Preparatory and finishing construction work, specialised construction activities

An unqualified (free) trade (field No. 45 of Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act) covering preparatory and finishing construction work and specialised construction activities that do not constitute a craft or regulated trade. It requires no professional qualification - meeting the general conditions under Section 6 is sufficient.

Conditions for operating

This is an unqualified (free) trade for which professional qualification (neither education nor practice) is to be proven.
It is sufficient to meet the general conditions under Section 6(1) of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (in the case of a minor this may be replaced by a court's approval of the legal representative's consent)
- a clean criminal record under Section 6(2) (proven by an extract from the Criminal Records Register, which the office obtains itself)
No proof of education, apprenticeship certificate or confirmation of practice is needed.
Optionally, a responsible representative may be appointed under Section 11 (mandatory only for certain persons, e.g. for an entrepreneur - a natural person who does not have residence in the Czech Republic, under the statutory conditions). One person may act as responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

Examples of activities

demolition and dismantling work
earthwork and excavation work
paving work (paving of roads and surfaces)
installation of plasterboard structures and suspended ceilings
scaffolding work (assembly and dismantling of scaffolding)
concreting and reinforcement work
waterproofing and damp-proofing work
cleaning-up and finishing work on a construction site

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade "Preparatory and finishing construction work, specialised construction activities" is field No. 45 of Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It belongs among the unqualified (free) trades under Section 19(c) and Section 25 - that is, those for which the law does not require proof of professional or other competence.

The licence serves for doing business in construction in those activities which are neither a separate craft trade (e.g. masonry, carpentry, roofing) nor the regulated trade "Execution of buildings, their alterations and removal". It covers a wide range of auxiliary, preparatory and finishing work and specialised construction operations that are commonly carried out independently or as a subcontract on a construction site.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

This trade typically covers:

preparatory work: earthwork and excavation work, demolition and dismantling work, clearing of construction sites,
specialised structures: assembly of scaffolding, plasterboard partitions and suspended ceilings, concreting and reinforcement work,
finishing work: paving, damp-proofing, assembly and cleaning-up work.

What does not belong here - the boundary with neighbouring trades:

Craft trades (Annex No. 1) such as Masonry, Carpentry, Roofing, Painting, varnishing and decorating, Plumbing and heating or Installation, repairs and inspections of electrical equipment - these require professional qualification under Sections 21 and 22 and are notified separately. Also outside this unqualified trade are tiling, plastering, painting and flooring work (parquet, wooden, cork, mosaic and poured floors), which are the subject of craft trades.
Regulated trade Execution of buildings, their alterations and removal (Annex No. 2) - if you act as the contractor of the building as a whole (construction entrepreneur / general contractor), you need this regulated trade, whose professional qualification is laid down in Annex No. 2 (authorisation, or professional education and practice).

The unqualified trade thus deals with partial and auxiliary work; it does not cover the comprehensive execution of buildings.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, you do not prove professional qualification - you need no education or practice. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6(1):

full legal capacity (in the case of a minor it may be replaced by a court's approval),
a clean criminal record under Section 6(2) - the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself.

The unqualified trade is a single licence with the object of business "Production, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 of the Trade Licensing Act", which comprises more than 80 fields of activity; this field No. 45 is one of them. Within a single unqualified trade you may notify several fields at once for a single administrative fee.

Under Section 11 you may (but most natural persons need not) appoint a responsible representative - a person who is responsible for the proper operation of the trade. The same person may be a responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (JRF). It serves to notify the trade and at the same time to register with the tax office, the social security administration and your health insurance company.
Submit the notification. Options: at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Prove your identity and pay the administrative fee.
Wait for the entry. The office will make the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days of delivery of the notification.

For a notifiable trade the licence comes into being under Section 10 usually on the day of notification - you may therefore start doing business practically immediately. A detailed guide can be found on the page How to start a trade.

Documents and fees

Identity document (identity card / passport).
Proof of education or practice: not required (unqualified trade).
Completed JRF.
Administrative fee for trade notification: CZK 1,000, for electronic submission via rzp.gov.cz CZK 800.
Extension by a further field of the unqualified trade: CZK 0 (free of charge).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an apprenticeship certificate or practice in construction?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade for which professional qualification is not to be proven. It is enough to have full legal capacity and a clean criminal record under Section 6.

Can I carry out a complete house renovation under this trade?

Partial preparatory, specialised and finishing work, yes. However, if you were to execute the building as a whole (as the contractor), you fall under the regulated trade "Execution of buildings, their alterations and removal", which requires professional qualification under Annex No. 2.

When will I be able to start doing business?

Usually as early as the day of notification (Section 10). The office will make the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days.

Can I add further fields of the unqualified trade to this field?

Yes. Within a single unqualified trade you can notify several fields at once for a single fee and add more later free of charge.

How much will I pay for the notification?

CZK 1,000 at the office, or CZK 800 for electronic submission. Extension by a further field of the unqualified trade is free of charge.