Legalised Buildings in Croatia: What It Means When You Buy

A legalised building in Croatia is a house, extension or other building that was built without a permit, or contrary to one, and later received a decision on the as-built state (rješenje o izvedenom stanju) under the law on illegally built buildings (Zakon o postupanju s nezakonito izgrađenim zgradama). The decision allows the building to be used, registered and connected to utilities. It does not certify how well it was built.

More than 800,000 legalisation requests were filed across Croatia, so you will meet legalised houses in Istria too, often with an extra floor or converted rooms. If you are buying or renovating one, the decision is among the most important documents in the file. This guide explains it in general terms. We are not lawyers: your lawyer and a licensed architect or engineer should check your specific case.

What did the legalisation law do?

The law came into force on 4 August 2012 to bring as many illegally built buildings as possible into the legal system. By the first deadline, 30 June 2013, 822,487 requests had been filed. The deadline was later extended to 30 June 2018, and an amendment in force since May 2026 removed it altogether: requests can now be filed at any time, through the eDozvola online system.

The key condition has not changed. A building qualifies only if it is visible on the State Geodetic Administration's digital aerial map (orthophoto) from the aerial survey begun on 21 June 2011, with at least the rough structure of one storey built: foundations and walls, or columns, beams and a slab or roof structure. If it isn't clearly visible there, older aerial photos or official maps from before that date can be used, with a certificate from the cadastre. Anything built after that date cannot be legalised.

Some locations were excluded or need extra consents, for example parts of protected nature areas, planned road and infrastructure corridors, maritime domain and protected cultural heritage. The 2026 amendment also confirmed that a finally rejected request can't simply be filed again, except requests rejected under the old rules because documents were missing or the fee wasn't paid.

What does legalisation mean, and what doesn't it?

Earthquake and structural safety deserve a closer look. For most family houses legalised under the original rules (up to 400 m² gross floor area), no structural statement was required, and the decision itself notes that compliance with the location conditions and the essential requirements for buildings was not examined. Only larger and public buildings needed an engineer's statement on structural stability. Since the 2026 amendment, new requests for finished buildings must include such a statement, but that doesn't change decisions issued years ago.

In practice, a legalised house can be perfectly sound, or it can have an extra floor resting on walls and foundations never designed for it. Before a major renovation, ask a structural engineer to look at it.

What does a typical legalised house in Istria look like?

Most legalised houses you will see in Istria started as an ordinary family house and grew over the years, often to make room for holiday apartments. Typical cases:

• An extra floor or attic flat added on top of the original house.
• Enclosed terraces and balconies turned into rooms or kitchens.
• Garages and basements converted into apartments.
• Outbuildings such as summer kitchens, sheds and carports in the garden.

The decision describes exactly what was legalised: the external dimensions, the number and type of storeys, the number and type of units, the use and the roof shape. That is what you compare with the building on site.

What can you do with a legalised house afterwards?

Once the decision is final, a finished building is treated as an existing building. Maintenance and interior work that doesn't need a permit can be done as in any other house: a new bathroom, new floors, painting or an electrical upgrade. Reconstruction, an extension, another floor or a change of use follow the normal permit rules of the Construction Act (Zakon o gradnji), with a licensed architect or engineer preparing the design. A new Construction Act has applied since 1 January 2026, so ask your designer which rules apply now.

Unfinished buildings have one specific rule: a legalised unfinished residential building can be completed within its legalised dimensions on the basis of a main design (glavni projekt), including a façade and a flat, pitched or curved roof without a raised knee wall.

And one firm rule for everything else: anything added after legalisation, such as a room built on the terrace or a closed-in balcony, is not covered by the decision. It can't be legalised later either, because it wasn't there in 2011.

What is the fee for keeping the building?

Legalisation came with a fee for keeping the illegally built building (naknada za zadržavanje nezakonito izgrađene zgrade u prostoru). It is set by government decree and depends mainly on the building's size, location and use. The fee, or its first instalment, had to be paid before the decision was issued, and larger amounts could be paid in instalments. When you buy, ask for proof that it was paid in full, because unpaid instalments can be collected by enforcement.

What should buyers check?

1. The decision itself. Get a copy of the final rješenje o izvedenom stanju with its attached survey and drawings, not just proof that a request was filed.
2. Does the house match it? Compare storeys, dimensions, units, terraces and outbuildings with what the decision describes. Anything extra is still illegal.
3. Was anything added later? Look for windows, enclosed terraces or rooms that look newer than the rest. The 2011 aerial map can be viewed at the cadastral offices.
4. Land registry and cadastre. Check that the building is recorded in the cadastre and that the land registry carries a note that the decision is attached. Our guide to land registry and cadastre in Croatia explains the documents.
5. Fee paid. Ask for proof that the legalisation fee was paid in full.
6. Structure. Have a structural engineer look at extra floors, large new openings and converted garages before you plan works.
7. Rentals. If you plan to rent to tourists, ask the county tourism department which proof of legal status they need for registration and categorisation.
8. Older houses. A house built before 15 February 1968 often needs no legalisation at all: it is treated as built with a permit, which is proven with a use permit for buildings of that age, based for example on a certificate from the cadastre.

If an addition clearly isn't covered, your options are limited: remove it with demolition and rubble removal, leave it out of your plans and your price, or ask an architect whether a regular permit is possible under the current spatial plan. Have that conversation before you sign. Our article on who does what on a Croatian building project explains whom to call.

If you've bought a 1970s–1990s family house with a legalised top floor, our guide to modernising a 1970s–1990s house in Istria covers insulation, windows and wiring, and our permit guide explains which works usually need a permit.