Lifts in apartment buildings: which inspections and tests the SVJ board must monitor and what belongs in the lift logbook

The short answer: A passenger lift in an apartment building is designated lifting equipment of Class II under nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb., and its operator is the SVJ, not the service company. Three different procedures must be monitored: a professional inspection by the service company every four months (every three months for Category II lifts), a professional test by a testing technician once every three years and an inspection by an independent inspection body for the first time nine years after commissioning and then every six years. Tests, inspections by inspection bodies and the elimination of operational risks are recorded in the lift logbook, which is held by the owner or operator; professional inspections are recorded in the service company’s professional inspection logbook. Information valid as of 28 August 2026.

The service company makes its visits, the invoices arrive and the lift keeps running—and the board only starts paying attention when someone gets trapped inside or a modernisation quote arrives referring to an inspection report that nobody has read. Yet the regulations state precisely who may do what, how often and where it must be recorded.

The lift in the building is designated lifting equipment and the SVJ is its operator

Under § 3 odst. 1 písm. c) nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb., designated lifting equipment includes lifts intended to carry people, people and goods, or goods only, as well as vertical lifting platforms that are permanent parts of buildings, have a load capacity exceeding 100 kg and a lifting height exceeding 2 m. A passenger lift in a prefabricated apartment block or tenement building meets these criteria and, under § 4 odst. 2 písm. b), belongs to Class II. The certificate issued by an authorised organisation upon commissioning, which § 6 odst. 1 písm. b) zákona č. 250/2021 Sb. requires for Class I equipment, therefore does not apply. A stairlift for a wheelchair-using neighbour is not designated equipment (§ 3 odst. 2 písm. n)).

Under § 20 odst. 1 zákona č. 250/2021 Sb., the operator is the legal entity operating the equipment—in other words, the SVJ, even if it has a service contract. Nařízení vlády č. 366/2013 Sb. lists inspections of a building’s shared technical equipment among building management activities in § 7 písm. b). The service company keeps the lift operational, but responsibility for meeting deadlines and addressing defects remains with the association. Under § 10 odst. 1 nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb., the operator appoints an authorised person acting under written authorisation, arranges inspections and tests within the prescribed intervals, and adopts corrective measures to eliminate defects and minimise operational risks. Under § 12 odst. 1, the authorised person “must be properly trained”, with the scope and frequency of training specified in writing by the operator. In practice, this is a board member or property manager—and after an accident, proof of their authorisation and training is often the first document found to be missing.

A professional inspection, professional test and inspection by an inspection body are not the same thing

Příloha č. 2 of the regulation, in point 1.2, defines terms that are often confused on invoices:

• Professional inspection — an inspection of the lift and a functional test of its safety elements and components to assess its overall condition. It is performed by a qualified service employee of the service company and recorded in the professional inspection logbook.
• Professional test — a periodic test verifying the lift’s function and fitness for continued operation, including its electrical equipment. It is performed by a testing technician employed by the service company who is qualified as an inspection technician and holds a certificate bearing the distinguishing mark Z. This is the procedure commonly referred to in Czech as a “revize výtahu”.
• Inspection by an inspection body — an assessment of the technical condition by an inspection body, including an evaluation of operational risks and the specification of structural measures to eliminate them. It is not performed by the service company; according to guidance on ČSN 27 4007, it must be performed by an independent Type A inspection body accredited for lifts.

One detail relevant when reading older documents: until 30 June 2024, the regulation referred to the third procedure as a “kontrola” by an inspection body. Nařízení vlády č. 175/2024 Sb. aligned the term with the standards as of 1 July 2024, changing it to “inspekční prohlídka”. A 2023 contract may therefore use the term “kontrola” while referring to the same procedure.

Intervals under příloha č. 2 nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb.

Two rules apply across the table. Under § 7 odst. 1, shorter intervals specified in the accompanying documentation take precedence—the manufacturer’s instructions may shorten an interval but cannot extend it. And the “no more than two weeks” tolerance is a contingency for situations such as a technician’s illness, not extra time to build into the schedule.

A change that many boards are unaware of concerns the 2014 edition of ČSN 27 4002, which required operational inspections to be performed by a lift supervisor from within the building. According to guidance on the October 2018 edition, the standard abolished both operational inspections and the role of lift supervisor. However, Annex B still divides basic tasks for maintaining operability between the operator and the service company. Your contract should specify which tasks fall to you.

