Before starting work in the construction sector, a notification of economic activities must be submitted to the Register of Economic Activities.
Submitting a notification is obligatory for the following activities:
- construction of a building with a permit;
- designing a building with a permit;
- owner supervision;
- site investigations;
- expert assessment of building design documentation;
- auditing construction work;
- maintenance of public roads;
- preparing design documentation on traffic management.
A notification of economic activities does not give the company a right to operate, nor does it grant qualifications to a company. A company is only allowed to offer services for which it has competence.
A notice of economic activities is not required, if the undertaking is operating in a construction-related field of activity, which does not cover management and organisation of work of other persons, and the employee performing the work has relevant professional qualification.
Legal bases
Construction-related activities are regulated by:
- Building Code;
- Precise classification of professional titles and professional levels by categories of fields of activity.
Requirements to the submitter
In order to operate in the selected field, you must meet the following requirements:
- A company must have a legal contract with a qualified person, and in the case of self-employed persons the person in question must have the necessary qualifications. A company’s competence corresponds to the qualifications of the persons working on their behalf and under their responsibility. A qualified person shall have a qualification for that specific work.
- In order to work in the building sector or perform site investigations, a qualified person must have at least a level 5 occupational qualification and a valid professional certificate.
- In order to work in the area of owner supervision, maintenance of public roads and the preparation of design documentation concerning traffic arrangements, a qualified person must have at least a level 6 occupational qualification and a valid professional certificate.
- In order to work in the area of design or perform expert assessment of building design documentation, a qualified person must have at least a level 7 occupational qualification and a valid professional certificate.
- In order to work in the area of auditing construction work, a qualified person must have at least a level 8 occupational qualification and a valid professional certificate;
- One person may not act as the qualified person for more than three companies.
As of 1 July 2018, a person competent in the field of construction must hold a professional certificate issued in accordance with the applicable professional standard to prove their qualifications. Different professional standards apply in different areas of activity (e.g. professional standards for architects, construction managers, civil engineers, and HVAC engineers). Professional standards are also differentiated on the basis of professional levels, depending on the complexity of buildings and work. As a general rule, the competency of a person corresponds to the competence level stated on their professional certificate. The more complex the building and the job involved, the higher the professional standard on the basis of which the person must prove their qualifications. As of 1 July 2019, professional certificates of level IV and level V issued indefinitely to civil engineers under the old system no longer grant the right to practise as a competent person in the field of construction.
More information on qualification requirements in the construction sector.
Professional qualification of employees
If you want to register a person with foreign professional qualifications as a competent person, the professional qualifications of the employee’s country of origin must be recognised in Estonia.
If the person’s qualification was obtained in another Member State of the European Union, an application for recognition of the professional qualification must be submitted to the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority’s e-mail address [email protected]. If the person has obtained a professional qualification outside the European Union, they must apply for an Estonian professional certificate.
For more information on the recognition of EU professional qualifications, visit the Estonian ENIC/NARIC website.
The person’s education must have been acquired mainly in a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation. If the education has been obtained mainly in a foreign country other than a Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation, the person must have three years of relevant professional experience acquired and certified in a Member State of the European Union or the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation that has recognised the foreign professional qualifications. If the required conditions have not been met, the person must apply for an Estonian professional certificate.
Cross-border operation
If an undertaking is established and is operating in construction-related area in another contracting state of the European Economic Area, but wishes to operate permanently in Estonia, then the undertaking is required to submit a notice of economic activities to the Register of Economic Activities.
The notice of economic activities shall not be submitted by an undertaking of a contracting state of the European Economic Area who operates in Estonia in the construction-related area temporarily.
Filling in and submission of a notice
Notice of economic activities shall include the following data:
- Name and registry code of the company; name and registry code of the sole proprietor (if registry code does not apply, then the personal identification code or date of birth, name, and the number of the identity document), contact details of the company (telephone number, e-mail address and postal address);
- Name and EMTAK code of the field of activity;
- Category of the field of activity;
- Name and contact details of the person that signed the notice (telephone number and e-mail address), for a legal person also name of the basis for right of representation (member of the board or authorisation);
- Name and personal identification code of the specialist in charge (if not applicable, then date of birth), contact details (telephone number, e-mail address), number of professional certificate, vocation and professional level entered on it, the authority granting the vocation, place and date of granting and term of validity. If the specialist in charge certifies his/her competence with education and professional experience (not vocation), the notice shall also include data concerning professional experience and education (essential data of the diploma);
- Date of starting economic activities, if it is different from the date of submission of the notice of economic activities. Date of termination of economic activities, if economic activities are planned for a fixed term.
The notice of economic activities can be submitted as follows:
- by entering the Register of Economic Activities (authentication is required);
- a digitally signed application to the e-mail address: [email protected];
- by post to the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, address Endla 10A, 10122 Tallinn;
- through notary.
NB! A notice of economic activities will be considered submitted and will become immediately visible in public in the Register of Economic Activities, when the specialist in charge confirms his legal relationship with the undertaking in the Register of Economic Activities.
Payment of the state fee
No state fee is applied in case of submission of a notice of economic activities through the State Portal. In case of submission of a notice of economic activities with any other method, the state fee of 10 euros shall be paid to the bank account of the Ministry of Finance with reference number 2900082430 before the submission of the notice:
- SEB – EE891010220034796011
- Swedbank – EE932200221023778606
- Luminor Bank – EE701700017001577198
Changing the data of a notice of economic activities
As a company, you shall notify the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority immediately of any changes in the data of your economic activities.
You can check your data on the website of Register of Economic Activities.
You can notify the registrar of the changes as follows:
- by entering the Register of Economic Activities (authentication is needed);
- a digitally signed application to the e-mail address: [email protected];
- by post to the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, address Endla 10A, 10122 Tallinn;
- through notary.
Renouncement of economic activities
In case of temporary renouncement of economic activities, please submit a notice of temporary discontinuation of economic activities, indicating the dates of discontinuation and restarting of economic activities.
In case of renouncement of economic activities, please submit a notice of discontinuation of economic activities, indicating the date of termination of economic activities.
A notice can be submitted as follows:
- by entering the Register of Economic Activities (authentication is needed);
- a digitally signed application to the e-mail address: [email protected];
- by post to the Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, address: Endla 10A, 10122 Tallinn;
- through notary.
Supervision
The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority monitors compliance with the requirements for construction companies and qualified persons. The Transportation Administration monitors compliance with the requirements for companies involved in road construction.
Contact details
Substantive information
Liina Roosimägi, Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority, tel: +372 667 2004, e-mail: [email protected]
Register information and technical issues
Register of Economic Activities, tel: +372 668 7080, e-mail: [email protected]
Related articles
References
- Professional qualifications in EU
- Gateway to recognition of academic and professional qualifications ENIC/NARIC
Laws
- General Part of the Economic Activities Code Act
- Building Code
- Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications Act