Advisory and consultancy activities, preparation of expert studies and reports
Field of activity No. 60 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: No professional qualification needed — general conditions and a notification suffice.
- Volná živnost
- Field No. 60
- See conditions below
- 8 activity examples
An unqualified (free) trade (field no. 60) covering advice and consultancy in a wide variety of fields of business and the preparation of expert studies, analyses and reports outside the regulated professions. It requires no professional qualification; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act. The licence arises on the day of notification.
A clean criminal record under Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Trade Licensing Act (a person is not regarded as having a clean record if they have been finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business, unless they are deemed not to have been convicted).
Professional qualification is NOT evidenced - this is an unqualified (free) trade under Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act. The licence to operate arises on the day of notification (Section 10(1)).
A responsible representative under Section 11 of the Trade Licensing Act is appointed obligatorily by a legal entity; a natural person may, but need not, appoint one. The responsible representative must meet the general conditions under Section 6, and one person may perform this function for at most four entrepreneurs (Section 11(5)).
Examples of activities
- business and management consultancy
- marketing and commercial consultancy
- economic and financial advice (outside regulated activities)
- preparation of expert studies, analyses and research summaries
- advice in the field of human resources management
- consultancy in the field of project management
- preparation of reports and expert opinions (outside regulated professions)
- advice in the field of grants and project financing
What the trade is and what it is for
The trade Advisory and consultancy activities, preparation of expert studies and reports is field no. 60 within the single unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll., the Trade Licensing Act). It allows you to do business across a wide spectrum of advisory and consultancy services and to prepare expert studies, analyses and reports for firms, institutions and individuals.
Its substance is the imparting of expert knowledge, recommendations and opinions to the client - whether in the form of an oral consultation, written advice, or a comprehensive document (a study, analysis or report). It is one of the most universal fields of the unqualified trade, because it covers advice across fields that are not separately regulated.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
Field no. 60 includes in particular:
- business, management and organisational advice,
- marketing, commercial and economic consultancy,
- advice in the field of project management and human resources,
- the preparation of expert studies, analyses, research summaries and expert opinions.
Where the boundaries lie. This trade applies only where the advice does not encroach upon a regulated (regulated, craft or licensed/concession) activity, or upon professions governed by special laws. If the advice falls under another field or another trade, you need the relevant authorisation:
- legal advice is provided by advocates under the Advocacy Act (it is not a trade),
- tax advice is carried out by tax advisers under a special act (it is not a trade),
- bookkeeping and tax-record keeping is a separate regulated trade "Activity of accounting advisers, bookkeeping, keeping of tax records" (Annex 2 to the Trade Licensing Act), for which professional qualification is evidenced - it cannot be operated within the unqualified field no. 60,
- advice in occupational safety, fire protection, geology and the like is a regulated trade,
- psychological or health advice may be subject to special regulation.
A simple rule: if the activity falls under a regulated profession or another (regulated, craft or licensed/concession) trade, it cannot be "hidden" under this unqualified field. In case of uncertainty, contact the Trade Licensing Office.
Conditions for obtaining the trade under the law
Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, you need not evidence any education or experience. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a)) - as a rule by reaching the age of 18; for a minor it may be substituted by the court's approval of the legal representative's consent,
- a clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b) and (2)) - a person is not regarded as having a clean record if they have been finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business, unless they are deemed not to have been convicted.
Professional qualification is not evidenced. For an unqualified trade the law requires no special qualification (the trade is listed in Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act). The licence arises already on the day of notification (Section 10(1) of the Trade Licensing Act).
Responsible representative (Section 11). A natural person may, but for an unqualified trade need not, appoint one. A legal entity appoints a responsible representative obligatorily. The responsible representative must meet the general conditions under Section 6, and one person may perform this function for at most four entrepreneurs.
How to notify or obtain the trade step by step
- Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). It serves to notify the trade and at the same time allows registration for income tax and for social and health insurance.
- Submit the notification. You may:
- do so in person at any Trade Licensing Office (municipal trade licensing office),
- online via the rzp.gov.cz portal,
- at a Czech POINT branch.
- Prove your identity and pay the administrative fee.
- Await the entry. The Trade Licensing Office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days of delivery of the notification and issues the extract (Section 47 of the Trade Licensing Act).
Because there is only one unqualified trade divided into fields of activity, you may state other fields at once in a single notification for a single fee. If you already have the unqualified trade, an extension by this field is free of charge (CZK 0).
You will find a detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade.
Documents and fees
- Identity document (identity card; a travel document for a foreigner).
- Completed URF (notification of the trade).
- Clean criminal record - for Czech citizens the office verifies it itself from the Criminal Records Register.
- Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
- No documents on education or experience - for an unqualified trade they are not evidenced.
Fees:
| Act | Fee |
|---|---|
| Notification of the trade (in person) | CZK 1,000 |
| Notification electronically via rzp.gov.cz | CZK 800 |
| Extension by a further field of the unqualified trade | CZK 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Must I have a university degree or experience in the field?
No. This is an unqualified (free) trade, for which professional qualification is not evidenced at all. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 (full legal capacity and a clean criminal record).
May I provide legal, tax or accounting advice under this field?
No. Legal advice is provided by advocates and tax advice by tax advisers under special acts - it is not a trade. Bookkeeping and tax-record keeping is a separate regulated trade with an obligation to evidence professional qualification. The unqualified field no. 60 covers only advice that is not regulated by another profession or another trade.
When does my authorisation to do business arise?
For an unqualified trade the licence arises already on the day of notification (Section 10(1) of the Trade Licensing Act). The office issues the extract from the Trade Register, as a rule, within 5 working days.
How much will I pay if I already have another unqualified trade?
Extending an existing trade licence by a further field of the unqualified trade is free of charge (CZK 0).
Do I need a responsible representative?
As a natural person, as a rule no. A responsible representative under Section 11 must be appointed obligatorily by a legal entity; they must always meet the general conditions, and one person may be a responsible representative for at most four entrepreneurs.