What “a lift in operation before 1 April 1999” means and why it has shorter intervals

The regulation does not define Categories I and II—the dividing date is established by ČSN 27 4002 (Bezpečnostní předpisy pro výtahy – Provoz a servis výtahů), whose current edition dates from October 2018. Older editions divided lifts according to whether they were commissioned before or after 1 January 1993. According to guidance on the 2018 edition, the dividing date was moved to 1 April 1999, meaning that lifts commissioned between 1993 and 1999 moved into Category II and became subject to three-month inspection intervals in apartment buildings. Ask the service company to confirm the category and compare it with the commissioning date in the lift logbook.

An old lift is not automatically unlawful. Under § 3 odst. 5 zákona č. 250/2021 Sb., until the equipment is reconstructed, its condition is assessed under the regulations in force when it was commissioned. This is precisely why inspections by inspection bodies exist—they compare a lift from the 1980s with current expectations for lift safety. Under příloha č. 2 bodu 1.2 písm. i), the “safe lift standard” means a condition without high- or medium-level operational risks under the relevant standard, namely ČSN EN 81-80 ed. 2 from August 2020. The inspection report does not simply say whether the lift may or may not operate. Instead, it identifies which risks are high, medium or low, providing the basis for a multi-year repair plan.

What belongs in the lift logbook and what to ask the service company to show you

Under příloha č. 2 bodu 1.2 písm. k), the lift logbook is a document containing the lift’s basic technical details and records of the post-installation test, conformity assessment, tests following substantial modifications, professional tests, inspections by inspection bodies and the elimination of operational risks by the owner or operator. It belongs to the association, not the service company—when changing service providers, you take possession of it together with the lift. ČSN 27 4002 provides a five-part template in Annex A: A.1 basic details, completed by the supplier; A.2 and A.3 post-installation testing; A.4 conformity assessment, substantial modifications and inspections by inspection bodies; and A.5 operational records, completed by the owner or operator. The professional inspection logbook is a separate document, with a template in Annex C. It is maintained by the service company and, according to guidance on the 2018 edition, may also be electronic.

Before signing off on the next annual service invoice, ask for the following documents and information to be put on the table:

1. the commissioning date (part A.1) — the nine-year period before the first inspection by an inspection body starts from this date;
2. the latest professional test report and the date of the next test; under § 9 of the regulation, it must include a list of defects and the regulations they breach, a list of hazards and a written assessment stating whether the lift meets safe operating requirements, has other defects or is unsatisfactory;
3. the latest inspection report and a record of which risks have already been eliminated (parts A.4 and A.5);
4. the authorised person’s written authorisation, proof of their training, the service company’s authorisation and the testing technician’s certificate—§ 20 odst. 2 zákona č. 250/2021 Sb. requires tests to be performed only by persons holding the relevant authorisation and certificate;
5. how emergency communication from the car works — under příloha č. 3 bodu 5.3.2, the operator must ensure immediate communication with passengers through a permanently staffed control centre or remote monitoring service. When a service contract is terminated, this is often the first function to stop working.

There is also § 7 odst. 4 of the regulation: the operator or a person authorised by the operator in writing “must be demonstrably informed without delay” of the outcome of a repair, inspection or test. The authorised person’s signature below the entry proves that the board knew about the defect.

What to do when a test or inspection identifies a defect or operational risk

The regulations distinguish between three situations. If a hazardous situation directly endangers people’s health, the operator must “immediately take the lift out of service” under § 10 odst. 1 písm. b) of the regulation. Defects identified during testing that endanger safe operation must be remedied without undue delay under § 20 odst. 5 zákona č. 250/2021 Sb. Other defects “must be remedied” by deadlines set by the operator—the board should record and monitor them. Operational risks identified by an inspection body provide the basis for the maintenance and repair plan (§ 10 odst. 1 písm. f)). Eliminating them often constitutes a substantial modification of the lift, which may only be carried out by an authorised holder (§ 5 odst. 2) and must be followed by an extraordinary test and an entry in the lift logbook. This gives the owners’ meeting a clear plan: address high-level risks first, followed by medium-level risks.

