Manufacture of measuring, testing, navigational, optical and photographic instruments and equipment

An unqualified (free) trade (field No. 28) covering the manufacture of measuring, testing, navigational, optical and photographic instruments and equipment. It does not require professional qualification; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll. The trade licence arises on the day of notification.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act) - may be replaced by a court's consent to the authorisation of a minor's legal representative.
Clean criminal record (Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2) of the Trade Licensing Act) - for Czech citizens proved by an extract from the Criminal Records Register, which the Trade Licensing Office obtains itself (Section 6(3)).
Professional qualification is NOT required - this is an unqualified (free) trade (Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act); the special conditions under Section 7 are not required for the free trade.
A responsible representative (Section 11) is not mandatory for the free trade, even for a legal entity; one may be appointed voluntarily under Section 11(9). If appointed, they must meet the general conditions under Section 6 (Section 11(2)) and no one may be a responsible representative for more than 4 entrepreneurs (Section 11(1)).
For a legal entity and for foreign persons, the conditions of Section 7(5) and (6) and Section 11(4) of the Trade Licensing Act apply in addition.

Examples of activities

manufacture of gauges and measuring instruments (thermometers, pressure gauges, scales)
manufacture of testing and inspection instruments
manufacture of navigational and nautical instruments and GPS devices
manufacture of optical instruments (telescopes, microscopes, magnifiers)
manufacture of cameras and photographic accessories
manufacture of spectacle frames and unfinished optical elements
manufacture of laboratory instruments and equipment
assembly and completion of instruments from finished parts

What the trade is and what it is for

The trade "Manufacture of measuring, testing, navigational, optical and photographic instruments and equipment" is one of the fields of activity of the unqualified (free) trade (field No. 28 under Annex No. 4 to Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll.). It entitles you to manufacture, assemble and complete instruments that serve for measuring, testing, navigation or optical and photographic imaging.

This includes a wide range of products from simple gauges through laboratory technology to optical and photographic instruments. This is an unqualified (free) trade, so to operate it you do not need any education or experience in the field - it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act. The trade licence arises as early as the day of notification.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

This field of activity typically includes:

manufacture of gauges and measuring instruments - thermometers, pressure gauges, hygrometers, scales, gauges of length and volume;
manufacture of testing and inspection instruments and measuring laboratory equipment;
manufacture of navigational and nautical instruments, compasses, GPS receivers;
manufacture of optical instruments - telescopes, microscopes, magnifiers, optical lenses and prisms (not ground to order);
manufacture of photographic instruments - cameras, lenses, flashes and other photographic accessories;
manufacture of spectacle frames and unfinished optical elements;
assembly and completion of the above instruments from purchased parts.

Where the boundaries with other trades lie:

Ophthalmic optics (making spectacles to order, grinding and fitting lenses according to a prescription) is a separate regulated trade "Ophthalmic optics" (Annex No. 2 to the Trade Licensing Act), which requires professional qualification. Field No. 28 covers the manufacture of optical instruments and unfinished optical elements, not the making of spectacles for a specific customer.
Medical devices and diagnostic instruments under the regime of the Act on Medical Devices are subject to further regulation under special legislation.
Repairs and maintenance of optical instruments and gauges fall under a different field of the free trade (field No. 77 "Repairs and maintenance of household goods, objects of a cultural nature, products of precision mechanics, optical instruments and gauges"), or, depending on the nature of the activity, under a craft trade.

If you are unsure about the classification of a specific activity, we recommend verifying it with the Trade Licensing Office.

Statutory conditions for obtaining the licence

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

full legal capacity (which may be replaced by a court's consent to the authorisation of a minor's legal representative) - Section 6(1)(a);
a clean criminal record - Section 6(1)(b) and Section 6(2); for Czech citizens the office verifies the clean criminal record itself from the Criminal Records Register (Section 6(3)).

Professional qualification is not required for this trade. The special conditions under Section 7 (professional or other qualification) are not required for the free trade - no specific education or experience is needed. This is the main advantage of the free trade over craft, regulated and licensed (concession) trades.

Responsible representative (Section 11): for the free trade this is not mandatory, not even for a legal entity (the obligation to appoint a responsible representative under Section 11(4) applies only to trades requiring special conditions). You may appoint one voluntarily under Section 11(9). If appointed, they must meet the general conditions under Section 6 (Section 11(2)) and no responsible representative may hold the office for more than 4 entrepreneurs (Section 11(1)).

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). It also serves to register with the tax office, the social security administration and the health insurance company.
Select field of activity No. 28 "Manufacture of measuring, testing, navigational, optical and photographic instruments and equipment". Within a single notification you may state further fields of the free trade as well.
Submit the notification under Section 45 of the Trade Licensing Act. The options are:
- at any municipal Trade Licensing Office (central registration point);
- electronically via the rzp.gov.cz portal;
- at a Czech POINT branch.
Provide the required data and pay the administrative fee.
Wait for the entry. For a notifiable trade, the office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days of the day the notification is delivered (Section 47(1)). The trade licence arises as early as the day of notification (Section 10(1)(a)) if the conditions are met; the extract from the Trade Register serves only as proof of the licence.

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

Documents and fees

Proof of identity (identity card or passport).
Completed URF with the selected field No. 28.
Administrative fee for notification of the trade: CZK 1,000 (for electronic submission via rzp.gov.cz CZK 800).
Adding a further field within an existing free trade licence is free of charge (CZK 0).
For legal entities, proof of the registered office and details of the persons acting on behalf of the company.
A clean criminal record is not proved in the Czech Republic by an extract from the applicant - the office obtains it itself.

Act	Fee
Notification of the trade (at the office)	CZK 1,000
Notification electronically (via rzp.gov.cz)	CZK 800
Adding a further field of the free trade	CZK 0

Frequently asked questions

Do I need technical education or experience for this trade?

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

How much does notification of the trade cost?

The administrative fee for notification is CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for electronic submission. If you already have a free trade and are only adding this field, the addition is free of charge.

When can I start doing business?

The trade licence arises on the day of notification if you meet the statutory conditions. The office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days.

Can I make spectacles to order under this field?

No. The making of spectacles to order, grinding and fitting lenses according to a prescription falls under the separate regulated trade "Ophthalmic optics". Field No. 28 covers the manufacture of optical instruments and unfinished optical elements.

Can I add further fields of the free trade to a single notification?

Yes. The free trade is a single trade and has 80 fields of activity. In a single notification you may state several fields at once for a single administrative fee.

Must a legal entity have a responsible representative?

For the free trade, no. The obligation to appoint a responsible representative (Section 11(4)) applies only to trades requiring professional qualification. Both a legal entity and a natural person may appoint one voluntarily for the free trade.