Company check by IČO in Czechia

IČO is a unique eight-digit identifier for an organization, similar to our EDRPOU. It's how a company is uniquely found in the registry without name conflicts. DIČ is a tax number, and IČ DPH (in Czechia, DIČ in the format CZ+number) is a VAT payer number; they are needed for invoices, not for checking if a company exists.

If you don't know the IČO, search by name right here — but double-check the results. A name search returns partial matches, and there can be several companies with similar names, so make sure the address and creation date match your employer.

Where to definitely get the IČO: in the offer or employment contract, on the company's official website at the bottom of the page, or on an invoice. If your employer avoids answering the question 'What is your IČO?', that's already a red flag. We explain terms in the glossary.

No, and this is the most important limitation of this tool. The registry only confirms that a legal entity exists, when it was created, who the director is, and what the legal address is. It knows nothing about whether the company pays on time, what the working conditions are like, or if people are fired after the probation period.

There are three things our 'traffic light' does not see at all: debts to the state, liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings, and VAT payer status. Each has its own public list, and you need to check them manually — see the answers below.

Therefore, use the result as a first filter: if the company is not in the registry or the data doesn't match the contract — you can stop there. If the company exists — it's not 'all clear' yet, but only a reason to check further: debts, employee reviews, and the terms of the contract itself.

This is a separate check, and you should do it right before signing a contract. Our tool doesn't see debts — they are in public debtor lists: insolvenční rejstřík (ISIR) and the list of 'nespolehlivý plátce DPH' (unreliable VAT payer).

Why this is important for an employee: debts to social and health insurance mean that contributions for employees are not paid on time. For you, this is not an abstraction — your sick leave, future pension, and in some cases, confirmation of legal stay depend on these contributions.

Checking takes a few minutes: open the list, find the company by IČO or name, and check the amount and date. A one-time small debt can happen even with normal companies; a large amount or the same company appearing in several lists should be a cause for concern.

It means the company is in the process of closing down: it still exists legally, but it is already winding down operations and settling its debts. Signing an employment contract with such a company is risky — in practice, this is where salary delays most often begin.

There are two other similar statuses nearby: bankruptcy/insolvency (handled by a court) and compulsory dissolution. All of these are shown not here, but in the obchodní rejstřík (commercial register) on the company's card and in the insolvenčním rejstříku (insolvency register).

Check the date of the last changes separately. Frequent changes of director or legal address shortly before your employment are not a violation in themselves, but combined with debts, it paints a picture where you should ask a lawyer to review the contract.

Specific things should raise a red flag, not just a 'bad feeling'. They ask for money upfront — for employment, housing, or 'document processing'. There is no written contract, or they promise to 'sign it later'. They offer salary only in cash without a payslip. The IČO in the contract does not match what the registry shows, or it's missing altogether.

Additional signals: the company was established a few weeks ago, the legal address is an apartment or a mass registration address, pressure like 'decide today, there will be no spot tomorrow', or a promise of a salary significantly above market rate for unskilled work.

One sign by itself doesn't prove anything: a new company can be legitimate, and cash payment might be a one-time exception. But two or three signs together are a sufficient reason to refuse. Before signing, compare the name and IČO in the contract with the registry, and the salary with industry averages.

VAT payer status is checked in separate lists: ARES or Registr plátců DPH. Our tool does not show it because it's a different registry with its own update rules.

For an employee on an employment contract, this status is mostly not needed: VAT does not affect salary or contributions. It becomes important if you work as a sole trader and issue invoices — then, the counterparty's status affects how you create the invoice and whether you can claim deductions.

A special case is working with a company from another EU country: there, the number is checked in the EU VIES system, and it shows whether it is valid today. A number that was valid last year might have been canceled.