Operation of physical education and sports facilities and organising sports activities

Operation of physical education and sports facilities and organising sports activities is field No. 74 of the unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act). It requires no professional qualification; you only need to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act, and the trade licence comes into existence on the very day of notification.

Conditions for operating

This is an unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act), field of activity No. 74 - professional qualification is NOT documented.

It is enough to meet the general conditions for operating a trade under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) of the Act); for a minor it may be replaced by the court's consent to the legal representative's approval of operating the trade
- a clean criminal record / integrity (Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Act)

No education, practice or coaching licence is proven.

The trade licence comes into existence on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Act).

A responsible representative (Section 11 of the Act) is not required for an unqualified (free) trade, because professional qualification is not documented. The obligation to appoint a responsible representative arises under Section 11(5) and (6) of the Act only for trades requiring a professional (special) qualification that the entrepreneur does not personally meet - this does not concern the unqualified (free) trade, not even for a legal person. A responsible representative may also be appointed voluntarily; one person may act as responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs at the same time (Section 11(1) of the Act).

Note: teaching the skills of a specific sporting discipline in the role of a qualified instructor or coach is a separate regulated trade, "Provision of physical education and sports services in the field of" (Annex 2 to the Act), and requires documentation of professional qualification.

Examples of activities

Operating a fitness centre and gym
Operating a sports hall, gymnasium or playing field
Operating a bowling alley, skittle alley or squash courts
Renting out sports grounds and sports equipment
Organising sports competitions, tournaments and leagues
Holding sports races and events
Operating swimming pools and bathing areas
Providing the activities of sports clubs and sections

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade "Operation of physical education and sports facilities and organising sports activities" is one of the fields of activity of the unqualified (free) trade (field No. 74 of Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act). It entitles you to do business in two related areas: to operate facilities intended for physical education and sport and, at the same time, to organise and provide sports activities for the public as well as for registered athletes.

In practice, this field covers the comprehensive provision of sports operations - from managing and renting out sports grounds, through organising competitions, to holding races, leagues and sports events. It is one of the most commonly chosen trades for fitness centres, gyms, sports halls, clubs and operators of sports grounds who do not hold a specialised professional certificate.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

The typical activities of this field include:

operating sports halls, playing fields, gyms, fitness centres, gymnasiums, athletics and winter stadiums, ice rinks, swimming pools, bathing areas, skittle alleys, bowling alleys or squash courts,
renting out sports grounds and sports apparatus, implements and equipment for direct use by the consumer,
organising sports competitions, tournaments, leagues, races and sports events,
providing the operation and activities of sports clubs and sections (the organisational and operational side),
recovery and reconditioning within the operation of a sports facility.

The boundary with neighbouring trades. Beware of activities that do not fall under the unqualified (free) trade and require a separate licence:

Provision of physical education and sports services in the field of - i.e. the actual teaching of the skills of a specific sporting discipline and leading exercise sessions in the role of a qualified instructor or coach (e.g. skiing, fitness, yoga, swimming) - is a regulated trade under Annex 2 to the Act and requires documentation of professional qualification. Field No. 74, by contrast, deals with the operation of facilities and the organisation of sport, not personal, professionally led instruction. So if clients exercise on their own or merely rent the sports ground and equipment, the unqualified (free) trade is sufficient; as soon as you or your employees lead the sessions in a professional capacity, a regulated trade is needed.
Water rescue service and mountain rescue service are likewise separate regulated activities (Annex 2 to the Act).
Hospitality activity in a buffet or bar at the sports ground is a separate craft trade (Annex 1 to the Act).
Massage, reconditioning and recovery services are a separate regulated trade (Annex 2 to the Act); therapeutic massage as a health service falls entirely outside the scope of the Trade Licensing Act.

If, in addition to operating the sports ground, you also wish to personally provide professionally led sports services, notify the relevant regulated trade alongside this field.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

This is an unqualified (free) trade, for which no professional or other special qualification is documented. You do not have to prove any education, practice or coaching licence. It is enough to meet only the general conditions for operating a trade under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity under Section 6(1)(a) of the Act (for a minor it may be replaced by the court's consent to the legal representative's approval of operating the trade),
a clean criminal record / integrity within the meaning of Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Act.

There is only one unqualified (free) trade in the law, and it comprises 80 fields of activity (Annex 4 to the Act). You can therefore notify several fields at once for a single administrative fee. The trade licence comes into existence on the very day of notification (Section 10(1)(a) of the Act); you do not wait for a decision by the office.

Responsible representative (Section 11 of the Act). Because professional qualification is not documented for an unqualified (free) trade, you do not have to appoint a responsible representative - the obligation under Section 11(5) and (6) of the Act concerns only trades requiring a professional qualification that the entrepreneur does not personally meet, and this does not concern the unqualified (free) trade, not even for a legal person. You may appoint one voluntarily; one person may act as responsible representative for no more than 4 entrepreneurs at the same time (Section 11(1) of the Act).

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). It serves at the same time for the notification of the trade, the income tax registration, and registration for social and health insurance.
Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office (in person), electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT branch.
Provide proof of identity and state the object of business. For the unqualified (free) trade, you tick field No. 74 "Operation of physical education and sports facilities and organising sports activities".
Pay the administrative fee - CZK 1,000 for the notification of a trade, or CZK 800 for an electronic submission.
Wait for the registration. The office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days of the conditions being met; the licence, however, applies from the day of notification.

You will find the detailed procedure in the guide How to start a trade.

Documents and fees

Proof of identity (identity card or passport).
A completed URF with field No. 74 marked.
Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
Professional qualification is not documented (this is an unqualified/free trade).
Fee: CZK 1,000 (paper) / CZK 800 (electronically). Adding another field of the unqualified (free) trade is free of charge (CZK 0).
Registration deadline: within 5 working days.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a coaching licence or education?

No. For this field of the unqualified (free) trade, no professional qualification is documented. If, however, you wished to lead exercise in a professional capacity and act as a qualified instructor or coach (e.g. fitness, skiing, yoga), that is the regulated trade "Provision of physical education and sports services in the field of", with the obligation to document the qualification under Annex 2 to the Act.

Can I operate a fitness centre on this trade alone?

Yes, the mere operation of a fitness centre, gym or sports hall is covered by this field, provided clients exercise on their own or rent equipment. If you additionally operate a bar or buffet, you also need a hospitality trade; if you personally lead sessions in a professional capacity, you also need the relevant regulated trade.

How much will I pay if I add more fields of the unqualified (free) trade?

The first notification costs CZK 1,000 (CZK 800 electronically) regardless of the number of fields. A later addition of another field of the unqualified (free) trade is free of charge.

When can I start doing business?

The trade licence comes into existence on the day of notification. You can therefore start immediately after submission; you do not have to wait for the extract from the register.

Do I have to have a responsible representative?

No, not for an unqualified (free) trade, because professional qualification is not proven; this does not apply to legal persons either. You may appoint one voluntarily (Section 11 of the Act), but one person may represent no more than 4 entrepreneurs.