Integrity means different things in different situations. It will be perceived differently if you are planning to apply for a trade licence and differently if you are applying for a job with the Police of the Czech Republic. In this article we will therefore tell you how it is viewed in each case.
If you are dealing with whether an older conviction is preventing you from working, running a business, or obtaining a license, we can help you evaluate the situation legally and suggest a course of action.
A person is generally considered to be of good character if they have not been convicted of a crime in the past. This is established by a criminal record. However, integrity has no uniform definition in Czech legislation. Thus, in one case a person may be considered blameless, while in another case he or she will not be considered blameless. Especially in sensitive sectors (e.g. security, education, health care), the requirements for integrity are stricter.
As we have already announced, criminal records are used to establish good character. The criminal record is the official registration system maintained by the Ministry of Justice. It contains details of people who have been convicted of criminal offences.
The stakes are high and it is not worth going through the criminal process without consulting an attorney. We will conduct a careful analysis of your case and propose a course of action for your criminal defense in which we will vigorously enforce your rights.
If you have a criminal record, it may not be forever. Expungement of a criminal record is done after a certain period of time and under specific conditions that vary depending on the type of sentence. For some sentences (such as probation or community service), expungement is automatic, while for non-probationary and alternative sentences (such as house arrest) you must request an expungement yourself. However, a certain period of time must first elapse during which you must lead a proper life (i.e. act in accordance with the law and social norms). Expungement is also possible on the basis of a presidential pardon or amnesty, but these are very exceptional situations.
Learn how to get out of court with probation.
Integrity affects a number of things, even quite ordinary ones. One of the main ones is when you are looking for a job. In some cases, your employer may ask you for a criminal record. It will have a greater impact if you are looking for a job with a legal requirement for good character or if you are planning to set up a trade or get a firearms licence.
| Area | What is typically assessed | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| Routine employment | whether a criminal record statement is really necessary for the job | the employer cannot automatically ask for it |
| Security forces | strict legal criteria, including previous convictions and sometimes other circumstances | you cannot join the service without meeting the conditions |
| Health professions | in particular the link between convictions and the health profession | may prevent the exercise of the profession |
| Teaching professions | high emphasis on integrity due to work with children | a conviction can be a barrier to work |
| Trade | connection of the offence with the business or line of business | may block obtaining or continuing a licence |
| Firearms licence | strict assessment of integrity and reliability under a specific law | may make it impossible to hold or obtain a licence |
Let’s look at each situation in more detail:
Most jobs do not require integrity. However, many employers require job applicants to have a criminal record. The law is clear on this, and says that you can only ask for a criminal record if the information is directly related to the job. Therefore, if it is an ordinary job, the employer should have a reason for this requirement.
If, for example, you are applying for a position where you will be handling money or expensive goods, then his request is appropriate. However, if you are applying for a position where the employer’s requirement does not make sense, then perhaps the employer is not really entitled to it. In this case, you can ask the employer to explain why he or she needs your criminal record statement. If he is unable to provide a meaningful reason, then he is not acting in accordance with the law.
This is because in this case, it is not information directly related to the performance of your job and the employer cannot ask you for it. So how to defend yourself? Report the employer to the Labour Inspectorate for discrimination. The Inspectorate will inspect the employer and if it finds that there is discrimination against job applicants, it may impose a fine. You can also consider an anti-discrimination claim. But in this case, get help from a lawyer.
Want to sue and not sure if you’ll win? We will assess your chances of success in court and propose a solution that will lead to the desired outcome.
Security forces include the Police of the Czech Republic, the Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic, the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic, the Prison Service of the Czech Republic, the Security Information Service (BIS), the Office for Foreign Relations and Information (ÚZSI) and the General Inspectorate of Security Forces (GIBS).
If you would like to become a member of one of these security forces, you must meet strict integrity requirements. These are regulated by the Law on the Service of Members of the Security Forces and stipulate that a citizen who has been:
It also provides that a citizen shall not be deemed to be of good character:
In the assessment of good character, no account shall be taken of the extinguishment of a conviction under a special legal provision or of a decision of the President of the Republic as a result of which the citizen shall be regarded as not having been convicted.
Read how alternative sentencing works in the form of a fine.
Even to practice as a healthcare professional, you must meet the integrity requirement. However, this is much more lenient than for the security forces. This condition applies to doctors, dentists, pharmacists and all other non-medical health professions such as nurses, midwives, pharmacists, etc.
A person shall be deemed to be of good repute for the exercise of these professions if he has not been finally convicted of, or shall be treated as if he had not been convicted of, an unconditional prison sentence for a deliberate offence committed in connection with the provision of health services.
