Water Rescue Service

The water rescue service is a regulated trade (item No. 24 of Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act) covering the supervision of people's safety at bodies of water, swimming pools and bathing areas, and the provision of first aid to drowning persons. You can prove your professional qualification with a retraining certificate, another document of professional qualification from an accredited body, or a professional qualification for the activity of open-water rescuer or, where applicable, for the activity of lifeguard master.

Conditions for operating

General conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act: full legal capacity and a clean criminal record. At the same time, there must be no obstacle to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act.

For regulated trades the professional qualification is laid down directly in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act and, under Section 24, it cannot be replaced by general experience as with craft trades (the governing provisions are Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). You meet it by one of the following options:

Option 1 - a retraining certificate or another document of professional qualification for the relevant work activity issued by a body accredited under specific legislation, or by a body accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, or by the ministry responsible for the sector in which the trade is operated.

Option 2 - a professional qualification for the activity of open-water rescuer, or for the activity of lifeguard master under specific legislation (Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on the verification and recognition of the results of continuing education).

Experience is not required under Annex 2. The Act does not require medical fitness or liability insurance for this trade. A citizen of the Czech Republic or another Member State of the European Union may prove their professional qualification with a document on the recognition of professional qualification issued by the recognition authority under the Act on the recognition of professional qualifications (Section 24(2) of the Trade Licensing Act).

If you do not meet the professional qualification condition yourself, you may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. One person may act as a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

Examples of activities

lifeguard supervision at a bathing area and aquapark
providing water rescue services at a natural bathing area
supervising the safety of bathers at swimming pools and aquatic facilities
providing first aid and rescuing drowning persons
preventive supervision at bodies of water and beaches
ensuring safety at mass events near water
organising water rescue services at water reservoirs
monitoring the water surface and coordinating rescue interventions

What the trade is and what it is for

The water rescue service is a regulated trade listed in Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.) under item number 24. The subject of the business is professional supervision of people's safety at bodies of water and the provision of help in situations where life is endangered in or immediately near the water.

This trade covers in particular the activity of lifeguards and water rescuers at bathing areas, swimming pools, aquaparks, natural bodies of water and at mass events near water. The rescuer continuously monitors the water surface, prevents dangerous situations, provides first aid and, at the critical moment, rescues a drowning person. Because this is an activity on which people's health and lives directly depend, the law requires proof of professional qualification.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The trade covers:

lifeguard supervision at bathing areas, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and aquaparks,
providing water rescue services at natural bathing areas, reservoirs and beaches,
preventive supervision of bathers' safety and coordination of rescue interventions,
providing first aid and rescuing drowning persons,
ensuring safety near water at sporting and cultural events.

What does not belong here: teaching swimming as such falls rather under physical education and sports services; operating the bathing area or swimming pool itself is a separate business activity; serving as a member of the Fire Rescue Service or of the components of the integrated rescue system is the exercise of public authority, not a trade. The emergency medical service is regulated by specific healthcare legislation and the Trade Licensing Act does not apply to it. If you also wish to provide other related services, check their classification in the catalogue or directly with the Trade Licensing Office.

Conditions for obtaining the licence under the law

You must meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act - full legal capacity and a clean criminal record. A clean criminal record is required for this trade; the law does not require medical fitness or liability insurance. At the same time, there must be no obstacle to operating a trade under Section 8 (e.g. a court-imposed ban on activity or the statutory consequences of insolvency).

For regulated trades the professional qualification is laid down separately, directly in Annex 2; under Section 24 it cannot be replaced by general experience as with craft trades. The governing provisions are Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. You can meet it by one of two options:

a retraining certificate or another document of professional qualification for the relevant work activity issued by a body accredited under specific legislation, or by a body accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, or by the ministry responsible for the sector in which the trade is operated; or
a professional qualification for the activity of open-water rescuer, or for the activity of lifeguard master under specific legislation (Act No. 179/2006 Coll.).

Experience is not required under Annex 2. A citizen of the Czech Republic or another EU Member State may prove the qualification with a document on the recognition of professional qualification issued by the recognition authority under the Act on the recognition of professional qualifications (Section 24(2)). If you do not meet the professional qualification condition in person, you may, under Section 11, appoint a responsible representative who meets it on your behalf; one person may hold this role for no more than four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

A regulated trade is a notifiable trade - the licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act), provided the statutory conditions are met.

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (JRF). It serves both to notify the trade and to register with the tax office, the social security administration and the health insurance company.
Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Submit a document of professional qualification (a retraining certificate, another document of professional qualification, or a document of professional qualification for an open-water rescuer or lifeguard master) and pay the administrative fee.
Wait for registration. The Trade Licensing Office will enter you in the Trade Register within 5 working days of receiving the notification and issue an extract.

You will find a detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade step by step.

Documents and fees

a completed Unified Registration Form (JRF),
proof of identity (and proof of a clean criminal record under Section 6 - the office obtains the criminal record extract itself),
a document of professional qualification - a retraining certificate, another document of professional qualification from an accredited body, or a document of professional qualification for the activity of open-water rescuer or lifeguard master,
for a responsible representative, their document of professional qualification and consent to the appointment (Section 11),
an administrative fee of CZK 1,000 for the first notification of a trade, CZK 800 for electronic submission.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a university degree to operate the trade?

No. A retraining certificate or another document of professional qualification from an accredited body is sufficient, or a professional qualification for the activity of open-water rescuer or, where applicable, for the activity of lifeguard master.

Do I need experience in the field?

No. For this trade, under Annex 2 experience is not required - it is enough to prove one of the recognised qualifications.

When can I start doing business?

As soon as you meet the conditions and submit the notification. The licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)); the office enters you in the register within 5 working days.

What if I do not meet the professional qualification?

You may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 who meets the required qualification and is responsible for the proper operation of the trade. One person may hold this role for no more than four entrepreneurs.

Do I need liability insurance?

For this trade the Trade Licensing Act does not require liability insurance or medical fitness. Insurance can nevertheless be recommended and may be required by your contractual partner.