Since 17 December 2025, the Czech beneficial ownership register has not been freely accessible to the public. Obliged entities have a statutory route for client identification and due diligence, rather than unrestricted public searching.
Establish entitlement and purpose
The Beneficial Ownership Register Act permits remote access by an obliged entity in connection with client identification and due diligence under AML law. A commercial interest in owners is insufficient. Access concerns an entitled entity, an identified individual user and a statutory purpose.
Before buying a commercial database, establish the provider’s entitlement and data source. An automatically displayed entry may be neither a current register extract nor authorisation to use non-public information.
The practical route for obliged entities
The Ministry of Justice offers a special form for AML obliged entities following authentication and authorisation through the data-box system. It is intended to establish access quickly for automatically recognised applicants. Failed recognition alone does not establish that an applicant is not obliged; use the standard application and substantiate entitlement.
Section 17 requires the individual user’s identity to be ascertainable. The authorisation specified in an application can be time-limited, up to two years from establishment. Maintain staff access permissions when roles change or staff leave.
Client-supplied extracts
A registered legal entity can obtain its own extract after data-box verification. The competent court can also provide an extract. Requesting one from the client may be practical, but check the entity, currency and completeness of the document.
Failure of anonymous public searching does not exempt you from verifying beneficial ownership. Record technical difficulties and use an available legal route. An extract still needs at least one additional source where section 9(2)(b) applies.
Data protection and restricted cases
The extract is supplied for AML checks, not public publication. Limit access to people who need it for that purpose and retain it under AML rules. For information restricted under section 32, access differs by entitled category; an ordinary obliged entity does not necessarily have the same access as a bank, lawyer or notary.
Ministry guidance describes court access for the public with an established legitimate interest and expresses an analogy-based view for legal entities. Courts decide. Do not present it as an automatic public entitlement replacing obliged-entity access.
Practical steps
- Verify obliged-entity status and the query’s purpose.
- Use the current ministry form and identified users.
- Obtain an extract, record its date and compare another source.
- Maintain permissions and protect stored data.
Illustrative scenario
An accounting company establishes authorised access for a worker performing client checks and stores the extract in a restricted client file.
When the situation differs
An office publishes full non-public extracts online because it obtained them during AML checks.
What to document
- Legal access basis and user authorisation.
- Extract source, date and entity identifier.
- Technical limitations and the alternative lawful route used.
Common pitfalls
- Claiming the register remains openly public.
- Treating a commercial record as a current complete extract.
- Sharing access without identifying individual users.
Frequently asked questions
Does closing public access end AML checks?
No. Statutory due diligence continues and entitled access routes remain available.
Can the public obtain any extract?
There is no open access. Limited court access involves legitimate interest and a court decision.
Put this guidance into practice
Choose a record for the step you are working on. Adapt it to your profession and actual case.
Complete client information online
Where to go next
- Beneficial owners: establish first, then verify — Distinguish identifying a beneficial owner, verifying identity and substantiating why the person owns or controls the company.
- ARES, the commercial register and the beneficial ownership register — Combine basic company data, representative authority and ultimate ownership without creating false assurance.
Sources and legal references
- Zákon č. 253/2008 Sb. — aktuální znění e-Sbírky ↗
§ 9 odst. 2 písm. b); § 16 · accessed 2026-10-04 - Zákon č. 37/2021 Sb. — aktuální znění e-Sbírky ↗
§ 12; § 15–17; § 32 · accessed 2026-10-04 - Ministerstvo spravedlnosti: aktuální nápověda evidence skutečných majitelů ↗
Přístup k údajům v evidenci; dálkový přístup · accessed 2026-10-04
Editorial work and source checks are not independent legal approval of your particular process. Compare the conditions and exceptions with your own circumstances.