Photographic services

Photographic services are field no. 68 of the unqualified (free) trade - providing commissioned photographic work, from portraits through weddings to product and advertising photography. No professional qualification is required; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act, and the licence arises on the very day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.).

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.; this may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor to independently carry on business activity).
Clean criminal record / integrity (Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2) of the Trade Licensing Act; a person who has been finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business is not regarded as having a clean record as long as they are still deemed to have been convicted - that is, until they cease to be regarded as having been convicted).
Professional qualification is NOT documented - photographic services are an unqualified (free) trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act); no education, apprenticeship certificate, certificate or practice is required.
Absence of obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act (e.g. a court-imposed ban on activity relating to the field, or the statutory consequences of insolvency).
The trade notification must state the specific fields of activity you will carry out (Section 45(4)); field no. 68 "Photographic services" is stated in accordance with the title under Annex No. 4.
Optionally, a responsible representative may be appointed under Section 11 (not mandatory for an unqualified trade; one person may hold this office for no more than 4 entrepreneurs). The responsible representative must meet the general conditions under Section 6.
For foreigners and persons without permanent residence in the Czech Republic, a clean criminal record is also proven by a document from their home state (Section 6(3) in conjunction with Section 46(1) of the Trade Licensing Act).

Examples of activities

Portrait and studio photography
Wedding and reportage photography
Product and advertising photography (e-shops, catalogues)
Photographing social and corporate events
Family and newborn photography
Architectural and interior photography
Drone (aerial) photography
Digital editing, retouching and printing of photographs

What this trade is and what it is for

Photographic services are field no. 68 of the unqualified (free) trade, kept within the single free trade "Production, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 of the Trade Licensing Act". They entitle you to provide commissioned photographic work - that is, to take, process and deliver photographs for customers for payment.

This trade covers the full breadth of photographic work: from portraits and weddings through product and advertising photography to the documentation of events. It also includes follow-up activities such as copying, digital editing of images, retouching, archiving, printing and the sale of photographs. It is the most common way to start out in business as a freelance photographer.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

This includes in particular:

portrait, studio, family and newborn photography,
wedding and reportage photography, photographing social and corporate events,
product, advertising and catalogue photography for e-shops and companies,
architectural and interior photography, drone (aerial) photography,
subsequent processing, copying, retouching, printing and the sale of one's own photographs.

What does not belong here (the boundaries with neighbouring fields):

The manufacture of cameras and optical instruments is a separate field no. 28 "Manufacture of measuring, testing, navigation, optical and photographic instruments and equipment".
Publishing and printing activities on a larger scale fall rather under field no. 14 "Publishing activities, printing production, bookbinding and copying work".
Advertising campaigns and media representation as a whole belong under field no. 66 "Advertising activity, marketing, media representation" - but advertising photography itself remains field no. 68.
Modelling and design work belongs to field no. 67 "Design, styling, window-dressing and modelling".
The production and distribution of audio-visual (video) recordings is dealt with by the separate field no. 15; purely photographic work falls under field no. 68.

The good news is that you can combine the fields of the free trade - if alongside photography you also offer graphics or advertising, you simply notify several fields at once.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act), professional qualification is not documented. You do not need any photographic education, apprenticeship certificate, certificate or practice. It is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a)) - usually reaching the age of 18; a lack of legal capacity may be replaced by a court's approval of a legal representative's consent for a minor,
clean criminal record / integrity (Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2)) - a person finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business is not regarded as having a clean record while they are still deemed to have been convicted.

In addition, there must be no obstacle to operating a trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act (e.g. a court-imposed ban on activity relating to the field, or the statutory consequences of insolvency).

For Czech citizens the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself electronically; you do not need to bring it yourself (Section 6(3)). For foreigners and persons without permanent residence in the Czech Republic, a clean criminal record is also proven by a document from their home state.

Responsible representative (Section 11). Not mandatory for a free trade. You may appoint one voluntarily - for example, when you want to do business but do not yourself meet the general conditions. The responsible representative must then meet the general conditions under Section 6 on your behalf. One person may hold the office of responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs (Section 11(1)).

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

For a free trade the licence arises on the very day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act) - you do not have to wait for the extract to be issued.

Complete the Unified Registration Form (URF). With a single form, via the Central Registration Point (CRP), you arrange both the trade notification and registration for tax, social security and health insurance. In the notification you choose the free trade and state field no. 68 "Photographic services" (and any other fields you wish to carry out) in accordance with Section 45(4).
File the notification. There are three options: in person at any Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT public administration contact point.
Prove your identity and pay the fee. The administrative fee for a trade notification is CZK 1,000, and CZK 800 when filed electronically via rzp.gov.cz.
Wait for registration. The Trade Licensing Office enters the trade in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days of delivery of the notification (Section 47(1)).

If you already hold a free trade and merely want to add the field of photography, this is a simple notification of a change (adding the field to your existing free trade), which is free of charge (CZK 0) - you just notify the change to the office.

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

Documents and fees

Proof of identity (identity card or passport; for foreigners a travel document).
Completed Unified Registration Form (URF).
Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
Clean criminal record - the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself (for foreigners and persons without permanent residence, a document from the home state).
No documents on professional qualification - not required for a free trade.
Notification fee: CZK 1,000 in person / CZK 800 electronically.
Adding a further field of the free trade: CZK 0.
Time limit for registration: within 5 working days of notification (Section 47(1)).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any education or a certificate to work as a photographer?

No. Photographic services are a free trade, so qualification is not documented at all. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 - legal capacity and a clean criminal record. The office does not require any course or diploma.

Can I also add the sale of photographs or graphic work to photography?

Yes. You simply also notify further fields within the free trade (for example graphic work or advertising activity). You pay only one fee for several fields notified at once, and a later addition of a further field is free of charge.

When can I start photographing on an invoice basis?

For a free trade the licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)). You can therefore start doing business right after filing the notification; you do not have to wait for the extract from the register to be delivered.

Do I need a trade even for occasional photography for money?

If you carry on the activity systematically, independently, in your own name, on your own responsibility and for the purpose of profit, it is a trade and you need a notification. For an entirely incidental, one-off income it is usually not a trade - the relevant Trade Licensing Office will confirm the specific assessment for you.

Do I have to have a responsible representative?

No. For a free trade a responsible representative is not mandatory. You may appoint one voluntarily under Section 11, typically if you do not yourself meet the general conditions. One person may at the same time be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.