Rental and hire of movable property

The rental and hire of movable property, from tools and machinery through sports equipment to cars. It is an unqualified (free) trade (field no. 59) that you can notify without proving any professional qualification.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (as a rule, reaching the age of 18; a minor over 16 may operate the trade independently with the consent of the legal representative and with the court's permission) under Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act.
A clean criminal record under Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Trade Licensing Act (an obstacle is a final conviction for an intentional criminal offence, if committed in connection with business or the subject of business).
Professional qualification is NOT evidenced - this is an unqualified (free) trade under Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act; it is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6.
Absence of obstacles to operating the trade under Section 8 of the Trade Licensing Act.

Examples of activities

a hire shop for hand and power tools
a hire shop for sports and outdoor equipment (skis, bicycles, boats)
rental of construction machinery and scaffolding
car rental and the hire of vans
a hire shop for tents, party equipment and furniture for events
rental of medical and assistive aids
a boat hire shop and rental of paddling equipment
rental of audiovisual and lighting equipment

What the trade is and what it is for

The trade Rental and hire of movable property is field no. 59 of the unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act). It entitles you to let movable property to others for temporary use for consideration - whether to entrepreneurs or to consumers. The subject of the rental is a tangible movable thing that the hirer uses for the agreed period and then returns.

This trade covers both short-term hire (e.g. tools for the weekend) and the long-term rental of machinery and equipment. According to the official content scope of the field, it also includes the rental of a movable thing with subsequent purchase of the hired thing (finance leasing and the like). From the point of view of the Trade Licensing Act it is immaterial whether you own the things or have them on lease yourself and sub-lease them further. The key point is that the subject of the business is the very provision of the thing for use, not its sale.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Typically belonging here:

hire shops for tools, machinery, scaffolding and construction equipment (without an operator),
hire shops for sports and recreational equipment (bicycles, skis, boats, tents),
car rental and the hire of vans or trailers (means of transport without an operator),
rental of consumer goods, furniture, party equipment and equipment for events,
rental of medical and assistive aids,
rental of a movable thing with subsequent purchase of the hired thing (finance leasing).

On the other hand, the following do not belong here, being a separate trade or no trade at all:

Rental of real estate (flats, houses, land) - this is not the rental of a movable thing; moreover, the mere rental of real estate is usually not a trade at all. Real estate activity and the administration of real estate for third parties fall under field no. 58 "Real estate activity, administration and maintenance of real estate".
Provision of consumer credit (lending money) - this is a regulated activity under the supervision of the Czech National Bank, not an unqualified trade.
Rental of movable property with an operator - if you provide a thing together with an operator (e.g. a machine with an operator), this is, as a rule, a different activity from field no. 59.
Repairs and maintenance of the hired things beyond routine servicing - separate paid repairs may fall under the relevant craft trade.
Hire of weapons, ammunition and munitions, hire of sound and audiovisual recordings, rental of software and web hosting - these activities are expressly excluded from the content scope of field no. 59.

If, alongside the rental, you also offer the sale of used equipment, that is a separate activity falling under field no. 48 "Wholesale and retail".

Conditions for obtaining the trade under the law

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, you prove only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act (Act No. 455/1991 Coll.):

full legal capacity - as a rule by reaching the age of 18; a minor over 16 may operate the trade independently with the consent of the legal representative and with the court's permission,
a clean criminal record - an obstacle is a final conviction for an intentional criminal offence if it was committed in connection with business or the subject of business (Section 6(1)(b) and (2)).

For this trade you do not evidence professional qualification. You need no apprenticeship certificate, diploma or experience in the field - that applies only to craft trades (Sections 21 and 22), regulated trades (Annex 2) and licensed (concession) trades. At the same time there must be no obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 (e.g. an ongoing ban on activity or a trade previously cancelled on statutory grounds).

If you do not wish or are unable to meet the conditions personally (typically a legal entity), you may appoint a responsible representative under Section 11. They must meet the general conditions and be in a contractual relationship with you; one person may perform the function of responsible representative for at most four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). In a single form you arrange the notification of the trade as well as the follow-on registrations (social security administration, health insurance company, and possibly the tax office).
Select field no. 59 "Rental and hire of movable property". Within the single unqualified trade you may notify other fields at once, for one administrative fee.
Submit the notification. Options: any municipal Trade Licensing Office (the office of a municipality with extended powers), online via the rzp.gov.cz portal (by data box or the Citizen's Identity), or a Czech POINT contact point.
Prove your identity and pay the administrative fee. For a Czech citizen the office verifies the clean criminal record itself.
Obtain the extract and the company ID number. The licence arises already on the day of notification; the office makes the entry in the Trade Register and issues the extract within 5 working days.

You will find a detailed procedure in the guide How to set up a trade step by step.

Documents and fees

Identity document (identity card / passport).
Extract from the Criminal Records Register - Czech citizens do not provide it, the office obtains it itself; foreigners provide it according to their situation.
Consent to the location of the registered office, if it is not your own property.
Documents relating to the responsible representative (if one is appointed).
Administrative fee for the first notification of a trade: CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for electronic submission.
Extension by a further field of an existing unqualified trade: CZK 0 (free of charge).
You do not evidence professional qualification or an apprenticeship certificate.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any qualification or apprenticeship certificate to set up a hire shop?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade, so you prove only the general conditions (legal capacity and a clean criminal record). No education or experience is evidenced.

May I also rent out cars under this field?

Yes. The operation of a car rental and the hire of vans and trailers (means of transport without an operator) falls under field no. 59. The trade itself does not deal with vehicle insurance or contractual terms - you set those yourself.

How much will I pay if I add sports equipment to a tool hire shop?

Nothing extra. Both types fall under the same field no. 59 within the single unqualified trade. And even if you were later to add another field of the unqualified trade, the extension is free of charge (CZK 0).

May I sub-lease things that I myself have on lease?

From the point of view of the Trade Licensing Act, yes - the subject of the business is the provision of the thing for use. You must, however, have this contractually arranged with the original lessor.

How long does processing take?

The licence arises on the day of notification, so you may do business immediately. The office issues the extract and the company ID number within 5 working days of a flawless notification.