Manufacture of School and Office Supplies, Costume Jewellery and Souvenirs

An unqualified (free) trade (field No. 41) covering the manufacture of school and office supplies (except paper products), costume jewellery, brush-making and confection goods, umbrellas and souvenirs. It requires no professional qualification; it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act (full legal capacity and clean criminal record).

Examples of activities

• manufacture of costume jewellery and ornamental items (other than from precious metals)
• manufacture of writing, drawing and school supplies (other than paper ones)
• manufacture of office supplies and aids (other than from paper)
• manufacture of brush-making goods (brushes, paintbrushes, brooms, besoms)
• manufacture of confection goods (haberdashery, small textile and clothing accessories)
• manufacture of umbrellas and parasols
• manufacture of souvenirs and gift items
• completion and finishing of semi-finished products of the said range

What the trade is and what it is for

The trade "Manufacture of school and office supplies, except paper products, manufacture of costume jewellery, brush-making and confection goods, umbrellas, souvenirs" is one of the fields of activity of the unqualified (free) trade (field No. 41 under Annex No. 4 to the Trade Licensing Act, Act No. 455/1991 Coll.).

The licence serves all who wish to manufacture a wide range of consumer and ornamental goods: from writing and school supplies (with the exception of paper ones), through costume jewellery, brushes and paintbrushes, small textile haberdashery, to umbrellas and souvenirs. It covers your own manufacture as well as the completion and finishing of semi-finished products of this range and its subsequent sale by the manufacturer.

The unqualified trade is the simplest form of doing business - it requires no professional qualification. It is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act. Thus even a person without an apprenticeship certificate or experience in the field can start.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Typically falling under this field:

• manufacture of school and office supplies that are not made of paper (writing supplies, rulers, cases, organisers and the like),
• manufacture of costume jewellery and ornamental items from base metals, glass and plastics,
• manufacture of brush-making goods - brushes, paintbrushes, besoms, brooms,
• manufacture of confection goods - small textile haberdashery and clothing accessories,
• manufacture of umbrellas, parasols and souvenirs (gift items).

What does not belong here (boundaries against neighbouring trades):

• paper products (exercise books, pads, office and school supplies made of paper) - these belong to the separate field No. 6 of the unqualified trade "Manufacture of pulp, paper and paperboard and goods from these materials",
• jewellery from precious metals and stones - the manufacture and processing of precious metals, or trade in them (hallmarked goods), is a regulated trade,
• confection in the form of clothing manufacture on a larger scale falls under textile production - it is always advisable to verify the specific classification with the Trade Licensing Office,
• mere retail and wholesale of these goods (without own manufacture) is field No. 48 of the unqualified trade "Wholesale and retail".

The unqualified trade is, moreover, a single one and has 80 fields of activity, so when notifying you may also select several fields at once (e.g. both manufacture and sale) for a single administrative fee.

Legal conditions for obtaining it

This is an unqualified (free) trade, therefore professional qualification is not documented. The general conditions under Section 6 of the Trade Licensing Act are sufficient:

• full legal capacity (Section 6(1)(a) - usually acquired on reaching 18 years of age; it may be replaced by a court's approval of the legal representative's consent for a minor to independently operate business activity),
• clean criminal record (Section 6(2) - a person finally convicted of an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the subject of business is not considered to have a clean criminal record).

For Czech citizens, the office obtains the extract from the Criminal Records Register itself. For this trade an apprenticeship certificate, school-leaving certificate, diploma or experience is not required.

Responsible representative (Section 11): a natural person who meets the general conditions themselves does not need one. For an unqualified trade a responsible representative is not required on the grounds of qualification. If the entrepreneur nevertheless appoints one, the same person may perform the function of responsible representative for at most 4 entrepreneurs (Section 11(8)). At the same time, no obstacle to operating a trade under Section 8 may stand in the way (e.g. an ongoing prohibition of activity relating to the given activity).

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

1. Complete the Unified Registration Form (JRF) for a natural person. With a single form you simultaneously handle the notification to the ČSSZ and the health insurance company.
2. Select the fields of activity of the unqualified trade - state field No. 41, and, where applicable, further fields at once.
3. Submit the notification. Options:
   • in person at any Trade Licensing Office (municipal office of a municipality with extended powers),
   • electronically via the Trade Licensing Portal rzp.gov.cz (login with citizen identity),
   • at a Czech POINT contact point (post office, notaries, municipal offices).
4. Provide the documents (see below) and pay the administrative fee.
5. Await the entry. For a notifiable trade the licence arises as early as the day of notification; the office makes the entry in the Trade Register within 5 working days and issues the extract.

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

Documents and fees

• Identity document (identity card or passport).
• Extract from the Criminal Records Register - for Czech citizens the office arranges it itself; foreigners provide it themselves.
• Proof of the right to use the premises of the registered office (if different from the place of residence).
• Administrative fee for the trade notification: CZK 1,000 (on first entry into business), electronically via rzp.gov.cz CZK 800.
• Extending an existing unqualified trade by a further field (e.g. adding field No. 41) is free of charge (CZK 0).
• You do not document professional qualification - no education or experience.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need any education to manufacture costume jewellery or umbrellas?

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

Can I also sell the products at the same time?

Yes, but retail and wholesale themselves are a different field of the unqualified trade (field No. 48). You can notify both fields at once in one form for a single administrative fee.

How much do I pay and how quickly do I obtain the licence?

The notification costs CZK 1,000, electronically via rzp.gov.cz CZK 800. The licence arises on the day of notification, the entry in the register takes place within 5 working days.

Does the manufacture of exercise books and pads belong here too?

No. Paper products are expressly excluded from this field and fall under field No. 6 of the unqualified trade (manufacture of paper and goods from paper). In case of doubt, verify the classification with the Trade Licensing Office.

Can I add the field to a trade I already hold?

Yes. Extending an existing unqualified trade by a further field of activity is free of charge (CZK 0).

Sources

• Trade Licensing Act No. 455/1991 Coll. (zakonyprolidi.cz)
• Ministry of Industry and Trade (mpo.gov.cz)