Everything you need to know about the Czech Datová schránka
Who can get access to Datová schránka in the Czech Republic?
Datová schránka is available to the any residents of the Czech Republic, including:
- Individual residents of the country, including both Czech citizens and foreigners residing here on long-term visas, temporary residence permits, or permanent residence permits.
- Individual entrepreneurs (please note: Datová schránka for a private individual is separate from Datová schránka for an individual entrepreneur)
- Any legal entities registered in the country, including both private companies and state organizations.
In case Datová schránka is issued to a private individual or an individual entrepreneur, access can be requested by that individual directly. The onewhich is assigned to a legal entity can be requested by the director of the company.
How and where to obtain or restore access to Datová schránka?
Legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. Currently, a Datová schránka is automatically assigned to every Czech individual entrepreneur upon registration. Similarly, a Datová schránka is automatically generated and assigned to every director of a Czech legal entity. The access details are sent by post (including to addresses outside the country) to the individual entrepreneur’s or director's residential address. This process has been fully automatic and mandatory since 2009.
It is not uncommon for these letters to be lost or never arrive, especially if the delivery address is outside the Czech Republic. It is crucial to understand that once the Datová schránka access details have been generated and sent, the recipient is legally considered to have received them – even if they never physically arrived. Consequently, all state authorities may and will use this communication channel to send official requests as needed.
Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT to verify that you have successfully received your access details after becoming an individual entrepreneur or registering a legal entity.
Private individuals. The situation for private individuals is different as they are not required to have a personal Datová schránka and can obtain one if they wish. However, if you live in the Czech Republic, we highly recommend getting one, as it is an extremely useful tool. When applying for a Datová schránka as a private individual, the access details are typically issued at the time of the request. Therefore, the risk of them being lost is practically non-existent.
You can obtain or restore access to your Datová schránka at any Czech POINT location (for more information, check out our detailed guide on Czech POINT and its office locations), including:
- Any Czech post office branch
- Any city administration office (Městský úřad, Městská část)
- Any notary office nationwide
- Czech embassies and consulates (an excellent option for restoring your access remotely)
You need to visit these Czech POINT locations in person and bring your personal ID with you. Individual entrepreneurs and company directors do not need to bring company registration documents or extracts, as the Czech POINT staff will find all the necessary information in the official registries themselves. You will only need your personal ID to verify your identity.
While it is theoretically possible to obtain or restore access to Datová schránka using a power of attorney, this process involves certain complexities and requirements.
Is it possible to restore Datová schránka using a power of attorney?
Theoretically, it is possible – however, there are a few challenges. The main obstacles are logistical issues within the Czech Republic (which can be managed) and the greater difficulty of finding a person who is willing to perform this service based on a power of attorney.
In more detail:
- One needs to prepare and certify a power of attorney. For a private individual, obtaining or restoring access to Datová schránka is usually straightforward. However, for a Czech individual entrepreneur or a legal entity, the process must be executed at a Czech consulate, as notaries in other countries rarely certify the specific power of attorney required. In such cases, it is often easier to manage the entire recovery or issuance process directly at the consulate.
- Practical challenges arise during the actual process within the Czech Republic. Although the procedure via power of attorney is possible, staff at local offices are often unfamiliar with the process and the electronic systems responsible for these services are not designed to handle such cases.
- The most challenging problem is finding someone who will undertake this task. The issue is that a Czech Datová schránka has both an "owner" and a "user" with access rights. When access is restored or obtained via power of attorney, the person performing the action is registered as the "user" of the Datová schránka. This "user" then bears full legal responsibility for any documents submitted through it. Naturally, few people are willing to assume responsibility for submitting documents on behalf of someone else. For instance, if submitting accounting reports for a business, how can the “user” be absolutely certain that the information is accurate and there is no tax fraud involved? Therefore, finding an individual who agrees to become such a "user" is very difficult and is usually only possible within a circle of highly trusted, close individuals.
For those unable to travel to the country, we strongly advise restoring your Datová schránka directly at a Czech consulate – this is the most straightforward solution.
Can I restore access to Datová schránka without visiting the Czech Republic?
Yes, it is possible; the best way is to contact a Czech consulate or embassy, as most offer this service. Given the extensive global network of embassies and consulates, you will likely find one in a major city near your location. This is the recommended approach, as Czech consulates and embassies can directly issue or restore your access to Datová schránka on the spot. You only need to appear in person with your identification documents.
Please remember that non-residents of the country are not eligible to obtain a Datová schránka. For non-residents, the primary alternative is to act through a power of attorney – the specific requirements for this procedure are detailed in the section above.