Plant protection - diagnostic, testing and advisory activity

An unqualified (free) trade (field No. 3) covering diagnosis, monitoring, forecasting and advice in plant protection, as well as the treatment of plants, plant products, structures and soil against harmful organisms using plant protection products or biocidal products. No professional qualification is required; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act) - this may be replaced by the court's approval of the legal representative's consent to a minor doing business.
Clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Trade Licensing Act) - proven by an extract from the Criminal Records register, which the office obtains itself.
Professional qualification is NOT required - this is an unqualified (free) trade; under Section 25(1) of the Trade Licensing Act, an unqualified trade is a trade for the operation of which this Act does not require proof of professional or other qualification. The unqualified trade and the fields of activity belonging to it (here field No. 3) are listed in Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act (Section 25(2)).
For a legal person and for an entrepreneur who does not meet the conditions personally, a responsible representative may be appointed under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act (for an unqualified trade without proving qualification); one person may be responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.
Note - special legislation: the actual application of plant protection products as part of professional activity is subject to Act No. 326/2004 Coll., on plant medical care; the handling of these products must be managed and supervised by a person holding a certificate of professional qualification (usually Level II). This obligation is independent of the trade licence and does not change the unqualified nature of the trade.

Examples of activities

Detection and diagnosis of harmful organisms and plant disorders caused by physical and chemical factors
Monitoring the occurrence and development of harmful organisms, including forecasting and determining the optimum timing of protective measures
Drawing up an integrated plant protection concept for agricultural businesses
Advice on methods of combating harmful organisms, including assessing the economic justification of treatment
Treating stands by spraying with tractor-mounted or self-propelled sprayers
Aerial treatment of stands and application of products with a knapsack sprayer
Seed dressing and watering plants with solutions of plant protection products
Treating plant products, structures and soil against harmful organisms with biocidal products

What this trade is and what it is for

This trade covers diagnostic, testing and advisory activity in plant protection and the treatment of plants, plant products, structures and soil against harmful organisms using plant protection products or biocidal products. It is field No. 3 of the unqualified (free) trade under Annex No. 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll., on trade licensing.

In practice it covers identifying and determining diseases, pests and plant disorders, monitoring their occurrence, forecasting their development, proposing protective measures, expert advice and the actual carrying out of treatment (spraying, seed dressing, watering, aerial treatment). It serves farmers, growers, managers of green spaces and owners of structures who need to protect plants and the environment from harmful organisms.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The trade includes in particular:

detection and diagnosis of harmful organisms and disorders caused by physical and chemical factors,
monitoring the occurrence and development of harmful organisms, including forecasting and determining the optimum timing of intervention,
an integrated plant protection concept for agricultural businesses,
advice on methods of combating harmful organisms, including the economic justification of treatment,
treating plants against harmful organisms and against disorders of abiotic origin (spraying land with tractor-mounted or self-propelled sprayers, aerial treatment, knapsack spraying, seed dressing, watering with product solutions).

What does not belong here: the manufacture of plant protection products or biocides, their wholesale or retail sale, and the actual growing of plants or primary agricultural production fall under other fields. Comprehensive pest control, disinfection and disinsection aimed at the hygiene of structures is a separate trade. Note the special regulation: the professional application of plant protection products is subject to Act No. 326/2004 Coll., on plant medical care – their handling must be managed and supervised by a person holding a certificate of professional qualification. This obligation arises from a special act, not from the Trade Licensing Act, and does not change the unqualified nature of the trade.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, it is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a)) – for a minor it may be replaced by the court's approval of the legal representative's consent,
a clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b) and (2)) – proven by an extract from the Criminal Records register, which the office obtains itself.

Professional qualification is not required. Under Section 25(1), an unqualified trade is a trade for the operation of which the Act does not require proof of professional or other qualification; the list of fields itself (here field No. 3) is set out in Annex No. 4, to which Section 25(2) refers. It is therefore enough to meet the general conditions stated above.

If you do not meet the conditions personally or the business is operated by a legal person, you may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act; here too, qualification is not proven. One person may act as responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF) for the trade notification.
Submit it at any Trade Licensing Office (municipal Trade Licensing Office), online via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
In the notification, select the unqualified trade and within it field No. 3 “Diagnostic, testing and advisory activity in plant protection…”. You may notify several fields at once.
Provide proof of identity; the office verifies the clean criminal record itself.
Pay the administrative fee.

The trade licence arises on the day of notification; the office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days. You can find the detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade.

Documents and fees

A completed Unified Registration Form (JRF).
Proof of identity (identity card, or the corresponding document for foreigners).
Clean criminal record – the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records register.
Administrative fee for the trade notification: CZK 1,000 (or CZK 800 for an electronic submission).
Adding a further field within an already notified unqualified trade: free of charge (CZK 0).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any education or experience for this trade?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade where professional qualification is not proven – under Section 25(1), for an unqualified trade the Act does not require proof of professional or other qualification. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 (legal capacity and a clean criminal record).

Can I apply plant protection products myself on the basis of this trade?

The trade allows you to do so, but the application is governed by Act No. 326/2004 Coll. The handling of products must be managed and supervised by a person holding a certificate of professional qualification (usually Level II). This obligation is independent of the trade licence; verify the specific scope with the competent authority (ÚKZÚZ).

How much does it cost to add this field if I already hold the unqualified trade?

Adding a further field of the unqualified trade is free of charge (CZK 0). You simply notify the change to the Trade Licensing Office.

When can I start doing business?

The licence arises already on the day of notification. The office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days.

Can I notify several fields at once?

Yes. The unqualified trade is a single one and contains dozens of fields; in a single notification you can list several of them for one administrative fee.