Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the CNB's decision, including banking and payment rails.
Get an investment license in Czechia.
A market of 10.9 million people, one regulator and a real office of ours inside it: the Czech National Bank licenses the obchodník s cennými papíry under §§ 5-7 of zákon č. 256/2004 Sb. (ZPKT), decides within six months of a complete application under § 7(2), and applies the IFR art. 9 capital of €75,000, €150,000 and €750,000 through § 8a as reworded by zákon č. 96/2022 Sb. Below the full licence sits the § 29 investiční zprostředkovatel - order transmission and advice in fund units and bonds, no client assets, a 10,000 Kč fee. The register held 75 dealers, 110 intermediaries and 54 management companies at the end of 2024. Corporate tax is 21%. We run the file from our own Prague office.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Czechia in brief
One regulator, a six-month statute and our own office in Prague.
Czech law calls the MiFID investment firm a securities dealer. The licence is the povolení k činnosti obchodníka s cennými papíry under §§ 5-7 of zákon č. 256/2004 Sb. (ZPKT), granted by the Czech National Bank to a legal person for the main investment services of § 4(2) - order reception and transmission, execution, dealing on own account, portfolio management, investment advice, underwriting and placing, MTF and OTF operation - with custody in § 4(3). The applicant is an a.s. or an s.r.o. with registered office and head office in Czechia (§ 6(1)(a)-(b)); an s.r.o. adds a supervisory board (§ 6(1)(j)); at least two people actually manage the business (§ 10(1)). Capital follows the IFD. Zákon č. 96/2022 Sb., in force since 29 May 2022, reworded § 6(1)(d) to require initial capital under § 8a and own funds of transparent origin under Regulation (EU) 2019/2033, so the IFR art. 9 tiers of €75,000, €150,000 and €750,000 apply.
The clock is in § 7(2): the CNB decides within six months of an application that meets the prescribed requirements, filed on the content of Regulation (EU) 2017/1943 and vyhláška č. 309/2017 Sb. The dealer's application fee sits in zákon č. 634/2004 Sb. and is confirmed with the licensing department; the intermediary's is printed, at 10,000 Kč. There is no annual supervision levy - the CNB funds supervision from its own budget - and the only sector charge is the Garanční fond contribution of 2% of the year's fee and commission income (§ 129), which buys clients 90% of a claim up to the koruna equivalent of €20,000. The Ministry of Finance counted 75 securities dealers, 110 investment intermediaries, 54 management companies and 18,506 tied agents at the end of 2024. Corporate tax is 21%, investment funds pay 5%, dividends to non-residents carry 15% withholding. We run the file from our own office in Prague.
A 10.9 million market with one regulator and our own office in it: the CNB licence as obchodník s cennými papíry under §§ 5-7 ZPKT - IFR art. 9 capital €75k/€150k/€750k, six months from a complete file (§ 7(2)), the § 29 intermediary at 10,000 Kč, the 30-state passport.
21% corporate tax, 5% for funds, no supervision levy, GFOCP at 2% of fee income. 75 dealers and 54 management companies on the register. Built end to end from our own Prague office.
The two builds
The securities dealer - or the fund manager under ZISIF.
Two CNB licences under two acts: the obchodník s cennými papíry under §§ 5-7 ZPKT at €75,000-€750,000 by service set, and the investiční společnost under ZISIF at €125,000. The § 29 investment intermediary sits below both, at 10,000 Kč and no client assets. We fix the act before the file.
The §§ 5-7 ZPKT securities dealer - or the €125k ZISIF manager.
01 - OBCHODNÍK S CENNÝMI PAPÍRY
The ZPKT securities dealer
Povolení under §§ 5-7 ZPKT for the main investment services of § 4(2) - RTO, execution, portfolio management, advice, own-account dealing, underwriting and placing, MTF and OTF - with the IFR art. 9 capital of €75,000 without client money or securities, €150,000 in the general case, €750,000 for dealing on own account or underwriting.
