Manufacture of machinery and equipment

Manufacture of machinery and equipment is field no. 31 of the unqualified (free) trade (Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act). It covers the engineering manufacture of machines, their parts and components for industry, agriculture and other sectors, with no need to prove professional qualification - it is enough to meet the general conditions under Section 6.

Conditions for operating

Full legal capacity under Section 6(1)(a) of the Trade Licensing Act (as a rule from the age of 18; for persons aged 16-18 it can be replaced by the court's consent on a petition of the legal representative and with the agreement of the person liable for maintenance).
A clean criminal record under Section 6(1)(b) and (2) of the Trade Licensing Act (the obstacle being a final conviction for an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the field of business being notified).
Professional qualification is NOT required - this is an unqualified (free) trade under Annex 4 to the Trade Licensing Act; the special conditions for operating a trade under Section 7 (education, apprenticeship certificate or practical experience) do not apply here.
If the entrepreneur's registered office is outside their own residence, the legal grounds for using the premises of the registered office must be proven at the request of the Trade Licensing Office (Section 31(2)).
None of the obstacles to operating a trade under Section 8 may exist (in particular bankruptcy or a ban on activity relating to the field of business imposed by a court or administrative authority).

Examples of activities

manufacture of machine tools and forming machines
manufacture of agricultural and forestry machinery
manufacture of machines for the food industry and material processing
manufacture of pumps, compressors and hydraulic equipment
manufacture of machine parts, components and accessories
assembly, manufacture and completion of industrial equipment and lines
manufacture of bearings, gear wheels and gear units
manufacture of lifting, handling and conveyor equipment

What this trade is and what it is for

The title Manufacture of machinery and equipment denotes field no. 31 of the unqualified (free) trade. It entitles you to manufacture machines, machine equipment and their components on a business basis - from individual parts through complete machines to the assembly of industrial units and production lines.

An important point: this field is not a standalone trade. It is one of the fields within the large unqualified (free) trade with the official title "Manufacture, trade and services not listed in Annexes 1 to 3 of the Trade Licensing Act" (an unqualified (free) trade under Section 25(2) and Annex 4 of the Act). When you notify it, you select from these fields the ones you actually carry out - several at once if you wish, for a single fee.

Its practical scope is broad. This trade covers most classic engineering manufacture: machines for industry, agriculture, construction, the energy sector and household use, unless they are expressly classified elsewhere.

What falls under this trade (and what does not)

Field 31 typically includes:

manufacture of machine tools and forming machines, presses and tools,
manufacture of agricultural, forestry and construction machinery,
manufacture of pumps, compressors, valves and hydraulic components,
manufacture of bearings, gear wheels and gearboxes,
manufacture of lifting, handling and conveyor equipment,
manufacture of machine parts and accessories and the completion of machine units.

Where the boundaries lie. The unqualified (free) trade ends where the law entrusts the manufacture or activity to another, regulated trade:

Assembly, repairs and inspections of designated technical equipment (pressure, gas, electrical, lifting) are separate regulated trades (Annex 2) - you may carry out ordinary manufacture of a machine freely, but not inspections and designated tasks.
Manufacture of motor and trailer vehicles belongs to separate field no. 32, and manufacture of electronic components, electrical equipment and electrical machines and devices belongs to field no. 29 (measuring, testing, navigation, optical and photographic instruments are also a separate field - field no. 28).
Locksmithing, toolmaking or machining are craft trades (Annex 1) - if this craft work is your main activity, you need a craft trade for it.

Tip: Not sure how a particular type of manufacture is classified? You will find the full wording of the fields at rzp.gov.cz, and any Trade Licensing Office can confirm the classification for you.

Conditions for obtaining it under the law

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 - usually from the age of 18; for a person aged between 16 and 18 it can be replaced by the court's consent on a petition of the legal representative,
a clean criminal record - the obstacle being a final conviction for an intentional criminal offence committed in connection with business or with the field you wish to operate. The Office verifies the clean criminal record itself for a Czech citizen.

You do not prove professional qualification for this trade. You do not need an apprenticeship certificate, a diploma or practical experience - this applies to all fields of the unqualified (free) trade. The special conditions for operating a trade under Section 7 do not apply here.

Responsible representative (Section 11). For an unqualified (free) trade you are not required by law to have one, because qualification is not proven. You may, however, appoint one voluntarily, typically when a legal entity wishes to do business or when a natural person does not actually run the trade themselves. One person may act as responsible representative for at most four entrepreneurs.

How to notify or obtain the trade step by step

Fill in the Unified Registration Form (URF). A single form notifies the trade and at the same time lets you register with the Czech Social Security Administration, with a health insurance company and for income tax.
Select field no. 31 (and any other unqualified (free) trade fields at once).
Submit the notification under Section 45 of the Trade Licensing Act at any municipal Trade Licensing Office, online via the rzp.gov.cz portal (with a Citizen Identity), via a data box, or at a Czech POINT contact point.
Provide the documents - your identity and, for a registered office outside your residence, proof of the legal grounds for using the premises at the Office's request.
Pay the administrative fee.

Deadlines. For a notifiable trade, the trade licence arises under Section 10(1)(a) on the day of notification itself. The Trade Licensing Office enters you in the Trade Register and issues an extract within 5 working days of receiving a flawless notification, and assigns you a company ID number (ICO).

You will find a detailed step-by-step guide in the article How to start a trade.

Documents and fees

Documents: completed URF, identity document, proof of payment of the fee, and for a registered office outside your residence, proof of the legal grounds for using the premises.
Fee for the first notification: CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic submission.
Adding another field of the unqualified (free) trade: CZK 0.
Registration deadline: within 5 working days.
Professional qualification: not required.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an apprenticeship certificate or engineering education to manufacture machines?

No. This is an unqualified (free) trade, where only the general conditions under Section 6 (legal capacity and a clean criminal record) are proven. No education, apprenticeship certificate or practical experience is required.

Can I also repair and inspect machines at the same time?

You carry out ordinary manufacture and the repairs that form part of it freely. However, inspections and assembly of designated technical equipment (pressure, gas, electrical, lifting) fall under separate regulated trades, for which professional qualification must be proven. Likewise, purely craft work (locksmithing, toolmaking, machining) belongs to craft trades.

How much will the notification cost me?

The administrative fee for the first notification of a trade is CZK 1,000, or CZK 800 for an electronic submission. If you later add another field to the unqualified (free) trade, it is free (CZK 0).

Can I notify several fields at once?

Yes. The unqualified (free) trade is a single trade and includes dozens of fields listed in Annex 4 to the Act. You can notify several of them at the same time and pay only one administrative fee.

How long does processing take?

The licence arises on the day of notification. The Office issues the extract from the Trade Register and the company ID number (ICO) within 5 working days of receiving a flawless notification.