How to Obtain Electrical Qualifications in 2026: The Procedure under NV 194/2022 (+ Exam Dates in Brno)

Vyhláška 50 is still the term most commonly used by people looking for electrical qualifications. Legally, however, it has not been in force since 1 July 2022. It was replaced by zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. and nařízení vlády č. 194/2022 Sb., which define professional competence under Sections 4, 6, 7 and 8.

This article is a practical guide to obtaining electrical qualifications for the first time under the current rules: which forms of education are recognised, when experience must be documented, how the exam works and who issues your certificate. If you already hold a qualification and need to renew it, continue to our article on renewing and retaking electrical competence examinations. If you would first like to understand the differences between the qualification levels, see our overview of professional competence in electrical engineering.

Quick answer

Electrical qualifications are no longer obtained under vyhláška 50, but primarily under zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. and NV č. 194/2022 Sb. The most common route to independent work is qualification as an electrician under Section 6: applicants must be at least 18 years old, have full legal capacity, be medically fit, hold a recognised professional qualification, have the experience required for the relevant risks, complete workplace training and pass both the written and oral parts of an examination before a three-member board. At least 80% is required in each part. Certificates under Sections 6 and 7 are valid for three years. An inspection technician under Section 8 must also hold a TIČR certificate valid for five years.

Section 6 and Section 7 exams in Brno: open sessions are scheduled regularly — current dates are on the Electrical training and examinations page. For a new electrician, the fee is CZK 2,500 per person excluding VAT and includes training, an examination before a three-member board chaired by an inspection technician, and the certificate. Online re-examination after three years costs CZK 1,400 per person excluding VAT. For urgent requirements and groups of at least two people, we can arrange an individual online date. Details and registration: Electrical training and examinations · tel. +420 724 689 762.

Which legislation governs electrical qualifications today

The former vyhláška č. 50/1978 Sb. was repealed on 1 July 2022. Its well-known “paragraphs”—people often boasted of having “a six” or “an eight”—disappeared with it. Two regulations now play the central role:

• Zákon č. 250/2021 Sb., o bezpečnosti práce v souvislosti s provozem vyhrazených technických zařízení (VTZ) – this sets out personal eligibility requirements, the examination framework, time limits and the obligations of employers and businesses. This article uses the current wording effective from 1 November 2025.
• Nařízení vlády č. 194/2022 Sb. (as amended by č. 175/2024 Sb., effective from 1 July 2024) – this specifies the detailed requirements for professional competence, training, examinations and individual qualification levels.

For completeness, the scopes of electrical competence—E1A, E2B and so on, defining voltage and type of environment—are set out separately in NV č. 190/2022 Sb. on designated electrical equipment. Inspections of lightning protection systems, for example, fall within scope E3A.

So when someone says today that they “need electrical paragraphs”, they are actually referring to professional competence under Section 4, 6, 7 or 8 of NV 194/2022. Let us look at each of them.

Four levels of professional competence

The current system recognises four levels of professional competence for work on electrical equipment. Each corresponds to a different level of responsibility:

1. Instructed person (Section 4 of NV 194/2022) – may independently operate electrical equipment and perform specified work, while more demanding activities may only be carried out under the supervision of a skilled person. They do not take a formal examination under Section 9 before an examination board, but must receive instruction and have their knowledge verified by a skilled person.
2. Electrician (Section 6 of NV 194/2022) – may work independently on electrical equipment. They must pass an examination before a three-member board.
3. Senior electrician (Section 7 of NV 194/2022) – may also manage work, manage operations and design designated electrical equipment, provided that the design work is not subject to authorisation under another legal regulation.
4. Inspection technician (Section 8 of NV 194/2022) – may inspect designated electrical equipment within the scope of their valid TIČR certificate.

The old jargon of “I have a five” or “I have a six” came from the repealed regulation. Today, you are an electrician under Section 6, a senior electrician under Section 7 or an inspection technician under Section 8. A detailed comparison of the powers associated with each level is available in our article on professional competence. Here, we will focus on how to obtain the relevant level.

The simplest entry route: instructed person (Section 4)

If someone does not have an electrical engineering education but needs to work near electrical equipment or operate it within a permitted scope, they may qualify as an instructed person under Section 4 of NV 194/2022. This is not a formal Section 9 examination before a three-member board, but the person’s knowledge must still be verified.

How does it work? The employer arranges training covering occupational health and safety regulations for work on electrical equipment, the sources and causes of risks, and first aid for electric shock. After the training, an authorised skilled person verifies the participant’s knowledge and prepares a signed record. A score of at least 80% correct answers is required to pass.

The employer determines the content and extent of the instruction. The record specifies when it must be repeated—no later than after three years under Section 19(3)(b) of zákon 250/2021. The training must therefore be repeated periodically.

