What Types of Business Activities and Trade License Codes Are There in the Czech Republic?

All trade licenses in the Czech Republic can be divided into "simple" and "qualification-based" licenses, and the requirements for obtaining them are different.

Simple (Free) Trade Licenses

These are the so-called "Volná živnost", or simply free trade licenses. These are the simplest types of business activities, which any entrepreneur can obtain by notification without having to provide proof of professional qualifications. The whole idea behind them is to avoid burdening entrepreneurs with unnecessary procedures and allow them to start conducting business relatively easily.

The list of these free trade activities is quite extensive; in particular, a complete list for 2026 is available on a separate page of our website.

There are indeed many different types of activities from various fields on this list. In most cases, virtually any relatively uncomplicated type of business activity can be fitted into one of them. The list generally includes activities that do not pose particular risks to people or the environment, so there are no professional qualification requirements and essentially anyone can obtain them.

Complex (Qualification-Based) Trade Licenses

These are business activities for which professional qualifications actually need to be demonstrated. This is done through a so-called responsible representative (Czech: "Odpovědný zástupce"), who has the required education or professional experience in the relevant field and is intended to ensure that the entrepreneur conducts the activity safely, both for themselves and for others. Complex licenses cover genuinely responsible fields of activity that may involve risks and cannot simply be undertaken by anyone with a reasonable expectation that the activity will be carried out safely (for example, full-scale construction, freight transport, construction and maintenance of electrical networks).

On the basis of this responsible representative, proof of professional competence ("Doklad prokázání odborné způsobilosti") is provided. Exactly what document is required and who issues it is a separate and rather extensive topic. It may simply be proof of completion of specialized education, documents demonstrating that the person has actually worked in the relevant field and has practical knowledge of it, or even authorization from major ministries of the Czech Republic.

Complex trade licenses in the Czech Republic can in turn be divided into two subcategories:

• Craft trades (Czech: "Řemeslná živnost"). These are generally not the most complex fields, but they still involve a certain level of responsibility. Most often, the requirement is to demonstrate that the person has the skills necessary to perform the particular activity. Examples include grocery businesses, watchmaking and jewelry workshops, farms, and even hairdressers.
• Concession trades (Czech: "Koncesovaná živnost"). These are the most responsible types of licenses, for example full-scale construction, freight and passenger transport using vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, work involving hazardous waste, etc. In other words, these are genuinely serious types of business activities. Authorization for such activities is issued with the involvement of the relevant ministries of the Czech Republic. For example, authorization for transport activities is handled by the Ministry of Transport, while activities involving hazardous waste fall under the Ministry of the Environment.

The procedure for obtaining complex trade licenses varies depending on the particular activity, but in all cases the same responsible representative ("Odpovědný zástupce") is required.

Where to Apply for a Trade License

The actual application for and obtaining of a trade license takes place at a Czech Trade Licensing Office ("Živnostenský úřad"). We explain the application process in a separate article on our website.