Povolení under §§ 5-7 ZPKT for the main investment services of § 4(2) - RTO, execution, portfolio management, advice, own-account dealing, underwriting and placing, MTF and OTF - with the IFR art. 9 capital of €75,000 without client money or securities, €150,000 in the general case, €750,000 for dealing on own account or underwriting.
- ✓§ 4(2) ZPKT main services · § 4(3) ancillary
- ✓€75,000 - no client money or securities
- ✓€150,000 - the general tier
- ✓€750,000 - own-account dealing, underwriting
- ✓6 months from a complete file (§ 7(2))
- ✓GFOCP membership · 2% of fee income
02 - INVESTIČNÍ SPOLEČNOST · ZISIF
€125,000 initial capitalThe fund manager under ZISIF
The management company licence under zákon č. 240/2013 Sb. (ZISIF) - €125,000 under § 29(1), €300,000 for a self-managed fund under § 29(2), plus 0.02% of assets over €250 million capped at €10 million (§ 31(1)); MiFID services added under § 11(1)(c)-(f), with only the fixed-overheads requirement of IFR art. 13 and no K-factors (CNB opinion RS2026-01).
Investiční společnost under ZISIF at €125,000 (€300,000 self-managed), plus 0.02% over €250m - fixed overheads only under RS2026-01, registration only below €100m.
- ✓§ 479 ff. ZISIF management company
- ✓€125,000 external · €300,000 self-managed
- ✓+0.02% of AUM over €250m, cap €10m
- ✓Portfolio management, RTO, advice under § 11(1)
- ✓Fixed overheads only - RS2026-01, no K-factors
- ✓Registration only under § 15 below €100m / €500m
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. The CNB prints the intermediary's 10,000 Kč fee and the tied agent's 500 Kč, not the dealer's or the management company's - we confirm those under zákon č. 634/2004 Sb. before filing, and there is no annual CNB levy to budget.
Why Czechia
The statute, the register and the office we already have.
Czechia sells a 10.9 million market with a single regulator, a printed six-month clock and no supervision levy - and it is the one MiFID state where the file is run from our own desk.
✓
A market of 10.9 million
The ČSÚ counted 10.896 million residents at 31 March 2026 - reached from one Czech licence before any of the other 29 EEA states are notified.Before any passport.
✓
A six-month statute
§ 7(2) ZPKT: the CNB decides within six months of an application with the prescribed requirements. The intermediary's clock is three months, extendable by three.§ 7(2), no stats.
✓
No supervision levy
Supervision is funded from the CNB's own budget; the only sector charge is the Garanční fond contribution of 2% of fee and commission income under § 129 ZPKT.CNB pays for itself.
✓
A light regime that works
The investiční zprostředkovatel of § 29: order transmission and advice in fund units and in government, mortgage and prospectus bonds, no client assets, 10,000 Kč to apply and 2,500 Kč to renew - 110 of them on the register.10,000 Kč, no passport.
✓
21% and 5%
Corporate tax at 21% since 2024, 5% for investment funds, 15% withholding on dividends to non-residents and financial services exempt from the 21% VAT.Firm and fund.
✓
The § 8a text in Czech only
The 2022 rewording of § 8a exists only in Czech on e-Sbírka; the Ministry's English translation stops in May 2020, still carrying the pre-IFD capital figures. The IFR art. 9 tiers govern; the old numbers do not. Filing is in Czech.IFR tiers govern; Czech filing.
How it compares
How Czechia differs from other routes.
The honest comparison: a single regulator with a six-month statute and no levy - against neighbours with a faster clock, a printed fee or a lower rate.
