Performance of surveying activities

A regulated trade (field No. 17 of Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act) for geodetic, cartographic and surveying works, such as surveying, setting out buildings and creating geometric plans. The professional qualification is proved by education in the field of surveying with corresponding practice under Section 24; the official certification of results requires a separate official authorisation from the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (ČÚZK).

Conditions for operating

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). For a legal entity and for doing business through a responsible representative, the obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 are also assessed. The Act does not require medical fitness or liability insurance.

Professional qualification under Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll. – one of the options:
1) University education in a study programme and study field focused on surveying + 1 year of practice.
2) Higher professional education in a field of education focused on surveying + 3 years of practice.
3) Secondary education with a school-leaving (maturita) examination in a field focused on surveying + 3 years of practice.
4) Authorisation issued by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (ČÚZK) – without a requirement of further practice.
5) A retraining certificate or other proof of professional qualification for the relevant work activity issued by an institution accredited under special legal regulations, an institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, or by a ministry within whose competence falls the sector in which the trade is operated + 4 years of practice.

The professional qualification may also be proved through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. One person may perform the function of a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

Note: The official certification of the results of surveying activities (e.g. geometric plans for the cadastre of real estate) requires an official authorisation issued by ČÚZK under Act No. 200/1994 Coll., on surveying; the trade licence alone does not authorise this certification.

Examples of activities

Geodetic surveying of terrain and buildings
Setting out buildings and structures
Setting out land boundaries and utility networks
Creation and preparation of geometric plans
Surveying and planimetric works
Creation of large-scale special-purpose maps
Photogrammetric works
Cartographic works

What the trade is and what it is for

The regulated trade Performance of surveying activities entitles you to do business in the field of geodesy and cartography, that is, to measure and depict the earth's surface, buildings and their mutual positions. Surveying activities are a set of geodetic, photogrammetric, cartographic and related works, the results of which serve for the design preparation of buildings, construction, the records of real estate, spatial planning and land administration.

This trade is classified as field No. 17 of Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act. It is one of the regulated trades, for which the professional qualification is laid down directly by the Act separately for each individual trade and cannot be substituted by mere length of practice as with craft trades.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

This trade covers in particular:

geodetic surveying of terrain and buildings,
setting out buildings, land boundaries and utility networks,
creation and preparation of geometric plans,
surveying and planimetric works, creation of special-purpose maps,
photogrammetric and cartographic works.

The boundary with the certification of results: The performance of surveying activities as a trade must be distinguished from the official certification of the results of surveying activities. Only a natural person with an official authorisation issued by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (ČÚZK) under Act No. 200/1994 Coll., on surveying, may certify results (for example geometric plans intended for the cadastre of real estate). A trade licence does not in itself authorise certification.

Outside this trade there are the activities of authorised persons in construction (an authorised engineer, technician) under Act No. 360/1992 Coll. and the exercise of the state administration of the cadastre of real estate, which is carried out by cadastral offices.

Statutory conditions for obtaining the trade

The applicant 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 (Section 6 of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). For a legal entity and when doing business through a responsible representative, the obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 are also assessed. The Act does not require medical fitness or liability insurance for this trade.

The professional qualification is governed by Sections 6 to 8 and Section 24 of the Trade Licensing Act and is proved by one of the following options:

Education / document	Required practice
University education in a study programme and study field focused on surveying	1 year of practice
Higher professional education in a field of education focused on surveying	3 years of practice
Secondary education with a school-leaving (maturita) examination in a field focused on surveying	3 years of practice
Authorisation issued by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre	no further practice
A retraining certificate or proof of professional qualification issued by an accredited institution	4 years of practice

If the entrepreneur does not meet the professional qualification himself, he may prove it through a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act. The responsible representative must meet the professional qualification and is responsible for the proper operation of the trade and compliance with the regulations; one person may perform this function for no more than four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF) for notifying the regulated trade.
Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or through a Czech POINT contact point.
Document the professional qualification (diploma, certificate, ČÚZK authorisation or retraining certificate) and proof of practice; when using a responsible representative, also their documents and consent.
Pay the administrative fee of CZK 1,000 for the notification; for electronic filing via rzp.gov.cz the fee is CZK 800.
The Trade Licensing Office makes the entry in the Trade Register usually within 5 working days of the notification. The licence arises on the day of notification.

You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to start a trade.

Documents and fees

A completed Unified Registration Form (URF).
Proof of identity.
Proof of professional qualification (education and practice according to one of the options above).
When using a responsible representative, their documents and declaration.
Administrative fee: CZK 1,000 (notification), CZK 800 (electronically via rzp.gov.cz).

Frequently asked questions

Can I certify geometric plans thanks to this trade?

No. The trade licence allows you to perform surveying activities, but the official certification of the results (for example a geometric plan for the cadastre) may be carried out only by a person with an official authorisation issued by ČÚZK under Act No. 200/1994 Coll.

Is a maturita in the field of surveying enough for me?

Yes, but with a condition. Secondary education with a school-leaving (maturita) examination in a field focused on surveying must be supplemented by 3 years of practice in the field.

Can missing professional practice be substituted in some way?

For a regulated trade, practice generally cannot be substituted – the professional qualification is laid down directly in Annex 2 to the Act. If you do not meet the conditions yourself, the solution is to appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 who has the professional qualification.

How long does processing take?

With a proper notification and the documentation of all documents, the Trade Licensing Office makes the entry usually within 5 working days. The licence itself, however, arises as early as the day of notification.

Do I need insurance or a medical certificate?

For notifying this trade, the Act does not require either liability insurance or a medical fitness certificate. Verify the specific obligations during the performance of the activity with the Trade Licensing Office.