This is the quickest route for a cleaner working in a switchgear room, a machine operator handling equipment with electrical components or a temporary worker on a construction site. However, an instructed person cannot independently work on live electrical installations—that requires qualification as an electrician.

Becoming an electrician (Section 6), step by step

An electrician under Section 6 of NV 194/2022 is the first level of skilled person authorised to work independently. The certificate is not a universal licence for every type of electrical work, however. Its scope must correspond to the actual activities, voltage and environment involved.

Step 1: Determine the required scope

First, clarify what the person will actually do: installation, maintenance, repairs, measurements or, for example, work on lightning protection systems. The scope is also determined by voltage and whether the work concerns premises with or without an explosion hazard. The examination board may restrict the certificate to the activities actually performed.

Step 2: Meet the personal eligibility requirements

Under Section 19 of zákon č. 250/2021 Sb., an applicant for Section 6 or Section 7 qualification must:

• be at least 18 years old,
• have full legal capacity,
• be medically fit for the activities performed.

Step 3: Document your professional qualification

Recognised routes include, in particular:

1. Secondary or higher vocational education in electrical engineering within field group 26 – Elektrotechnika, telekomunikační a výpočetní technika.
2. University education in electrical engineering.
3. Other education whose content meets the requirements for electrical engineering education; if this is not clear from the certificate, confirmation from the school or Ministerstvo školství may be required.
4. A duly obtained complete vocational qualification published in Národní soustava kvalifikací within the relevant field group.

Be wary of courses advertised simply as a “vyhláška 50 retraining course”. A course is an educational process; it does not automatically constitute a complete vocational qualification. Before enrolling, check the exact qualification code, the final examination and the document you will actually receive. A certificate of course attendance alone does not satisfy the education requirement.

For Section 6 only, after assessing the risks, the responsible person may also recognise an individual vocational qualification under Section 6(7) of NV 194/2022. Such a certificate is limited to precisely specified activities, voltages of no more than 1 kV AC or 1.5 kV DC, premises without an explosion hazard, and a specific legal entity or self-employed person. This exception is not sufficient for a senior electrician under Section 7.

Step 4: Determine the required experience and supervision

There is no single fixed nationwide period of experience for an electrician under Section 6. The minimum experience is set by the responsible person in the local operational safety regulations, taking into account the person’s education, intended activities and assessed risks.

For someone without electrical engineering experience, these regulations must require supervision by a skilled person with at least two years of experience for a period of at least one year. However, the regulation does not expressly state that the full year must always be completed before the examination. The responsible person must therefore define the exact procedure, permitted activities and method of recording experience in writing beforehand and align them with the examination board’s requirements.

Step 5: Complete workplace training and prepare the documents

The training must reflect the actual scope of work. It covers safety regulations, first aid for electric shock, working and technological procedures, risks associated with specific equipment, and local operating instructions.

Depending on the circumstances, applicants must present the original or an officially certified copy of their qualification certificate, evidence of experience and, where applicable, confirmation from their school or MŠMT before the examination. The restricted route under Section 6(7) also requires written documentation from the responsible person.

Step 6: Pass both the written and oral parts

The examination consists of:

1. a written test containing at least ten questions,
2. an oral interview focusing on the test result, technical issues, procedures and risks.

Applicants may proceed to the oral part only after passing the written test. They must achieve at least 80% correct answers in both the written and oral parts. The examination takes place before a three-member board; its chair is responsible for the examination process and the accuracy of the certificate.

Step 7: Check the issued certificate

The certificate is not automatically issued by the employer, nor can a self-employed person issue one to themselves. It is issued by the chair of the examination board on behalf of the legal entity or self-employed person with whom the examination is taken. It must correctly define the scope of professional competence. It is valid for three years.

The price and duration of preparation are not set by law. They vary depending on the provider, the applicant’s existing qualifications and the scope of the examination.

Senior electrician (Section 7)

A senior electrician under Section 7 of NV 194/2022 must hold a professional qualification under Section 2(a), complete workplace training and pass the examination under Section 9. The restricted route based solely on an individual vocational qualification under Section 6(7) is not sufficient for Section 7. Applicants also need documented experience, for which the regulation establishes fixed minimum periods based on scope:

• 2 years for scopes E2A and E3A,
• 3 years for E1A, E2B and E3B,
• 4 years for E1B.

Of this, at least one year must involve equipment of the relevant type and voltage. Before the examination, experience is documented by an employer’s confirmation or a statutory declaration. It is advisable to specify the period, job title, equipment type, voltage range, activities performed, and environment A or B.

The wording of Section 7 does not expressly list prior possession of a Section 6 certificate as a separate formal requirement. However, the applicant must document relevant professional experience acquired under a legally permitted working arrangement and meet all other conditions. In normal practice, this experience is usually gained while working as an electrician under Section 6.