Czechia vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Czechia | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | ZPKT 2004 · §§ 5-7 - Czech National Bank | ZoCP § 54 Slovakia · art. 69 Poland |
| Capital | €75k / €150k / €750k - IFR art. 9 via § 8a | Same tiers: ZoCP § 54 ods. 11-13 · art. 98 Poland |
| Passport | 30 EEA states · § 29 intermediary none | Same passport · Austria Art. 4 providers none |
| Timeline | 6 months from a complete file (§ 7(2)) · no stats | Poland 2 months formally complete · Slovakia 6 months |
Regime
CzechiaZPKT 2004 · §§ 5-7 - Czech National Bank
Other jurisdictionsZoCP § 54 Slovakia · art. 69 Poland
Capital
Czechia€75k / €150k / €750k - IFR art. 9 via § 8a
Other jurisdictionsSame tiers: ZoCP § 54 ods. 11-13 · art. 98 Poland
Passport
Czechia30 EEA states · § 29 intermediary none
Other jurisdictionsSame passport · Austria Art. 4 providers none
Timeline
Czechia6 months from a complete file (§ 7(2)) · no stats
Other jurisdictionsPoland 2 months formally complete · Slovakia 6 months
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czechia | Obchodník s cennými papíry - CNB | 21% CIT · funds 5% | IFR €75k-€750k, 6 months, no levy |
 Slovakia | Obchodník s cennými papiermi - NBS | 10% / 21% / 24% CIT | § 54 €75k-€750k, fee €1,000-€3,400, a.s. only |
 Poland | Dom maklerski - KNF | 19% CIT · 9% small | Art. 98 €75k-€750k, 2-month clock, fee to €4,500 |
 Austria | Wertpapierfirma - FMA | 23% CIT | WPFG Art. 13 €75k-€750k, no FMA fee, AG or cooperative |
CzechiaLicense typeObchodník s cennými papíry - CNB
Taxation21% CIT · funds 5%
RequirementsIFR €75k-€750k, 6 months, no levy
SlovakiaLicense typeObchodník s cennými papiermi - NBS
Taxation10% / 21% / 24% CIT
Requirements§ 54 €75k-€750k, fee €1,000-€3,400, a.s. only
PolandLicense typeDom maklerski - KNF
Taxation19% CIT · 9% small
RequirementsArt. 98 €75k-€750k, 2-month clock, fee to €4,500
AustriaLicense typeWertpapierfirma - FMA
Taxation23% CIT
RequirementsWPFG Art. 13 €75k-€750k, no FMA fee, AG or cooperative
Before you apply
Requirements for the Czech licence.Requirements for the licence.
The CNB reviews against § 6(1) ZPKT, vyhláška č. 309/2017 Sb. and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1943, and the § 7(2) clock runs only from an application with the prescribed requirements. The checklist below is what a passing application contains.
01
Czech company - an a.s. or an s.r.o. with registered office and head office in Czechia (§ 6(1)(a)-(b)); an s.r.o. must have a supervisory board (§ 6(1)(j)).
02
Initial capital - the IFR art. 9 tier of €75,000, €150,000 or €750,000 under § 8a, plus own funds of transparent and unobjectionable origin under Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 (§ 6(1)(d)).
03
Two managers - at least two board members, administrative board members or executives who actually manage the business (§ 10(1)), trustworthy and professionally competent under the CNB notice of 5 August 2020.
04
Qualifying holders - every holder assessed by the CNB under § 10d, with close links that do not prevent supervision (§ 6(1)(e)-(f)).
05
Business plan - the plan of § 6(1)(g) with the material, personnel and organisational prerequisites of § 6(1)(h), on the content of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1943 and vyhláška č. 309/2017 Sb.
06
Control system - the governing and control system of § 12a (risk management, internal control, compliance) with Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/565, run in a sound and prudent manner under § 12.
07
Staff competence - the professional competence of vyhláška č. 319/2017 Sb., proved by exams before accredited persons.
08
Prudential machinery - IFR arts 11-13 from day one: K-factors, a quarter of fixed overheads or the permanent minimum, with the CNB's SREP for dealers behind them.
09
Garanční fond - membership of the GFOCP under §§ 128-134, contributing 2% of fee and commission income for the previous year (§ 129).
10
Client assets - separate records under §§ 12e-12f and vyhláška č. 58/2006 Sb. where the service set holds client money or instruments.
01
A.s. or s.r.o., seat in Czechia.
02
Capital per IFR art. 9 tier.
03
Two managers, fit and proper.
04
Holders cleared under § 10d.
05
Plan per vyhláška 309/2017.
06
§ 12a control system.
07
Staff per vyhláška 319/2017.
08
IFR own funds live.
