Warehousing, packaging of goods, cargo handling and technical activities in transport

An unqualified (free) trade (field no. 52) for warehousing and packaging of goods, cargo handling and technical activities in transport. It does not require any professional qualification - the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are enough, and the authorisation arises on the day of notification.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (usually the age of 18; exceptionally it is possible to do business earlier with the court's consent) - Section 6(1) of the Trade Licensing Act.
A clean criminal record within the meaning of Section 6(2) of the Trade Licensing Act (the Office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself for Czech citizens).
Professional qualification is NOT documented - this is an unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll.), neither education nor experience is proven.
There is no obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 (e.g. ongoing insolvency or a court-imposed ban on activity).
The possibility of appointing a responsible representative under Section 11 (voluntary for an unqualified trade, mandatory e.g. for a legal person).

Examples of activities

Operating a warehouse and storing goods (incl. logistics warehouses and customs warehouses outside customs proceedings)
Packaging and assembly of goods, palletisation and labelling
Transhipment and handling of cargo (loading, unloading, moving goods)
Logistics services and order picking of goods (fulfilment for e-shops)
Operation of car parks and parking areas for vehicles
Weighing of vehicles and cargo, technical handling in transport
Operation of public warehouses and luggage storage rooms
Maintenance and technical support of transport equipment (except repairs reserved for a craft trade)

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade "Warehousing, packaging of goods, cargo handling and technical activities in transport" is field no. 52 within the unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll., the Trade Licensing Act). It covers a wide range of logistics and ancillary transport activities in which you do not transport the cargo yourself as a carrier, but handle the goods, store them, package them and technically support the transport processes.

This trade is ideal for operators of warehouses, fulfilment centres for e-shops, transhipment points, car parks and for companies providing packaging and assembly services. Because this is an unqualified trade, you do not have to prove any education or experience - it is enough to meet the general conditions and to notify the trade.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Field no. 52 typically covers:

storing goods and operating warehouses (incl. logistics and consignment warehouses),
packaging, assembly, palletisation and labelling of goods,
loading, unloading, transhipment and moving of cargo,
order picking of goods and logistics (fulfilment) services for e-shops,
operation of car parks, parking areas and luggage storage rooms,
weighing of vehicles and cargo and technical handling in transport.

What, on the contrary, does not belong here (boundaries with neighbouring trades):

Own road freight transport - the transport of goods by vehicles is a separate licensed (concession) trade, "Road motor transport" (Annex 3), not the free field 52.
Forwarding and freight forwarding - organising transport and customs representation falls under the free field no. 53 "Freight forwarding and representation in customs proceedings".
Professional repairs of vehicles and machinery - these fall under the craft trade (Annex 1). Field 52 covers only technical support and handling, not repair work.

If you are unsure how to classify a particular activity, we recommend verifying the content of the field directly with the Trade Licensing Office.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, you only need the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (usually from the age of 18; exceptionally it is possible to do business earlier with the court's consent),
a clean criminal record under Section 6(2) (the Office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself for Czech citizens).

Professional qualification is not documented. You do not need an apprenticeship certificate, a diploma or years of experience - that is the main advantage of an unqualified trade. Furthermore, there must be no obstacle to operating the trade under Section 8 (e.g. ongoing insolvency or a court-imposed ban on activity).

Responsible representative (Section 11): A natural person does not have to appoint one for an unqualified trade. It is mandatory, for example, for a legal person that does not itself have an appointed managing director meeting the conditions, or where the entrepreneur does not meet certain prerequisites. With an unqualified trade, however, the role of the responsible representative is minimal because no qualification is proven. One person may at the same time act as a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). In the object of business choose the unqualified trade and field no. 52 (or other fields at once - there is no surcharge for more fields).
Submit the notification. Options: in person at any Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Submit the required information and pay the administrative fee.
Wait for the registration. The authorisation arises on the very day of notification; the Trade Licensing Office enters you in the Trade Register within 5 working days and issues an extract.

You can find the detailed procedure in the guide Jak založit živnost.

Documents and fees

Identity document (identity card or travel passport).
Completed URF stating field no. 52.
Proof of payment of the administrative fee.
Where required, the owner's consent to the location of the registered office.
Fee for notifying the trade: CZK 1,000 (CZK 800 for electronic filing via rzp.gov.cz).
Extension by a further field of the unqualified trade: CZK 0 (free of charge).
Registration deadline: within 5 working days of notification.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to document education or experience for this field?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade where professional qualification is not proven. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 - legal capacity and a clean criminal record.

Do I need a separate transport concession to operate a warehouse?

No. Warehousing, packaging and cargo handling on their own fall under the free field no. 52. You need a concession for "Road motor transport" only if you were to transport the goods yourself by vehicles.

When does the authorisation arise and from when can I do business?

The authorisation for an unqualified trade arises on the day of notification. You can therefore start doing business immediately after submitting a proper notification; you do not have to wait for the extract to be issued.

Can I add other fields of the unqualified trade to field 52?

Yes. All 82 fields of the unqualified trade can be notified at once for a single administrative fee, and a later extension by a further field is free of charge.

How much will the notification cost me?

Notifying the trade costs CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for electronic filing. This amount applies regardless of the number of fields notified.