Handling reproductive material of forest tree species

An unqualified (free) trade (field No. 4) covering the collection, processing, storage and placing on the market of seed and planting material of forest tree species. No professional qualification is required; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act. The licence arises on the day of notification.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) of Act No. 455/1991 Coll.).
Clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b) - proven by an extract from the Criminal Records register, which the Trade Licensing Office obtains itself).
Professional qualification (neither education nor experience) is NOT required - this is an unqualified (free) trade under Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act; the special conditions for operating a trade under Section 7 do not apply to it.
For your own business, the trade notification under Section 45 is sufficient; the licence arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)).
Note: the activity itself (in particular the placing of reproductive material on the market) is subject to special regulation under Act No. 149/2003 Coll. Placing reproductive material on the market requires a LICENCE granted by the Ministry of Agriculture under Sections 20 to 22 of that Act - this is a separate obligation alongside the trade licence.
A responsible representative is not mandatory; a natural person may appoint one voluntarily under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act, but they must meet the general conditions under Section 6.

Examples of activities

collecting seeds and fruits of forest tree species (seed)
extracting cones and processing forest seed
storing and treating seeds of forest tree species
growing (producing) planting material of forest tree species in a forest nursery
selling seedlings and saplings of forest tree species
placing reproductive material of forest tree species on the market
importing and exporting seed and planting material of forest tree species for sale
packaging and distributing forest reproductive material

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade Handling reproductive material of forest tree species is one of the 80 fields of activity of the unqualified (free) trade (field No. 4 under Annex No. 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll., the Trade Licensing Act). It entitles you to do business with seeds, fruits, parts of plants and saplings of forest tree species – that is, with material used for establishing and regenerating forest stands.

“Reproductive material of forest tree species” means primarily seed (seeds, fruits, cones), parts of plants (cuttings, scions) and planting material (seedlings, saplings, transplants). The trade covers the whole chain of handling this material: its collection, processing, storage and placing on the market.

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, you do not have to prove any education or experience. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 and to notify the trade.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Field No. 4 typically includes:

collecting seeds, fruits and cones of forest tree species and extracting them,
processing, treating and storing forest seed,
producing planting material in forest nurseries,
selling, importing and exporting seed and saplings of forest tree species,
placing reproductive material of forest tree species on the market.

Where the boundaries are. Forest management itself, timber felling and planting work in the forest (e.g. afforestation to order) fall rather under forestry activities, not under this field. Trade in ordinary ornamental plants and horticultural produce falls under the field Wholesale and retail, or under agricultural production. This field specifically concerns forest tree species intended for forest regeneration and afforestation. According to the content description of the field, it also does not include the first transfer of the right to handle reproductive material from the owner of the source to another person, if neither the owner of the source nor their employees take part in the production.

Important notice. The trade licence deals only with the business authorisation as such. The actual handling of reproductive material of forest tree species is moreover governed by Act No. 149/2003 Coll., on trade in reproductive material of forest tree species. To place reproductive material on the market, a supplier's licence is required under Sections 20 to 22 of that Act, granted by the Ministry of Agriculture. Alongside this there is an authorised body – the Forest Management Institute (ÚHÚL) – which, under Section 30, ensures, for example, the recognition of sources of reproductive material, the issuing of accompanying certificates and keeps records; suppliers also submit an annual report on reproductive material to it. These are separate obligations that must be met alongside the trade.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

As with any unqualified (free) trade, the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are sufficient:

full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a)),
a clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b)) – assessed on the basis of an extract from the Criminal Records register, which the office requests itself.

Professional qualification is not required. The unqualified trade under Annex No. 4 does not require any special conditions for operating a trade under Section 7 – you therefore do not have to submit proof of education or experience in the field.

A responsible representative is not mandatory. A natural person may appoint one voluntarily under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act (typically when they do not do business directly themselves); the responsible representative must meet the general conditions under Section 6. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF) – with a single submission you notify the trade and at the same time 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.
Provide proof of identity and state which fields of the unqualified trade you wish to operate – field No. 4 can be notified together with other fields for a single fee.
Pay the administrative fee (see below).
Wait for the entry – the Trade Licensing Office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days. However, the licence arises already on the day of notification, so you can do business immediately (the actual placing on the market, though, only after obtaining the licence under Act No. 149/2003 Coll.).

You can find a detailed guide on the page /jak-zalozit-zivnost.

Documents and fees

Proof of identity (identity card or passport).
Extract from the Criminal Records register – the office obtains it itself, you do not have to submit it.
Administrative fee for the trade notification: CZK 1,000 (or CZK 800 for an electronic submission via rzp.gov.cz).
Adding a further field of the unqualified trade later: CZK 0 (free of charge).
Where applicable, the documents and a separate administrative fee for the licence under Act No. 149/2003 Coll. (the application for a licence at the Ministry of Agriculture costs CZK 1,000), if your specific activity requires it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need forestry education or experience?

No. Not for the trade licence – this is an unqualified (free) trade where professional qualification is not proven. However, professional requirements may arise from Act No. 149/2003 Coll. for the activity itself (in particular to obtain the supplier's licence).

Is a trade licence enough for me to trade in forest seed and saplings?

For obtaining the business authorisation, yes. To place reproductive material on the market, however, you additionally need a licence under Sections 20 to 22 of Act No. 149/2003 Coll., granted by the Ministry of Agriculture. Without this licence, reproductive material cannot be placed on the market.

Who issues the licence under Act No. 149/2003 Coll.?

The supplier's licence is granted by the Ministry of Agriculture (Sections 20 to 22). The authorised body (the Forest Management Institute) does not issue the licence – under Section 30 it ensures, among other things, the recognition of sources of reproductive material, the issuing of accompanying certificates and record-keeping, and it receives suppliers' annual reports.

How much will I pay for the notification?

CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic submission. If you already hold the unqualified trade, adding field No. 4 is free of charge.

How soon can I start doing business?

The trade licence arises on the day of notification. The office makes the entry in the register within 5 working days. For placing on the market, you must wait for the licence to be granted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Can I notify this field together with other fields of the unqualified trade?

Yes. The unqualified trade is a single one and has 80 fields – you can notify several of them at once for a single administrative fee.