Commercial Bank licence (Czech Republic)
The Commercial Bank licence (bankovní licence) is issued by Czech National Bank (CNB) under Act No. 6/1993 Coll. on the Czech National Bank. It can be passported to the other EU/EEA states by notification. The official register lists 21 current holders. The application fee is CZK 200,000. Ownership changes need the regulator's approval before completion.
At a glance
| Official name | Commercial Bank licence1 |
|---|---|
| Local name | bankovní licence |
| Also known as | Czech bank licence · Czech banking licence · CNB banking licence · Czech commercial bank licence · bankovní licence · Licence under the Act on Banks |
| Issued by | Czech National Bank |
| Jurisdiction | Czech Republic |
| Licence family | Bank / credit institution |
| Legal basis | Act No. 6/1993 Coll. on the Czech National Bank2 Act No. 21/1992 Coll. on Banks3 |
| Passporting | EU/EEA passport available |
| Application fee | CZK 200,0004 |
| Public register | official register5 |
| Current holders | 215 |
What it lets you do
| Taking deposits from the public | Accepting deposits or other repayable funds from the public, the activity reserved to credit institutions. |
|---|---|
| Lending | Granting loans, including consumer credit, mortgage credit, factoring and financing of commercial transactions. |
| Execution of payment transactions | Executing direct debits, card payments and credit transfers, including standing orders, from a payment account. |
Where it is valid
Cost
Buying a company that already holds it
Prior notification with an objection period. Under Section 18 of the Payment Systems Act (Act No. 370/2017 Coll.), any person or persons acting in concert intending to acquire, dispose of, or increase a qualifying holding in a payment institution or electronic money institution reaching or exceeding 20%, 30%, or 50% of voting rights or capital, or become the controlling person, must notify the CNB in advance via electronic filing. The CNB assesses the trustworthiness and suitability of the proposed acquirer within a statutory 60-working-day window and may initiate proceedings to issue a formal objection (vyslovení nesouhlasu). In the absence of an objection or upon affirmative notification, the acquisition may proceed. Acquiring qualifying holdings in breach of notification or objection leads to statutory forfeiture of voting rights. In contrast, for banks and investment firms under Act No. 21/1992 Coll. and Act No. 256/2004 Coll., prior approval (předchozí souhlas) is required subject to a CZK 20,000 fee under Item 66 of Act No. 634/2004 Coll. Small-scale providers (PPSMR/VEPMR) are exempt from change-of-control clearance.6
Bank in other countries
| Country | Licence | Regulator | Min. capital | Application fee | Statutory time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) | Financial Services Permission for Accepting DepositsFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | FSRA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Bermuda | Banking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking LicenceBanking Licence / Deposit Company Licence / Restricted Banking Licence (Banks and Deposit Companies Act 1999) | BMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Cayman Islands | Bank LicenceBank Licence (Category A and Category B) under the Banks and Trust Companies Act | CIMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Czech Republic | Commercial Bank licence | CNB | n/a | CZK 200,000 | n/a |
| Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) | Bank licenceFinancial Services Permission for Accepting Deposits or Providing Credit (Category 1 Commercial Bank) | DFSA | n/a | USD 70,000 | n/a |
| Estonia | Credit institution authorisation (bank) | FI | n/a | EUR 5,000 | ~6 mo |
| Georgia | Commercial bank licence | NBG | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Germany | CRR) | BaFin | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Ireland | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Section 9 Central Bank Act 1971) | CBI | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Latvia | Credit institution licence (bank) | LB | n/a | n/a | 4-13 mo |
| Lithuania | Specialised bank licence | LB | n/a | EUR 4,157 | ~6 mo |
| Lithuania | Bank licence | LB | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Luxembourg | Credit institution authorisation | CSSF | n/a | EUR 75,000 | ~6 mo |
| Malta | Credit institution licence | MFSA | n/a | EUR 35,000 | ~6 mo |
| Netherlands | Bank licenceBank licence (Vergunning bank / kredietinstelling) | DNB | n/a | EUR 44,300 | ~6 mo |
| Poland | Commercial Bank licence | KNF | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Singapore | Banking LicenceBanking Licence (Full Bank, Wholesale Bank, Digital Bank) | MAS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Slovakia | Banking licence | NBS | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Spain | Commercial bank licence | BdE | n/a | n/a | ~6 mo |
| Switzerland | FinTech licence (PersonsFinTech licence (Persons pursuant to Article 1b Banking Act | FINMA | n/a | CHF 100 | n/a |
| Switzerland | Banking licence | FINMA | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| United Arab Emirates | Commercial Bank Licence | CBUAE | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Values come from each licence's page, where every figure has its source.
Sources
- cnb.cz: licensing and approval proceedings · retrieved 2026-09-24
- e-sbirka.cz: 6 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- Czech legislation (Zákony pro lidi): 1992 21 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- Czech legislation (Zákony pro lidi): 2004 634 · retrieved 2026-09-24
- cnb.cz: fms 2024 (PDF) · retrieved 2026-09-24
- Czech legislation (Zákony pro lidi): 2017 370 · retrieved 2026-09-24
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