What not to do: common mistakes made by SVJ boards

• Assume that “the service company takes care of it”. The SVJ is the operator; the lift logbook is your document.
• Mistake a professional inspection for a statutory test. Four entries per year do not amount to a professional test—the latter has a three-year cycle and its own report.
• Fail to know the commissioning date. Without it, you cannot determine when the first inspection by an inspection body is due or which category the lift belongs to.
• Appoint the authorised person only verbally. Saying “Karel is in charge of the lifts” does not replace the written authorisation required by § 10 odst. 1 písm. a).
• Order the inspection from your own service company. It must be performed by an independent inspection body. An offer stating “we can do the inspection too” is a reason to ask who exactly will perform it.
• Fail to take possession of the documentation when changing service providers. The lift logbook, professional inspection logbook, manufacturer’s instructions and latest reports stay with the lift, not the company.

Frequently asked questions

How often must a lift in an apartment building undergo a statutory inspection?

The regulations do not use the Czech term “revize” for lifts. In a building with restricted public access, a professional inspection is required every four months for Category I or every three months for Category II, a professional test is required once every three years, and an inspection by an inspection body is required for the first time nine years after commissioning and then every six years (příloha č. 2 nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb.).

Does an SVJ need an authorised person if it has a service contract?

Yes. § 10 odst. 1 písm. a) nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb. requires the operator to appoint an authorised person in writing, while § 12 odst. 1 requires that person to be trained to the extent specified in writing by the operator. The service company is not the operator and does not replace this role.

What if the service company missed the deadline?

Příloha č. 2 permits an overrun of two weeks for a professional inspection, six months for a professional test and three months for an inspection by an inspection body. Once these periods have elapsed, operating the lift without a documented report completed within the prescribed interval constitutes a threat to operational safety under § 20 odst. 3 písm. a) zákona č. 250/2021 Sb. Arrange the overdue procedure as soon as possible and record why the delay occurred.

The lift dates from 1985 and has never been inspected by an inspection body. What now?

Arrange an inspection with an inspection body and use the outcome as a repair plan: address high-level risks first, followed by medium-level risks. Until then, its condition is assessed under the regulations in force when it was commissioned (§ 3 odst. 5 zákona č. 250/2021 Sb.). The lift may continue operating provided the service company has not found a defect endangering safe operation during its inspections and tests.

Sources used for this article

• Revize elektro – a SOHE service.
• Electrical inspections in offices, administrative buildings and SVJs – electrical installations in shared areas and why lift, EPS and electrical inspection deadlines should be kept in one system.
• Inspection plan for 2027 – deadlines for all building equipment in a single calendar.
• Nařízení vlády č. 193/2022 Sb. – o vyhrazených technických zdvihacích zařízeních; § 3, § 4, § 7 až § 10, § 12, přílohy č. 2 a 3; version effective from 1 July 2024.
• Nařízení vlády č. 175/2024 Sb. – the amendment that introduced the term “inspekční prohlídka” on 1 July 2024.
• Zákon č. 250/2021 Sb. – o bezpečnosti práce v souvislosti s provozem vyhrazených technických zařízení; § 3 odst. 5, § 6, § 20.
• Nařízení vlády č. 366/2013 Sb. – o úpravě některých záležitostí souvisejících s bytovým spoluvlastnictvím; § 7.
• ČSN 27 4002 (říjen 2018) – Bezpečnostní předpisy pro výtahy – Provoz a servis výtahů; přílohy A, B a C.
• ČSN 27 4007 (září 2021) – Bezpečnostní předpisy pro výtahy – Prohlídky a zkoušky výtahů v provozu.
• ČSN EN 81-80 ed. 2 (srpen 2020) – Předpisy pro zvyšování bezpečnosti existujících výtahů.
• Description of changes to ČSN 27 4002 effective from 1 November 2018 (i-vytahy.cz) – category boundaries, abolition of operational inspections and the electronic professional inspection logbook.
• Lift inspections – the role of inspection bodies (TZB-info) – independence of a Type A inspection body.

This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The specific system of professional inspections, professional tests and inspections by inspection bodies must be determined according to the lift’s actual operation, the manufacturer’s documentation, its operating environment and the risk assessment.

Your lift will continue to be serviced by a lift company—that is not our work. What we can handle is the rest of the building: electrical inspections of shared areas, lightning protection inspections and a single deadline register in which the lift has its own entry. Send us a non-binding enquiry or email info@sohe.cz.