Duty stamps, which had different denominations and were compulsory for many administrative operations, have long been used to pay fees when submitting applications to the authorities for the issuing of various documents, confirmations, or decisions.

How will the duty stamps be replaced?

Instead of duty stamps, a cashless payment system will be used, which will be unified and clear. In practice, this means that the administrative fee payment will no longer have to be made through duty stamps, but through electronic payment systems. The most common methods will include cashless payment (online payment), payments at authority cash desks, and QR codes. In the future, the plan is to simplify the entire process through mobile applications that will allow payments directly from the mobile device. Some authorities are already testing the function of QR codes, which citizens scan to access a payment gateway for quick and secure fee payment.

Duty stamps were mainly used to pay fees at the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior, the Foreign Police, and the Labour Office of the Czech Republic when dealing with immigration matters.

Advantages of the new method

The abolition of duty stamps and the introduction of electronic payments bring several significant advantages:

• Time saving and convenience: Cashless payment is fast and convenient. People no longer have to look for duty stamps at a newsagent or worry about whether the duty stamp has been correctly affixed.
• Clarity and transparency: The electronic system makes it easier to track and control the fee payment. Citizens will have a clear overview of payments and the relevant amounts.
• Flawlessness and lower administrative costs: The new system eliminates possible errors when selecting or affixing the duty stamp. This will simplify the administrative process at the authorities and reduce the costs of administering these fees.
• Eco-friendliness: The abolition of paper duty stamps contributes to environmental protection by eliminating the need for their production and distribution.

When will the new system be used?

As we stated above, the abolition of duty stamps will be in force from 1 January 2025. In practice, this means that from this date, all new administrative fees will be collected without the use of duty stamps, both at the authorities and in the online environment.

What to do with unused duty stamps?

If you know that you will no longer use duty stamps by the end of 2024, you can return them at selected branches of the Czech Post until 31 December 2024. However, this will no longer be possible after this date.

The abolition of duty stamps is a step towards modernising and simplifying public administration in the Czech Republic. The new system will not only bring convenience and time savings for citizens but will also reduce the administrative burden and environmental footprint associated with the production of duty stamps. With the new electronic payment system, fee management becomes more efficient and transparent for all parties involved.