Teaching staff must also meet the requirement of good character. A natural person shall not be considered to be of good repute if he has been convicted of any intentional or negligent offence in connection with the exercise of his activity as a teaching staff member, unless he is treated as if he had not been convicted.
Specific requirements of integrity are also found in a number of other professions, such as tax advisers, lawyers and solicitors, professional soldiers, hunters, social workers, police officers, etc.
If you think you can avoid the whole integrity issue by starting a business, we have bad news for you. When you set up a trade, your criminal record is also considered. One of the conditions for setting up a business is that you have a clean criminal record. A person is not considered to be of good character under the Trade Licensing Act if he or she has been convicted of a criminal offence committed intentionally, if the offence was committed in connection with the business or the business he or she is applying for or announcing, unless he or she is regarded as not having been convicted.
This means that you may have a criminal record, but not in the business for which you wish to apply for a trade licence. So if you were in business as an accountant and embezzled money, you are out of business in that area. On the other hand, if you want to change your trade and become a photographer, for example, there is no problem.
Mr Svoboda turned to us when he wanted to start his business again. He had been convicted of an economic crime related to a previous business and it was not clear whether this would prevent him from entering a new field, which was supposed to be completely different. He feared that because of his criminal record he would not be able to obtain a trade at all.
We first went over with him the nature of the original conviction, the current state of the case and the exact nature of the new business. We then assessed whether there was a legally relevant link between the criminal activity and the newly declared trade and prepared the basis for further action against the trade licensing authority.
In similar cases, it often turns out in practice that it is not the existence of the previous conviction itself that is decisive, but its relation to the specific business activity. Thanks to a correct legal assessment, unnecessary mistakes can be avoided from the outset.
Trade or employment? Try both! What are the advantages of such a combination and what can stand in your way of doing business? Find out in the next article.
Obtaining a firearms licence also carries with it a requirement of good character. This is regulated by the Arms and Ammunition Act. In terms of good character, the law is based primarily on the type and severity of the conviction and the length of time that has elapsed since the conviction. For example, a person who has been convicted of an offence for which an exceptional sentence may be imposed, or a person who has been convicted of a deliberate offence and the statutory period of time has not yet elapsed since the sentence was served, remitted or time-barred, is not considered to be of good repute. This can be up to 20 years for more serious convictions, and even longer for violent or weapons offences.
In addition, the law explicitly provides that the expungement of convictions or other cases where the offender is otherwise treated as if he or she had not been convicted shall not be taken into account in assessing good character.
In addition to integrity, reliability is also assessed. This is not met, for example, by a person whose prosecution for selected offences has been suspended or discharged in recent years, a person who has been drinking alcohol or abusing other addictive substances to excess, or a person who has been convicted repeatedly in the last three years of certain offences, in particular weapons, drugs, public order or property offences.
If you are required to get a criminal record statement from somewhere, then you will probably be wondering where to get one. You can get a criminal record extract conveniently online and for free in the CzechPOINT@home application. All you need is a data box.
You can also have the statement issued in person in paper form for a fee of CZK 100 at any Czech POINT branch. These can be found at the branches of the Czech Post or at municipal and town offices.
Criminal integrity is in practice a much broader topic than it seems at first sight. It is not only dealt with by the courts or the police, but also by employers, trade authorities, professional chambers or authorities deciding on firearms licences. That is why it is not enough to start from the simple idea that either “I have a clean record” or “I do not”.
The key is always to assess the specific legal regime. For ordinary employment, the main issue is the legitimacy of the requirement for a criminal record. For regulated professions, security forces or weapons, the rules are considerably stricter. For business, it is often decisive whether the previous conviction was related to the field you want to pursue.
It is also important not to underestimate the difference between the existence of a record, the obliteration of a conviction and special statutory rules. What helps in one area may not automatically be enough in another. Therefore, if you are unsure about the impact of your past on your job, business or getting a license, it pays to have the situation assessed individually and not just deal with it according to a generic leaflet from the internet.
No. It depends on what law you are being judged under and for what area you are addressing it.
He can’t. It must have a direct connection to a specific job.
Not always. In some special regimes, integrity is judged more strictly.
Not automatically. The decisive factor is the connection of the offence with the business or industry you want to operate.
Online via the state portal, typically using a data box, or in person at Czech POINT.
Yes. The law there sets much stricter conditions and longer decision periods.
Yes. This is a sensitive area for guns and new legislation will apply from 2026.
Were you charged and prosecuted? The stakes are really high and it doesn’t pay to go through the criminal process without consulting an attorney.
Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
In person and online. Just choose the appropriate service or opt for an independent consultation when you are unsure.