The certificate is issued by the chair of the examination board and is valid for three years. A senior electrician may perform the activities of an electrician, manage work, manage operations and design designated electrical equipment only if the design work is not subject to authorisation under another legal regulation. Section 7 alone does not authorise a person to inspect designated electrical equipment.

Inspection technician (Section 8) – the top of the pyramid

An inspection technician under Section 8 of NV 194/2022 holds the highest qualification level. To qualify, a person must first be a senior electrician—meaning they must meet the education requirements, pass the Section 9 examination and have the experience described above. The law also requires inspection technicians to have experience appropriate to their intended scope:

• for E1A and E2A: 4 years,
• for E3A: 2 years,
• for E1B and E2B: 4 years for type A and 1 year for type B,
• for E3B: 2 years for type A and 1 year for type B.

Most importantly, they must obtain a valid inspection certificate. It is issued by TIČR (Technická inspekce České republiky) as the authorised organisation and is valid for five years. Only an inspection technician holding a valid certificate for the relevant scope may inspect designated electrical equipment.

If your company needs inspections, see our electrical inspection service—we can handle the entire process.

Who issues your qualification certificate

This practical detail causes a great deal of confusion. The answer depends on the qualification level:

• Electrician (Section 6) and senior electrician (Section 7): The examination is arranged by a legal entity or self-employed person for people who perform the relevant work for them. A self-employed person must arrange the examination for themselves. However, the examination always takes place before the appropriate three-member board, and the certificate is issued by the chair of the board on behalf of the entity with which the examination is held. A self-employed person cannot examine themselves without a board or issue their own certificate. The examination may take place within the company or with an external provider, whose registered business activities must include the provision of training and examinations or knowledge assessment.
• Inspection technician (Section 8): The certificate is issued exclusively by TIČR. This is the one case where you really do go to an “authority”—or, more precisely, to an authorised organisation.

Employers therefore have a clear obligation: under Section 3 of NV 194/2022, they must ensure that only professionally competent persons work on electrical equipment. They must also provide periodic training for persons under Sections 4, 6 and 7 in accordance with their internal regulations or, if no such regulations exist, at least once a year.

A personal certificate is not a business authorisation

A certificate for an electrician under Section 6 or a senior electrician under Section 7 confirms the professional competence of a specific individual. By itself, however, it does not authorise a company or self-employed person to provide installation, repair, inspection or testing services involving designated electrical equipment.

To carry out these activities, a business entity must hold the appropriate authorisation under Sections 7 to 9 of zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. and Section 5 of NV č. 190/2022 Sb. Under the current law, this authorisation is valid for ten years. Inspections additionally require the inspection technician to hold a personal certificate for the relevant scope. These are therefore three distinct matters: the worker’s personal competence, the business entity’s authorisation and, for inspections, the inspection technician’s certificate.

What about the former vyhláška 50?

The former categories under vyhláška č. 50/1978 Sb. were temporarily converted to their corresponding new levels. For ordinary qualifications under Sections 5 to 8, however, the former regulation required re-examination at least once every three years. Consequently, the last such examination taken before the regulation was repealed on 1 July 2022 could, without a subsequent re-examination, cover no later than the period ending on 30 June 2025.

By July 2026, ordinary professional competence can therefore no longer be maintained solely with the original certificate issued before 1 July 2022. A separate transitional regime under Section 24 of zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. may apply to former inspection technician certificates and business authorisations. You can find more information about renewal in our article on the validity of electrical qualifications.

Also be wary of “vyhláška” retraining courses. Not every course leads to a complete vocational qualification recognised under Section 2(a) of NV 194/2022. What matters is the exact qualification code, the required examinations and the resulting certificate—not the course’s marketing name. Even a duly obtained complete vocational qualification does not replace the examination under Section 9.

NV 194/2022, section by section: what each provision covers

The certificate’s scope is determined by voltage—up to 1 kV AC or 1.5 kV DC, or without limitation—and by whether the environment has an explosion hazard (Section 6(5)). The examination board may restrict it based on the activities actually performed (Section 6(6)).

When it makes sense to arrange it through SOHE

We most often help companies that need to place their staff in the correct compliance regime quickly and with proper documentation: newly hired maintenance workers, manufacturers with in-house electrical maintenance, employees working near switchboards, or self-employed people who need to renew a certificate and align its scope with their actual work.

Before the training, we ask you to provide existing certificates, a description of the workplace, the scope of activities, and information on whether the person is to qualify as an instructed person, electrician or senior electrician. Based on this, we recommend the appropriate preparation, examination scope and documents you will need for an inspection.

