HW Legal
From 1 July 2026, counselling psychotherapy outside the healthcare sector may no longer be provided under an unqualified trade licence. The law now specifies requirements concerning education, psychotherapeutic training and professional practice. Coaching itself, by contrast, is not a separately regulated profession. However, what matters is not the name of the service but its actual content: a coach may cross the line not only into psychotherapy or psychological counselling but, in the case of career services, also into employment mediation under the Employment Act.
Therapists until 30 June 2026 – what qualifications and trade licence did they need?
Until 30 June 2026, the provision of psychotherapy was virtually unregulated – counselling psychotherapy was not a separate trade. In practice, providers carried it out under one of the following authorisations:
most commonly under an unqualified trade licence – the field of activity ‘Extracurricular education, organisation of courses and training, including lecturing activities’ or ‘Advisory and consultancy services’; or
under the regulated trade ‘Psychological counselling and diagnostics’ (this route was chosen by psychology graduates; the law required professional competence in the form of a university degree in psychology and, in the case of a single-subject programme, one year of professional practice, or, in the case of a multi-subject programme, three years of professional practice).
The conditions changed completely from 1 July 2026.
Therapists from 1 July 2026 – what qualifications and trade licence do they need?
From 1 July 2026, the existing regulated trade ‘Psychological counselling and diagnostics’ is changing. From 1 July 2026, the trade has the common name
‘Provision of services in the field of
– psychological counselling and diagnostics,
– counselling psychotherapy’.
These are two separate scopes of the same regulated trade, with different qualification requirements. The notifier may therefore notify counselling psychotherapy only, psychological counselling and diagnostics only, or both scopes, provided that they meet the conditions for each of them.
For psychological counselling and diagnostics, the basic condition remains a Master’s degree in psychology and one year of professional practice in the case of a single-subject programme, or three years of professional practice in the case of a multi-subject programme.
By contrast, a counselling psychotherapist does not have to be a psychology graduate; they must hold a Master’s degree in any field of study and meet the additional training and professional practice requirements described below.
The substantive scope of these activities is defined by an amendment to Government Regulation No. 278/2008 Coll., on the substantive scope of individual trades.1 If you intend to carry on either of these trades, we recommend that you carefully read the substantive scope of the trade – psychological counselling and counselling psychotherapy. The full description of both variants can also be found in the footnote.2
What qualifications are required of a counselling psychotherapist?
a) Master’s degree
The law does not require a specific field; completion of any Master’s degree programme is sufficient.
b) Accredited psychotherapeutic education
It must be a programme recognised by law or one of the temporarily recognised variants of previously completed training.
The content and minimum scope of the educational programme (psychotherapeutic training) are laid down by a new decree.3 The educational programme (training) must comprise at least 1,450 teaching hours spread over a period of at least 5 years, including at least:
a) 500 teaching hours of theoretical instruction, including at least 350 contact teaching hours of theoretical instruction,
500 teaching hours of theoretical instruction, including at least 350 contact teaching hours of theoretical instruction,
300 contact teaching hours of self-experience,
300 contact teaching hours of psychotherapeutic practice,
150 contact teaching hours of supervision of psychotherapeutic practice, and
200 teaching hours for the final case report.
What about psychotherapeutic training completed or commenced previously?
training completed no later than 31 December 2007 had to comprise at least 500 hours and had to be spread over a period of at least 5 years; the law does not expressly require individual components of the training;
training completed no later than 30 June 2026 – it must be comprehensive psychotherapeutic training comprising theoretical education, self-experience and supervision, totalling at least 500 hours over a period of at least 5 years;
a programme commenced before 1 July 2026 but not yet completed – the new requirements of the Trade Licensing Act apply to it; the programme may be regarded as accredited from the outset if its organiser submitted an application by 1 October 2026 at the latest and the programme subsequently obtains accreditation.
c) At least 160 hours of specific professional practice
The professional practice must be completed in one of the fields listed by law with a provider of health or social services that provides services to persons with serious mental disorders.
These 160 hours must be completed in the field of psychology, addictology, occupational therapy, social work, special education, nursing, general medicine, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, art therapy, supervision, social pedagogy, andragogy, pedagogy or theology. The professional practice provider must be a provider of health or social services that works with persons with serious mental disorders listed by law.
d) A further 1,880 hours of professional practice
The professional practice must be completed in one of the listed fields and at one of the institutions listed by law.
These 1,880 hours may be completed in similar fields, additionally also in midwifery, and at a broader range of institutions: with a provider of health or social services, at a school or school counselling facility, at a facility for institutional or protective education, in the armed forces, at a centre, facility or centre of the Ministry of the Interior, in a prison, at the Probation and Mediation Service or at an institute for secure detention.
We recommend paying close attention to the documentation of professional practice hours. The law stipulates 160 and 1,880 hours as two separate conditions. The confirmation of professional practice should therefore enable the trade licensing authority to determine unambiguously against which part the individual hours are to be counted.
What must be submitted, and where?
Counselling psychotherapy is a regulated trade subject to notification. The notification may be filed with any municipal trade licensing office, in person, by post, via a Data Box or electronically using the Single Registration Form on the Trade Licensing Portal. In the notification, it is advisable to state only the requested scope ‘Provision of services in the field of counselling psychotherapy’ if the applicant does not also meet the qualifications required of a psychologist.
How is coaching regulated in the Czech Republic?
