Authorisation

Authorised entity

Verification and recognition is carried out by so-called authorised entities. An authorised entity is a person who holds the right to verify, in the manner specified in the relevant assessment standard, that a candidate has attained the required professional competence — in other words, the right to conduct examinations. Any natural person, self-employed natural person, or legal entity may become an authorised entity provided they meet the conditions set out by law. The requirements for the professional competence of an authorised entity (or its authorised representative) and the necessary material and technical prerequisites for conducting examinations are listed under the relevant vocational qualification on the website of the National Register of Qualifications – narodnikvalifikace.cz.

Authorised representative

A natural person who carries out the activities of an authorised legal entity or self-employed natural person and who is designated from among its members, partners, persons performing the functions of governing bodies, members of governing bodies, employees, or other persons in an employment or other contractual relationship with the legal entity or self-employed natural person, as determined by the applicant for authorisation [Section 11(1)(b) of the Recognition Act]. When designating such a person, it must be noted that the same natural person may be appointed as authorised representative for only one authorised legal entity or self-employed natural person (Section 12(1) of the Recognition Act). An authorised representative may not simultaneously act as an authorised natural person for the same vocational qualification. The authorising body shall appoint the natural person designated as authorised representative if it finds that the statutory conditions have been met in that person’s case.

National Register of Qualifications (NSK)

A publicly accessible register of all complete and vocational qualifications recognised and distinguished within the Czech Republic. It defines the professional competence requirements for individual qualifications irrespective of how they were acquired, and describes what a person needs to be able to do in order to perform an occupation or part thereof, i.e. partial work activities. For more detailed and comprehensive information, please visit narodnikvalifikace.cz.

Qualification standard

A structured description of the requirements for the relevant vocational qualification.

Assessment standard

A set of criteria and procedures for verifying the requirements for a vocational qualification.

National System of Occupations (NSP)

A publicly available and continuously updated register of occupations found in the Czech labour market. The NSP is developed in accordance with Act No. 435/2004 Coll., on Employment, as amended. It contains information on occupations available in the labour market and on the competences they require. For more detailed and comprehensive information, please visit www.nsp.cz.

Requirements for Authorised Entities and Authorised Representatives

Authorisation is granted by the National Cyber and Information Security Agency on the basis of a written application submitted by the applicant, provided that the conditions set out in the Recognition Act are met — for natural persons and self-employed natural persons in Section 10 and for legal entities in Section 11. To satisfy the conditions for the granting of authorisation, the applicant must comply not only with the statutory requirements but also with the requirements of the assessment standard for the specific vocational qualification, the current version of which can be found at narodnikvalifikace.cz.

The conditions set out in Section 10(1)(a)–(e) of the Recognition Act also apply to persons who will carry out the activities of the authorised entity on behalf of the applicant, i.e. the so-called authorised representatives (see also Information on Authorised Representatives).

To demonstrate professional competence on the basis of higher education obtained at a foreign higher education institution or in a foreign degree programme, the applicant must submit a certificate of recognition (“nostrification”) issued in proceedings conducted pursuant to Sections 89 and 90 of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendment and Supplementation to Other Acts (the Higher Education Act).

Qualifications and Authorisations Information System (ISKA)

• Qualifications and Authorisations Information System, or ISKA, is an information system that facilitates the fulfilment of certain obligations of authorised entities. One part of the system is designated for authorised entities, while the other is intended for authorising bodies, which may use it to monitor compliance with the obligations of authorised entities.
• The link to download the Qualifications and Authorisations Information System, together with the user manual, video tutorial, and further information, is available at: iskaweb.msmt.cz.
• Upon successful processing of the first authorisation application, the new authorised entity will receive a letter containing login credentials for the system.
• Key benefits of using the ISKA system:
  • Entering examination dates: if the authorised entity registers an examination date in the ISKA system, it is no longer required to send a written examination invitation notice to the authorising body.
  • Printing certificates of vocational qualification attainment.
  • Printing examination records.

NOTICE: An amendment to Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on Verification and Recognition of Further Education Results and on Amendment to Some Other Acts, is currently in progress. As part of this amendment, authorised entities will be required to use this information system for processing applications, administering examinations, and managing information about authorised entities, with effect from 1 January 2027. We therefore recommend using this system now, as it will ease the transition to electronic communication.

Inspections, Offences, and Fines

As the authorising body for vocational qualifications in the field of cybersecurity pursuant to Section 22(e) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll. on further education, the National Cyber and Information Security Agency is authorised to inspect the activities of authorised entities to which it has granted authorisation, including the correctness of examination procedures and the issuing of certificates, in particular through the attendance of its representatives at examinations.

If, in the course of its supervisory activities, the authorising body finds that an authorised entity is failing to fulfil its obligations, it may impose a FINE of up to CZK 20,000 for the relevant offence.

Offences are exhaustively defined in Section 24a(1) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll. An authorised entity commits an offence when it:

• fails to notify the authorising body of any changes that have occurred during the period of validity of the authorisation, or fails to do so in a timely manner;
• fails to publish the examination date;
• fails to send the candidate an examination invitation;
• fails to notify the candidate or the authorising body of a rescheduled examination date;
• fails to notify the candidate of the examination result, or fails to send the certificate to a candidate who has successfully passed the examination.

If an authorised entity has committed a serious or repeated breach of the legal regulations governing its activities, the authorising body shall decide to revoke the authorisation ex officio.

A serious breach of the legal regulations is defined under Section 16(3) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll. as:

• failure to fulfil the obligation to notify the authorising body of any changes;
• failure to fulfil the obligation to notify the authorising body of the place and date of the examination;
• failure to fulfil the obligation to assess the attainment of professional competence in accordance with the relevant assessment standard;
• failure of the authorised entity or its authorised representative to appear at the examination on at least two occasions without good cause.

Further grounds for the revocation of authorisation are set out in the following section, Lapse and Revocation of Authorisation.

Lapse and Revocation of Authorisation

The validity of every authorisation is by law limited to 5 years from the date on which the decision granting it becomes legally effective. Upon written application, the authorisation for a given vocational qualification may be extended indefinitely in 5-year intervals (Section 13(3) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll.). If the application is not submitted in time or at all, the extension will not take place and the authorisation will lapse upon expiry of the period for which it was granted. The granted authorisation is non-transferable and therefore lapses upon the death of the authorised natural person or self-employed natural person (or upon their declaration of death), or upon the dissolution or winding-up of the legal entity.

A granted and valid authorisation may be terminated if the authorised entity decides it no longer wishes to carry out its activities. In that case, the authorised entity submits a written application to the authorising body that granted the authorisation, requesting its revocation. Such cases are provided for in Section 16(2)(f) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll.

Revocation of authorisation occurs not only at the request of the authorised entity, but also ex officio as a measure taken by the authorising body in response to serious or repeated breaches of obligations by the authorised entity. The authorising body shall decide in the relevant proceedings, and if the statutory grounds set out in Section 16(2) and (3) of Act No. 179/2006 Coll. have been fulfilled, shall revoke the authorisation for the relevant vocational qualification.

Other Authorising Bodies

On the websites of the authorising bodies listed below, you will find all the relevant forms relating to authorisation applications for the individual authorising bodies:

• Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
• Ministry of Regional Development
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Industry and Trade
• Ministry of the Interior
• Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
• Ministry of Transport
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Culture
• Ministry of the Environment
• Digital and Information Agency