Maintenance of motor vehicles and their accessories

Maintenance of motor vehicles and their accessories is an unqualified (free) trade (field no. 50, Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act) for routine care and maintenance of vehicles, fitting of accessories and the installation and inspection of LPG gas equipment for powering vehicles. It does not require any professional qualification - the general conditions under Section 6 are enough, and the authorisation arises under Section 10 on the day of notification.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity under Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act (usually reaching the age of 18).
A clean criminal record under Section 6(1)(b) and 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 under Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act (no apprenticeship certificate, diploma or experience).
No arrears that would prevent the authorisation from arising (the Act does not stipulate freedom from tax debt as a condition for the creation of authorisation in the case of notifiable trades, but the obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 must be observed).
The possibility of appointing a responsible representative under Section 11 (voluntary for an unqualified trade; mandatory if the trade is operated by a legal person and none of its representatives meets the conditions, or by a foreign person). One person may be a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs.

Examples of activities

washing, cleaning and complete valeting (detailing) of vehicles
changing and topping up operating fillings and fluids (oils, brake and coolant fluid)
seasonal changing of tyres and wheels with balancing, cold-method tyre repairs
fitting and removing vehicle accessories (tow bars, roof racks, car accessories)
installing car radios, cameras, parking sensors and similar equipment
installation, repair, servicing, testing and inspection of LPG gas equipment for powering vehicles
routine maintenance and care of a vehicle without professional intervention in the mechanical, hydraulic and electrical assemblies
treatment and preservation of paintwork and bodywork, replacement of car glass and sealing elements

What this trade is and what it is for

The trade Maintenance of motor vehicles and their accessories is one of the fields of activity of the unqualified (free) trade. You will find it under number 50 in Annex 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll., on Trade Licensing (the Trade Licensing Act). It serves entrepreneurs who provide routine maintenance and care of motor vehicles and who fit accessories to them - without entering the area of professional repairs, which is a craft trade.

Because this is an unqualified (free) trade, it is one of the most accessible ways to start a business in the automotive sector. You do not have to document any education or experience and, under Section 10 of the Trade Licensing Act, the authorisation arises on the very day of notification. This makes the field an ideal entry point for car washes, tyre shops focused on seasonal tyre changes, car detailing, fitting of car accessories and the installation and inspection of LPG equipment.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Field no. 50 covers in particular maintenance, care and servicing of a vehicle that does not require professional intervention in its functional and safety systems. Typically this includes:

washing, cleaning and detailing of vehicles, treatment and preservation of paintwork, replacement of car glass and bodywork sealing elements,
changing and topping up operating fillings and fluids,
seasonal tyre changes, fitting and balancing of tyres and wheels and cold-method tyre repairs,
fitting and removing accessories - tow bars, roof racks, car accessories, car radios, cameras or parking sensors,
installation, repair, servicing, testing and inspection of LPG gas equipment for powering motor vehicles.

Mind the boundary with a craft trade. This is the most important distinction of the whole field:

Professional repairs of vehicles (mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical assemblies and sub-assemblies - engine, brakes, gearbox, steering, chassis) fall under the craft trade "Repairs of road vehicles" (a craft trade, field no. 34) - i.e. the classic car repair shop. There, qualification is documented.
Bodywork repairs and panel-beating work on a vehicle fall under the craft trade "Tinsmithing and bodywork repairs" (field no. 32).
Tyre repairs involving vulcanisation do not belong to the unqualified trade; field no. 50 includes only cold-method repairs.
Transport of persons or freight by vehicles beyond the scope of maintenance (taxi services, road motor transport) is a licensed (concession) trade and requires a concession - it is unrelated to this field.

The unqualified trade no. 50 thus covers care of the car, not its professional repair. The Office assesses the boundary according to the content of the fields (Government Regulation No. 278/2008 Coll.). If you also plan repairs, you cannot do without a craft trade or a responsible representative.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

As with any unqualified trade, it is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:

full legal capacity (usually 18 years, exceptionally even earlier with the court's consent),
a clean criminal record - the Office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself for Czech citizens.

Professional qualification is not documented. Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act does not require any education or experience for an unqualified trade - so you do not need a car mechanic's apprenticeship certificate or years in a repair shop. This is the main difference from the craft trade "Repairs of road vehicles".

Responsible representative (Section 11): You do not have to appoint one for an unqualified trade. A natural person who meets the general conditions themselves does not need a representative. It is usually mandatory for a legal person or a foreign person, or where the entrepreneur does not meet the conditions themselves. One person may be 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 you choose the unqualified trade and select field no. 50 (you can add other fields at once - for a single fee).
Submit the notification. There are three options: in person at any Trade Licensing Office, electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Prove your identity and pay the fee. The notification costs CZK 1,000 (CZK 800 electronically).
Wait for the registration. The Office enters you in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days of receiving the notification (Section 47). However, under Section 10 the authorisation already arises on the day of notification.

If you already have an unqualified trade, the extension by field no. 50 is free of charge (CZK 0) - you just notify the change to the Office. You can find the detailed procedure in the guide Jak založit živnost.

Documents and fees

Identity document (identity card, travel document for foreigners).
Completed URF with field no. 50 selected.
Administrative fee: CZK 1,000 on notification, CZK 800 electronically; extending an existing unqualified trade by a further field CZK 0.
No documents of education or experience - they are not submitted for an unqualified trade.
Registration deadline: within 5 working days of receiving the notification.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a car mechanic's apprenticeship certificate?

No. Maintenance of motor vehicles is an unqualified trade and no professional qualification is documented for it. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 (legal capacity and a clean criminal record).

Can I run a car repair shop and repair engines under this trade?

No. Professional repairs fall under the craft trade "Repairs of road vehicles" (field no. 34), where an apprenticeship certificate or experience is documented. Field no. 50 covers only maintenance and care of the vehicle, not its repairs.

Can I fit tow bars and car accessories?

Yes. Fitting and removing vehicle accessories (tow bars, racks, car radios, sensors) belongs to this field. However, if the fitting were to intervene in the safety or functional systems at the level of a repair, it is already a craft trade.

May I install and inspect LPG equipment for powering a vehicle?

Yes. Installation, repair, servicing, testing and inspection of LPG gas equipment for powering motor vehicles are expressly part of the content of field no. 50.

How much does the notification cost?

For the first notification CZK 1,000, electronically via rzp.gov.cz CZK 800. Extending an already existing unqualified trade by this field is free of charge.

When can I start doing business?

Under Section 10 the authorisation arises on the day the trade is notified, so you can in fact start immediately. The Office carries out the registration and issues the extract within 5 working days.