The terms coach and coaching are not defined by Czech law. There is no state licence authorising all forms of coaching. Private providers offer a range of certifications that may demonstrate a level of professional expertise, but they are not subject to state supervision.
Ordinary personal, managerial or business coaching may generally be carried on under the unqualified trade ‘Advisory and consultancy services, preparation of expert studies and assessments’. This field includes, for example, advice on business, management, communication skills and personal development. Field 72, ‘Extracurricular education, organisation of courses and training, including lecturing activities’, is also suitable for organising courses, group workshops and training.
Coaching, or psychological counselling and psychotherapy?
The topics may overlap: goals, self-confidence, stress, relationships or burnout are addressed by coaches as well as psychologists and psychotherapists. The topic itself therefore does not determine the dividing line. What matters is the purpose, method, professional framework and the manner in which the service is offered and actually provided.
The classification is assessed according to reality, not according to the name of the agreement or the information on the website. The description of the service and target group, intake questionnaires, methods used, records kept, the provider’s qualifications and the actual course of the consultations may all be relevant.
Career coaching: when does it become an employment agency?
The Employment Act classifies as employment mediation not only the search for work on behalf of jobseekers and the search for employees on behalf of employers, or the so-called hiring-out of labour, but also ‘advisory and information activities in the field of employment opportunities’.
Counselling for natural persons includes assessing personal aptitudes, abilities and skills and recommending employment, preparation for a future occupation, career choice and retraining. Information activities include, in particular, information on employment opportunities and vacancies.
The case law interprets the concept of employment mediation broadly.4 Advisory and information activities may include any activity aimed at helping a jobseeker obtain employment. Nor is it necessary for the adviser to actually connect the jobseeker with a specific employer. This may also include providing jobseekers registered in the register of jobseekers with information on employment opportunities abroad (for example, information on a vacancy, working conditions, remuneration for work, etc.).5
Why is the distinction between coaching and employment mediation important?
1) Employment agencies may carry on employment mediation only after obtaining a permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
2) Employment agencies may charge an employer for finding a suitable candidate; however, they may not charge the natural person for whom employment is being mediated. Thus, the employment mediation itself must be provided to the jobseeker free of charge.
What are the risks? If a service were formally described, for example, as a ‘coaching package’, but its actual focus consisted of employment mediation, it would constitute employment mediation. Without the relevant permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the coach would face a fine of up to CZK 2 million. The same fine applies if they were to request payment for the service from the client – the jobseeker – themselves.
Psychotherapy? Coaching? Employment mediation?
We provide several examples of services (products) and the authorisations required to provide them. Nevertheless, the focus of each service/product must be assessed, particularly in borderline cases.
Conclusion
Before setting up their offer, agreements and website, we recommend that coaches, psychotherapists and HR service providers verify whether they hold all authorisations required for the services offered.
What is the main objective of the service? What methods does the provider use? How is the service individualised? Is there contact with employers? Who pays for the service? Do the website, agreement and actual practice correspond to the same regime?
We would be pleased to advise you on reviewing the legal regime applicable to your business and setting up your services; please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Although the new regulated trade has been effective since 1 July 2026, the substantive scope of its two variants was not approved by the Government until 27 July 2026. As at the date of publication of this article, the amendment had not yet been promulgated in the Collection of Laws; this link therefore leads to the text of the amendment approved by the Government. It enters into force on the fifteenth day after its promulgation.
- For the field of psychological counselling and diagnostics: counselling activities focused in particular on overcoming an individual’s psychological problems and developing their personality, assessing aptitudes for the performance of professional activities and other activities requiring specific abilities and skills, and counselling and support in preparation for the performance of such activities, including restoring the ability to perform them. Assessment of the abilities of children and adults with regard to education and assessment of educational potential. Use of relaxation techniques in educational and psychological counselling. Counselling and support in achieving specific goals in various areas of life, particularly with regard to the mental aptitudes necessary to achieve such goals. Assistance to children and young people with behavioural disorders, assistance to persons with disabilities, marital, sports and other counselling. Psychological diagnostics (measurement and assessment of an individual’s mental characteristics, states, abilities and aptitudes).
For the field of counselling psychotherapy: comprehensive, intentional and planned counselling activities applying psychotherapeutic knowledge and skills in the form of consultations intended for individuals, couples and families. This is a set of activities comprising several or all related activities aimed at overcoming an individual’s personal problems and the resulting states of psychological discomfort, resolving relationship problems, resolving a crisis of values, building self-confidence, coping with changes in life and difficult life events, increasing perceptiveness, sensitivity and understanding of people, supporting and strengthening self-acceptance and self-esteem, preventing burnout, coping with stress and increasing resilience to it. The trade may also include organising courses and training, including the provision of lecturing services, in the field of psychology outside education at schools, preschools and educational facilities entered in the register of schools and educational facilities, education in Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degree programmes and lifelong learning programmes under special legislation. The substantive scope of the trade does not include the provision of health services under the law governing health services and the conditions for their provision. The substantive scope of the trade also does not include the provision of art therapy. - Decree No. 106/2026 Coll., laying down the content and minimum scope of the educational programme for acquiring professional competence to carry on the trade whose scope of business is ‘Provision of services in the field of counselling psychotherapy’.
- Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 19 November 2020, ref. No. 9 Ads 214/2020-28; judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 2 July 2014, ref. No. 6 Ads 68/2013-28.
- Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 2 July 2014, ref. No. 6 Ads 68/2013-28.