with a single submission you notify the trade and at the same time register for income tax, social security and health insurance.
- Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
- Submit proof of professional qualification (a certificate under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., or proof of the vocational qualification of a sanitation worker under Act No. 179/2006 Coll.) and proof of identity.
- Pay the administrative fee - CZK 1,000 for the notification, or CZK 800 for electronic submission.
- Wait for the entry in the Trade Register, which the Office will make within 5 working days of the conditions being met.
You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to start a trade.
Documents and fees
- Proof of identity (an identity card or passport).
- A completed URF with the subject of business "Special protective disinfection, pest control and rodent control".
- Proof of professional qualification - a certificate of professional competence under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll. (paragraph 1, 2 or 3 according to the DDD regime), or proof of the vocational qualification of a sanitation worker (Act No. 179/2006 Coll.).
- Proof of payment of the administrative fee: CZK 1,000 (on paper) / CZK 800 (electronically).
- Where applicable, documents for the responsible representative.
Frequently asked questions
Is a retraining course enough, or do I have to take an examination?
A course alone is not enough. The law requires successfully passing an examination of professional competence before a commission and a certificate under Section 58 of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., or the vocational qualification of a sanitation worker under Act No. 179/2006 Coll.
Do I have to have practice in the field?
No. For this regulated trade, practice is not required; what matters is the documented professional qualification under Annex 2.
Do I need a different licence to work with toxic products?
For DDD using toxic or highly toxic substances, a stricter professional qualification requirement applies under Section 58(3) of Act No. 258/2000 Coll., or the qualification of a sanitation worker with fumigants under Act No. 179/2006 Coll. Verify the scope of the licence according to the specific regime.
When can I start doing business?
The trade licence comes into existence on the date of notification. You will usually receive the extract from the Trade Register within 5 working days.
Can I appoint a responsible representative?
Yes. If you do not meet the professional qualification yourself or a legal person is doing business, you appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the TLA. One person may perform this role for no more than 4 business holders.