Publishing activities, polygraphic production, bookbinding and copying work
Field of activity No. 14 under the Trade Licensing Act.
What you need: No professional qualification needed — general conditions and a notification suffice.
- Volná živnost
- Field No. 14
- See conditions below
- 8 activity examples
An unqualified (free) trade (field no. 14) covering the publishing of books, newspapers and magazines, polygraphic production (typesetting, printing), bookbinding and copying work. It requires no professional qualification; the licence comes into existence on the day of notification.
It is enough to meet only the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
Full legal capacity (usually upon reaching the age of 18; it may be replaced by a court's approval of the consent of the legal representative of a minor over 16 under Section 6(1)).
A clean criminal record - a person validly convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the subject of business is not regarded as having a clean record (Section 6(2)). For Czech citizens the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself.
The trade licence comes into existence on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)), not only upon issue of the extract.
A responsible representative (Section 11) is not mandatory for an unqualified trade; the entrepreneur may appoint one voluntarily even where the Act does not require it (Section 11(9)), e.g. a legal entity or a foreign national. One person may be a responsible representative for no more than four entrepreneurs (Section 11(1)).
Examples of activities
- Publishing of books, brochures, newspapers, magazines and other periodical and non-periodical publications (including in electronic form)
- Polygraphic production - typesetting, preparation of printing originals, offset, digital and screen printing
- Printing of leaflets, business cards, posters, catalogues, calendars and packaging
- Bookbinding and finishing work - binding of books, brochure binding, embossing, lamination and trimming
- Copying and reproduction work, scanning and printing from digital data
- Publishing of sheet music, maps, postcards and posters
- Large-format printing (banners, posters, vehicle wraps)
- Personalisation and printing of printed matter (e.g. pad printing)
What the trade is and what it is for
The trade "Publishing activities, polygraphic production, bookbinding and copying work" is field no. 14 of the unqualified (free) trade (the trade "Manufacture, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 to the Trade Licensing Act", Annex 4 to Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It covers the entire chain of creating printed matter - from editorial and publishing preparation of content, through graphic typesetting and the printing itself, to bookbinding finishing and reproduction.
With this licence you may run a printing house, a publisher of books or periodicals, a copy centre or a bookbinding workshop. Because this is an unqualified trade, you do not have to document any education or experience - it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6.
What falls under this trade (and what does not)
Field no. 14 covers in particular:
- publishing of books, newspapers, magazines and other periodical and non-periodical publications (both printed and electronic),
- polygraphic production - typesetting, preparation of printing originals, offset, digital, screen and large-format printing,
- printing of leaflets, business cards, posters, catalogues, packaging and labels,
- bookbinding and finishing work - binding, brochure binding, embossing, lamination, trimming,
- copying, reproduction and scanning work.
The boundary with neighbouring fields of the unqualified trade:
| Activity | Correct field |
|---|---|
| Manufacture of pulp, paper and paperboard as a material | field no. 13 |
| Manufacture, reproduction and sale of sound and audiovisual recordings | field no. 15 |
| Only graphic and drawing work, preparation of technical designs (DTP) without printing | field no. 62 |
| Advertising, marketing and media representation | field no. 66 |
If you want to carry out several of these activities, you notify several fields at once within a single unqualified trade for one fee.
Conditions for obtaining it under the law
As this is an unqualified (free) trade, it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act:
- full legal capacity (usually from the age of 18; for a minor over 16 it may be replaced by a court's approval of the legal representative's consent),
- a clean criminal record - a person validly convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the subject of business is not regarded as having a clean record (Section 6(2)). For Czech citizens the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself.
Professional qualification is not required and is not documented - for an unqualified trade the special conditions for operating a trade (Section 7) do not apply. You therefore do not have to submit an apprenticeship certificate, a diploma or confirmation of experience in the field.
A responsible representative (Section 11) is not mandatory for an unqualified trade. The entrepreneur may, however, appoint one voluntarily even where the Act does not require it (Section 11(9)); the responsible representative must meet the general conditions, and one person may hold this office for no more than four entrepreneurs (Section 11(1)).
How to notify or obtain the trade step by step
- Fill in the Unified Registration Form (JRF). With a single form you also notify the start of activity to the tax office, the CSSZ and the health insurance company.
- Choose field no. 14 (and any other fields of the unqualified trade you wish to carry out).
- Submit the notification at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
- Prove your identity and pay the administrative fee. For Czech citizens the office verifies a clean criminal record itself.
- The licence comes into existence on the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)). The entry in the Trade Register and issue of the extract take place within 5 working days.
The fee for notification is CZK 1,000, and CZK 800 for an electronic filing. A detailed procedure can be found in the guide How to start a trade.
Documents and fees
- Proof of identity (identity card / passport).
- Completed JRF with the chosen field no. 14.
- Clean criminal record - for Czech citizens the office verifies it itself; foreign nationals prove it under Section 46.
- Fee: CZK 1,000 on notification, CZK 800 electronically.
- Extension by a further field of the unqualified trade is free (CZK 0).
- The company ID number (ICO) is assigned by the office automatically and free of charge upon entry.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any education for a printing house or a publishing business?
No. This is an unqualified trade, so you do not have to document professional qualification - it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 (legal capacity and a clean criminal record).
Can I publish newspapers or magazines with this licence?
Yes, the publishing of periodical press falls under field no. 14. In addition to the trade licence, however, bear in mind the obligations under the Press Act (No. 46/2000 Coll.), in particular registration of periodical press with the Ministry of Culture.
Do I have to have business premises (a printing house)?
You may, but do not have to, have business premises. If you set them up, they must be notified to the Trade Licensing Office and duly marked. The address of the premises is entered in the Trade Register.
How much will I pay if I want to add other fields too?
If you notify several fields of the unqualified trade at once, you pay only one fee (CZK 1,000 / 800). A later extension by a further field is free.
When can I start trading?
Immediately on the day of notification, if you meet the conditions - you do not have to wait for the physical issue of the extract, which the office produces within 5 working days.