Freelancers - you're obliged to get a data mailbox

Written by Michael Hájek, from BELL Consulting.

Data mailbox (datová schránka) will be mandatory for all freelancers from January 2023.

Data mailbox is a Czech electronic document delivery system,  intended for communication with Czech Authorities (charge-free). The system replaces paper mail and can work also between other businesses and individuals (for a fee).

For legal entities, using a data mailbox has been mandatory for many years. Now, that obligation includes also freelancers – physical persons doing business.

In this context, please do not confuse a data mailbox for a physical person “fyzická osoba” (for your private use and communication) and a data mailbox for an entrepreneurial physical person “fyzická osoba podnikající” (for your business use and communication. Those are two separate mailboxes with different addresses.

Set up your own data mailbox through this website – it’s all in English.

Read more about data mailboxes in our guide. Our consultants recommend setting up a data mailbox to all foreigners, simply because then you’re less likely to miss an official letter from any public office – and you don’t need to travel to the post office to pick up registered letters, either.

What happens if I don’t set up a data mailbox?

If you’re a freelancer and won’t set up a data mailbox before January 2023, a data mailbox will be set up for you. You will receive a registered letter (by normal post) with the information to access it in the course of January to March 2023.

The delivered access information serves just for the initial opening Data Box. You will be required to set up a new password which is always valid for 90 days (the limited password validity can be disabled). Don’t forget to set up notifications for incoming messages to your e-mail or/and mobile phone.

By law, a letter delivered to a data mailbox is considered read 14 days after delivery, no matter whether the addressee has actually seen it or not. You cannot claim you have missed some important legal information or deadlines by not checking your data mailbox. So be careful, go to your mailbox and set up notifications!

The incoming and outgoing messages will be deleted from the system after 90 days. You’re required to save the messages into your computer or to pay for extended storage space “Datový trezor.”

Using Data Box is simple, modern and environmentally friendly. I hope you enjoy it.

Written by:

BELL CONSULTING

BELL Consulting provides comprehensive financial and tax services for any business. Their services include: bookkeeping, payroll, personnel administration, legal services and tax advice.

• Dřevařská 12
• +420 541 212 509
• info@bellcons.cz
• Website