09
GFOCP membership, 2%.
10
Client assets recorded separately.
Reflects the ZPKT as amended by zákon č. 96/2022 Sb. and zákon č. 259/2025 Sb., ZISIF and IFR/IFD as of 2026.ZPKT + ZISIF + IFR/IFD, as of 2026.
How it works
From first call to the CNB register.
01
Act and tier
ZPKT, ZISIF or the § 29 intermediary decided, services fixed under § 4(2), tier chosen - €75k, €150k or €750k - in writing before drafting.ZPKT, ZISIF or § 29.
02
Company and bench
Czech a.s. or s.r.o., capital paid, two managers and the qualifying holders ready for §§ 10 and 10d.Ready for § 10.
03
The application
Vyhláška č. 309/2017 Sb. forms, business plan, control system and IT - complete at filing, so the § 7(2) clock actually starts.Complete, so the clock starts.
04
CNB review
Six months from an application with the prescribed requirements; a pre-application meeting first, question rounds after.Six months statutory.
05
Licence and passport
JERRS register entry, GFOCP membership, EEA notifications - 30 markets open.30 markets open.
Quick facts
RegulatorCzech National Bank
LicenceObchodník s cennými papíry, §§ 5-7 ZPKT
No client assets€75,000
General tier€150,000
Dealing · underwriting€750,000
Intermediary fee10,000 Kč (položka 65)
Statutory clock6 months (§ 7(2))
Corporate tax21% · funds 5%
The CNB publishes no processing statistics - its report gives counts, not durations - so the honest plan is the six-month statute plus the time it takes to make the file complete. 75 dealers held the licence at the end of 2024, three fewer than a year earlier.
On the ground in Czechia
Run from our own Prague office.
Prifinance - Czech Republic
Prague · Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov, Prague
01
Company and capital
A.s. or s.r.o. with seat and head office in Czechia, a supervisory board where § 6(1)(j) needs one, the art. 9 tier paid and its origin documented.Tier paid, origin shown.
02
The CNB file, in Czech
Vyhláška č. 309/2017 Sb. forms, business plan and the § 12a control system drafted to Regulation 2017/1943 - and defended through the CNB's question rounds from a desk on Vlkova.From Vlkova.
03
Two managers and the holders
Executives who meet the CNB's 5 August 2020 notice on trustworthiness and competence, sourced in Prague, with the § 10d holder assessments prepared before filing.CNB-assessable.
04
Passporting and launch
GFOCP membership, client-asset records and EEA notifications sequenced with the licence - 30 markets from one Czech licence.30 states at launch.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of investment firms in Czechia.
A flat 21% for the firm, 5% for the funds it runs and no supervision levy on top - a short list, which is the point.
Corporate tax 21%
The rate on a securities dealer's profit since the 2024 tax period, per the Finanční správa's description of the system as at 1 January 2026.Since 2024.
Investment funds 5%
A qualifying investment fund pays 5% and a pension fund 0% - the reason management companies structure the vehicle before the mandate.Vehicle first.
Withholding 15%
Dividends and other income of non-residents carry 15% at source, 35% for non-treaty and non-cooperating states, reduced by treaty.35% non-treaty.
VAT 21%, finance exempt
The standard rate is 21% with a 12% reduced rate; financial services are exempt, generally without input-tax deduction, so the mandate sits outside VAT and the overheads inside.Finance exempt.
No supervision levy
The CNB funds supervision from its own budget; there is no annual charge on the licence, and ZISIF cross-border distribution fees were abolished from 1 July 2024.CNB-funded.
The GFOCP line
2% of the previous year's fee and commission income from investment services (§ 129 ZPKT) - the one sector charge, paid by dealers, banks and management companies alike.Of fee income.
Tax summary
Corporate tax21%
Investment funds5%
Dividend withholding15% · 35% non-treaty
VAT21% · finance exempt
Supervision levyNone · GFOCP 2%
*Figures as of 2026 per Czech law and the Finanční správa. Group and founder-level outcomes are modelled per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Czech company, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed firm.