How SOHE can help

At SOHE, we are technicians, not lawyers. We understand what electrical competence means in practice—from the screwdriver to the inspection report. For companies and individuals in Brno and throughout the Czech Republic, we provide:

• Training and exam preparation for all qualification levels, from instructed persons to senior electricians, including first aid and practice tests.
• Instruction for persons under Section 4 – delivered quickly, with a complete written record and clearly defined scope.
• Examinations at your company – we arrange a three-member examination board chaired by an inspection technician.
• Electrical equipment inspections – carried out by our own inspection technicians.
• Section 6 or Section 7 examination for a new electrician – workplace training, examination before a board and certificate for CZK 2,500 per person excluding VAT.
• Re-examination after three years – online for CZK 1,400 per person excluding VAT.
• Dates – open sessions in Brno (current dates on the Electrical training and examinations page); individual online dates for groups of at least two people; and on-site sessions at your company by arrangement.

See our Electrical training and examinations or send us a no-obligation enquiry. We will get back to you and arrange a solution tailored to your needs.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an electrical engineering education to become an electrician? Not necessarily. In addition to a traditional electrical engineering secondary school or university faculty, you may have completed another field whose content meets the requirements for electrical engineering education, or hold a complete vocational qualification from Národní soustava kvalifikací (see the five routes under Section 2(a) of NV 194/2022).

How many years of experience do I need to become an electrician? There is no single fixed period for Section 6. The responsible person determines the exact duration in the local operational safety regulations based on the risks involved. For someone without experience, they must require at least one year of supervision by a skilled person who has at least two years of experience. The regulation does not expressly state that the full year must always precede the examination, so the exact procedure must be defined in writing beforehand and aligned with the examination board.

Where do I take the examination—at a government office? The Section 6 and Section 7 examination is arranged by the employer. A self-employed person must arrange it for themselves, for example through a qualified external provider. It always takes place before a three-member board, and the certificate is issued by its chair on behalf of the entity with which the examination is held. Inspection technician certificates are issued by TIČR.

Is a “vyhláška 50 retraining course” sufficient? Not automatically. A certificate confirming course attendance alone is not enough. Check whether the outcome will genuinely be a complete vocational qualification in the relevant group within Národní soustava kvalifikací, what its code is and which examinations you must pass. You must then take the examination under Section 9 of NV 194/2022 separately.

What if I only have an old certificate under vyhláška 50? For ordinary qualifications under Sections 5 to 8, the former regulation required re-examination at least once every three years. In 2026, the original certificate issued before 1 July 2022 is therefore no longer sufficient without a subsequent re-examination. Former inspection technician certificates and business authorisations may be subject to a different transitional regime. Details are available in our article on re-examination.

Is a personal Section 6 or Section 7 certificate enough for a self-employed person to take on electrical contracts? Not always. If a self-employed person or company provides installation, repair, inspection or testing services involving designated electrical equipment, it needs the appropriate business authorisation in addition to its workers’ personal qualifications. Inspections also require the relevant inspection technician certificate.

Sources used for this article

The legal position was verified as of 21 July 2026. NV č. 194/2022 Sb. and NV č. 190/2022 Sb. are used in the wording effective from 1 July 2024; zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. is used in the wording effective from 1 November 2025.

• Electrical training and examinations – a SOHE service.
• Education (Section 2), competence levels, instructed person (Section 4), electrician (Section 6), senior electrician (Section 7), inspection technician (Section 8), training and examination (Section 9): nařízení vlády č. 194/2022 Sb.
• Repeal of vyhláška 50/1978, validity of a skilled person’s certificate (three years, Section 19(2)), inspection technician’s certificate (five years, Section 11(3)), repetition of instruction (Section 19(3)) and arrangement of examinations by the employer (Section 19(4)): zákon č. 250/2021 Sb.
• Designated electrical equipment and scopes E1A–E3B: nařízení vlády č. 190/2022 Sb.
• Complete vocational qualifications and their exact requirements: Národní soustava kvalifikací, for example Elektrikář 26-99-H/08
• Practical information from the state inspectorate: SÚIP – odborná způsobilost v elektrotechnice
• Public register of inspection technicians and professionally competent persons: Technická inspekce České republiky

This article is intended as a general practical overview, not as binding legal advice. The appropriate scope of activities, experience, supervision and authorisations must always be assessed based on the workplace, equipment and identified risks.

Are you working out how to obtain or supplement electrical qualifications within your company? We can prepare your staff from instructed-person training through to electrician examinations and also provide inspections of designated equipment. We operate in Brno and throughout the Czech Republic.

• Electrical training and examinations – instruction and exam preparation
• Electrical inspections – inspections of designated electrical equipment
• No-obligation enquiry

Email info@sohe.cz or call +420 724 689 762.