Law on Legalization passed: You'll finally be "home at your own"

The legalization fee will range from €100 to €1,000.

The law was passed with 139 MPs voting in favor, two not voting, and three abstaining.

The new Law on Special Conditions for the Registration and Entry of Property Rights allows citizens to finally be “home at their own,” officially registered as owners of the buildings in which they live or work, putting an end to illegal construction in Serbia.

Decision-making body

The Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism will oversee the process.

Separation of property rights from urban planning

All buildings will be recorded, but decisions will only concern ownership, with proper registration noted.

Fully electronic

Applications and status tracking will be handled exclusively online, with support from local municipalities.

Simple, no paperwork

The agency will obtain all necessary documentation from public records on behalf of the citizens.

End of illegal construction

Illegally built structures will either be removed or registered under the Republic of Serbia.

What to submit with the application?

1. Personal ID number (JMBG) of the applicant

2. Cadastral parcel number or address

3. Property details

   • Object ID or map designation

   • Type of object, area, number of floors

   • Special parts (if any)

   • Photos of the property

Evidence for the property if not registered or if the application concerns an apartment

• Geodetic report / sketch or other documentation

• Purchase contract, inheritance decision, allocation document, etc.

 

How to register a property?

To register a property, the building must be submitted through a digital platform established by the Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism (the Agency) with support from the Republic Geodetic Authority (RGZ).

The platform will cross-check the application data with information about properties and owners from public records to identify the rightful owners.

The process will follow these phases:

1. Municipalities upload their zoning plans to the platform within 30 days of the law taking effect.

2. The Agency reviews the submitted data within 15 days.

3. Citizens then submit applications via the platform within 60 days, for each property individually.

4. The Agency compares application data with public records and makes a decision, or notifies the applicant if prior issues need to be resolved.

If the decision is positive

• The Agency issues a certificate and sends it to RGZ, which performs the priority registration of property rights, regardless of previous procedures and without charging fees.

If the decision is negative

• The Agency immediately informs the applicant and the responsible construction inspector electronically.

Other cases

• For buildings constructed on someone else’s private land without legal basis – the Agency calls on the applicant to settle relations with the landowner.

• Buildings constructed on areas designated for public use or in protected zones will either be removed or become state property.

• Temporary structures (e.g., mobile homes, containers, inflatable halls) will be recorded, without registration of ownership rights.

• For unreported properties or those with other authoritative data – the Agency makes a decision based on available information.

For up-to-date information and support, visit: svojnasvome.gov.rs