Follow Prifinance
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Czechia · ČNB securities dealer licence
Launch your investment firm in Czechia with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from the Czech a.s. or s.r.o. and the vyhláška 309/2017 file to the CNB licence, the two managers, passporting and ongoing compliance - run through our own Prague office.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is Czechia the right fit for your project?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Czech investment licence, answered.
Which licence does an investment firm need in Czechia?+
The povolení k činnosti obchodníka s cennými papíry under §§ 5-7 ZPKT - Czech law's name for the MiFID investment firm - covering the main services of § 4(2): RTO, execution, own-account dealing, portfolio management, advice, underwriting and placing, MTF and OTF. Fund managers need the investiční společnost licence under ZISIF instead.
What capital does the CNB require?+
The IFR art. 9 tiers: €75,000 for RTO, execution, portfolio management, advice or placing without client money or securities, €150,000 in the general case, €750,000 for own-account dealing or underwriting. § 6(1)(d) points to § 8a as reworded by zákon č. 96/2022 Sb.; a § 6b systemic dealer needs €5,000,000. A management company needs €125,000 under § 29(1) ZISIF.
How long does the CNB take?+
Six months from an application with the prescribed requirements (§ 7(2) ZPKT); three months, extendable by three, for an investment intermediary. The CNB publishes no processing statistics, so completeness at filing is the only lever on the clock, and the pre-application meeting it offers is worth taking.
What does the licence cost at the CNB?+
The dealer's application fee is set under zákon č. 634/2004 Sb. and the CNB prints no figure for it, so we confirm it with the licensing department before filing. The intermediary's is 10,000 Kč, renewal 2,500 Kč, a tied agent 500 Kč. There is no annual supervision levy at all.
What is the investiční zprostředkovatel route?+
The § 29 ZPKT light licence: reception and transmission of orders and investment advice, limited to fund units, Czech government bonds, mortgage bonds and prospectus bonds, no client assets, open to individuals and companies. Decided in three months, valid to the end of the following year, renewed by fee - and without an EU passport.
Who has to be in place?+
At least two board members or executives who actually manage the business (§ 10(1)), trustworthy and professionally competent under the CNB's notice of 5 August 2020, every qualifying holder cleared under § 10d, staff meeting vyhláška č. 319/2017 Sb., and registered office and head office in Czechia (§ 6(1)(b)). The act prints no residency rule for directors.
Does the licence passport across the EEA?+
Yes - the full MiFID passport into 30 EEA states under Part Two, Title II of the ZPKT, one month for services and three for a branch under MiFID II arts 34-35. The § 29 intermediary has no passport, and a third-country firm needs a Czech licence or branch.
How are Czech investment firms taxed?+
21% corporate tax since 2024, 5% for investment funds, 15% withholding on dividends to non-residents (35% for non-cooperating states), 21% VAT with financial services exempt, no supervision levy and a GFOCP contribution of 2% of fee and commission income.
Czechia or Slovakia for a new firm?+
Slovakia prints its fees (€1,000 to €3,400 under ZoCP § 54), taxes the first €100,000 at 10% and covers investors to €50,000; but it insists on an a.s. and charges the NBS 0.1% of assets a year. Czechia has the larger market, the s.r.o. option, no levy and our own office. Bratislava for the small book; Prague for scale.
Why Prifinance for Czechia?+
This is the one MiFID state where we already sit: our own Prague office on Vlkova runs the file in Czech, sources the two managers the CNB will assess and prepares the § 10d holder papers before filing. GFOCP membership and the EEA notifications run as part of launch, and the Tallinn and Budapest offices are a short flight away.
Which licence?+
§§ 5-7 ZPKT securities dealer.
Capital?+
€75k/€150k/€750k · ZISIF €125k.
How long?+
Six months, no stats.
Fee?+
Dealer's unprinted; IZ 10,000 Kč.
§ 29?+
Light, no passport.
People?+
Two managers, § 10.
Passport?+
30 EEA states.
Taxes?+
21%, funds 5%, no levy.
Or Slovakia?+
Printed fees vs our office.
Why you?+
Our own Prague office.
Client notes
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Czech National Bank or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.