Czech beneficial ownership register closes to the public
From 17 December 2025 the Czech Ministry of Justice withdrew public online access to the register of beneficial owners. Access is now limited to public authorities, anti-money laundering obliged entities such as banks and notaries, and people who show a legitimate interest. The move followed 2025 rulings of the Czech supreme courts that open access breached EU law.
The register of beneficial owners is kept under Act No. 37/2021 Coll. on the registration of beneficial owners.
What changed
- From 17 December 2025 the public can no longer search the register online.
- Access remains for public authorities and for obliged entities under the anti-money laundering law, such as banks and notaries. Others must show a legitimate interest.
- The Ministry said the change follows European legislation and recent case law of the Czech supreme courts.
Background
In 2025 the Supreme Administrative Court and the Supreme Court held that unrestricted public access was a disproportionate interference with privacy and data protection under the EU Charter. The courts also limited enforcement: fines, suspension of voting rights and bans on paying profit shares for missing registrations were treated as not enforceable for now, although the duty to register remains.
What comes next
The Government approved an amendment to the Act in June 2026 that keeps the register non-public, grants legitimate-interest access for three years, and transposes the EU's sixth anti-money laundering directive. It still has to pass Parliament.
What to do
Keep each Czech company's register entry accurate. The duty to register continues.