Craft business can be registered through the e-Obrt service or by visiting a competent office of state administration or an office of City of Zagreb.

Craft businesses can be of several kinds:

Free craft business – no professional competency exam or craftsman master exam is required as the condition to perform

‘’Tied’’ craft business – professional competency exam, high school education or craftsman master exam is required as the condition to perform

Privileged craft business – can be run only on the basis of a privilege certificate or permission issued by the ministry in charge of the respective craft business or another competent authority for a particular activity

Necessary documentation

• proof of identity – a copy of an ID card or a passport
• evidence of compliance with specific health conditions
• proof of the right to use a space (when space is required to perform the craft)
• for ‘’tied’’ craft businesses – evidence of appropriate secondary education, proof of passed craftsman master exam or passed professional competency exam (if applicant doesn’t fulfill the condition of professional qualification, appropriate secondary education or passed craftsman master exam, they may pursue ‘’tied’’ craft business if they hire a full-time employee that fulfills this condition
• work permit for foreigners from third countries (countries outside the European Economic Area)
• valid residence registration certificate (for persons with a registered residence).

Charge

The administrative fee for the establishment of a craft business is HRK 250, and for the issuance of the craft certificate HRK 200 (the exception is the exemption from payment of the craft certificate in 2018). If the craft is enrolling without commencement of performing, after the entering the Craft Register the craftsman is obliged to start the craft within one year, and at the latest eight days before the start of work they are obliged to report the commencement of the craft.

Application

Within 8 days of commencement of the activity, the craft business must be reported to:

• Tax administration (according to the headquarters of the craft business)
• Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (HZMO)
• Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO)

To be able to start the business, caterers, merchants, carriers and other craftsmen who are specifically required to do so must obtain a decision on the minimum technical conditions for the premises or a concession for carrying out the activity or a work permit before commencing their crafts.

e-Obrt – application for online registration of a craft business

The Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts provides the electronic service e-Obrt. This service is accessible through the system e-Građani, through which current or future craftsmen can apply for the establishment of a craft business or enter status changes without going to the competent registration authority. In order to obtain official documents, it is also not necessary to go to the competent registration authorities, because the craftsman can obtain their craft certificate, a decision on opening a craft business and an extract from the Craft Register through their personal user box.

The e-Obrt service enables, without going to the competent registration authorities:

1. Initiation of procedures:

• establishment of a new craft business
• enrollment of status changes related to an existing craft business

2. Monitoring status of the initiated procedures
3. Generating and downloading the following documents online:

• Craft certificate
• Extract
• Excerpts from the Craft Register (unofficial copy)

Process of opening e-Obrt can be viewed via Youtube.

Source: https://gov.hr/moja-uprava/poslovanje/pokretanje-poslovanja/osnivanje-obrta/1672