Relevant authority: Department of Economy of Osijek-Baranja County in the place of the craft business’ registered office – Osijek, Beli Manastir, Donji Miholjac, Đakovo, Našice, Valpovo

Craft

Within the meaning of the provisions of the Crafts Act, craft refers to the independent and permanent performance of permitted economic activities by natural persons, with the purpose of generating income or profit through activities performed in the market in the area of production, transport or provision of services. Registering a new craft business, terminating a craft business and any status changes relating to a craft are entered in the Crafts Register by adopting a decision in an administrative procedure and issuing a licence for a craft.

Establishing a craft business:

The application for registration in the Crafts Register is submitted by filling out the prescribed form – Application for Registration in the Crafts Register, which contains data on the craft business owner, the craft business and the craft business activities in accordance with the National Classification of Activities (NKD 2007).

Applications may be submitted:

• in person, by visiting the relevant administrative authority
• through the e-Craft (e-Obrt) online service
• through the START online service.

e-Craft – online application for registering a craft business

The e-Craft e-service (e-Obrt) is provided by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development through the e-Citizens system, and can be used by current or future artisans to file an application to set up a craft business or to enter status changes without having to visit the registration authority. After the procedure has been carried out, the artisan receives their artisan’s licence, a decision on setting up a craft business and an extract from the Crafts Register via their personal user inbox.

START – online application for registering a craft business

Entrepreneurs in Croatia can also start their business or business establishment through START - a digital service run by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. This information system allows users to quickly and easily start a business online.

To log in, users require credentials, for which they need an electronic identity card or a FINA (Financial Agency) certificate.

EU nationals can log into the e-Citizens system in the Republic of Croatia by using their national credentials, i.e. a means used to confirm their electronic identity, recognised in the EU cross-border identification system.

Within the meaning of the Crafts Act, craft businesses can take the form of:

• free-form craft businesses that do not require any professional qualification, an artisan’s or appropriate qualification,
• conditional craft businesses that require a professional qualification, secondary education or an artisan’s qualification,
• licensed craft businesses that can operate only on the basis of a licence issued, for example, by the relevant ministry depending on the activity of the craft business.

An application for registration must be accompanied by the following documents and evidence:

• identification document (identity card, presented for inspection)
• academic certificate or qualification certificate, or certificate of having passed the artisan’s examination (for conditional craft businesses), for the craft business owner or a trained person if the owner does not meet the conditions for setting up a conditional craft business
• proof of the right to use premises / living spaces – commercial lease agreement or land registry extract and consent from the owner
• proof of meeting specific health requirements, if so prescribed by special law
• partnership agreement, if the craft business is run by more than one person.

Before starting a craft business in the commercial, hospitality and transport sectors, artisans must seek approval of compliance with the minimum technical requirements for the premises and equipment they intend to use, as well as with other requirements prescribed by law, and hold a decision on compliance with the requirements (authorisation), or a duly issued licence.

Cottage industries and secondary occupations

Under the provisions of the Crafts Act, it is possible to have an economic activity and provide services without registering a craft business, namely in the form of a cottage industry or secondary occupation, based on an authorisation and being entered in the Records of Cottage Industries and Secondary Occupations.

Cottage industry: manufacture of products by a natural person working at home and relying on their own efforts; the application should include the products to be manufactured by the cottage industry.

Secondary occupation: performance of service activities at home, relying on one’s own efforts, or at the property of the client. Requirement: a professional qualification, appropriate secondary vocational education or an artisan’s qualification for the activity included in the list of conditional craft businesses.

In addition to the application for registration, the following documents and evidence are provided for the Records:

• identification document (identity card, presented for inspection)
• academic certificate or qualification certificate, or certificate of having passed the artisan’s examination, for the applicant (for the activities included in the list of conditional craft businesses)
• land registry extract and consent from the owner of the facility in which the cottage industry or secondary occupation is established, namely the place of permanent or temporary residence of the natural person performing the cottage industry or secondary occupation activity.

Activity of a childminder

Requirement: natural person – artisan in the Crafts Register as a registered childminder, entered in the directory of childminders, with premises / a living space and equipment that meet the conditions for performing the activity of a childminder in accordance with special regulations.

The application for a decision on performing the activity of a childminder must be accompanied by the following evidence:

• extract from the Crafts Register
• proof of the right to use the living space or premises: land registry extract or commercial lease agreement (concluded for a minimum period of three years)
• written consent from all owners, certified by a notary public (for the premises)
• written consent from all adult members of the household, certified by a notary public (for the living space)
• certificate of serviceability of electrical installations, ventilation, gas installations, wholesomeness of the drinking water, and other evidence (as determined by the committee).

Administrative fee:
No administrative fee is charged for registration in the Crafts Register or for issuing the authorisation for a cottage industry, secondary occupation or activity of a childminder.

Legal basis:
- Crafts Act (Official Gazette No 143/13, 127/19 i 41/20)
- Rules on conditional and licensed craft businesses and the issuing of licences (Official Gazette No 42/08, 114/11 i 143/13)
- Decision on the national classification of activities − NKD 2007 (Official Gazette No 58/07 i 72/07)
- Rules on traditional or artistic crafts (Official Gazette No 112/07).
- Act on childminders (Official Gazette No 37/13 i 98/19)

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Portal of the Crafts Register of the Republic of Croatia

Forms