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Legalization 2025 – announced changes
Currently, there is no new, special Law on Legalization. The Law on Dealing with Illegally Constructed Buildings (Official Gazette 86/12, 143/13, 65/17, 14/19) is still in force.
Although the public often talks about a “new wave of legalization”, it is important to emphasize that the legislative framework has not yet changed. The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property (MPGI) have prepared amendments to the current law, but they have not yet been voted on in the Croatian Parliament or published in the Official Gazette. In other words, the legislative process is still ongoing.
On 10 October 2025, the MPGI published the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on the Treatment of Illegally Constructed Buildings and conducted a public consultation in the period from 10.10. to 9.11. 2025. via the e-Consultation system.
This marked the beginning of the final phase of preparation of the new legalization regime, but without formal entry into force.
The state has announced that it will make the legalization process more legally stable through a new legal framework – so now is the time to act.
Key news from the proposed amendments to the law
According to the published proposal, the following important changes are planned:
1. Cancellation of the deadline for submitting applications
It is envisaged that the time limit for submitting a request for legalization will be abolished. The request could be submitted at any time, when the party fulfills all the prescribed conditions (legal and factual).
2. Retention of the cut-off date – June 21, 2011.
Despite the lifting of the deadline, the scope of legalization is not expanding. Only buildings that are visible on DOF5/2011, that is, those that were built or added to by 21.6.2011, will still be able to be legalized.
Anything built after that date will not be able to be legalized.
3. Stricter prohibition of legalization in infrastructure corridors
Provisions related to infrastructure corridors are additionally being tightened.
Legalization will be completely prohibited in the corridors: transport, energy, water and
communication infrastructure.
The previous possibilities for exceptions with the consent of public law bodies are being abolished.
4. Digitalization of the procedure
The complete digitalization of the process of issuing a decision on the completed status through the ePermit system is planned.
Uvodi se:
nova Uredba o naknadi za zadržavanje nezakonite zgrade u prostoru, s ažuriranim i vjerojatno višim iznosima naknada.
unified documentation (abolition of division into building categories),
In parallel with the changes to the law on legalization, as part of the package of laws related to affordable housing, the Government announced an additional tightening of the policy towards illegal construction:
Illegal construction should become a criminal offense,
legalization will be strictly limited only to buildings built by June 21, 2011. for which no application was previously submitted,
a new wave of legalization for new construction is not planned after that date.
The goal, as stated, is solely to “clean up the tails” of old illegal construction, not to open up space for new illegal activities.
If you have a concrete object for legalization, now is the right moment to prepare the documentation according to the current law (geodetic study, snapshot of the constructed state, evidence of the object’s age, etc.).
The process in practice – the steps you need to take
01
Situation analysis
First, check the condition of the facility: construction date, as-built condition, spatial plan, boundary conditions.
02
Hiring experts
Hire authorized experts – a surveyor who will create a survey of the completed state, an architect for project documentation, and check whether the facility meets the requirements of spatial and construction laws.
03
Submitting a request
Prepare and submit a request to the competent administrative body (county/city) for the issuance of a decision on the as-built condition
04
Finalization – registration of the object in the cadastre and land registry
After a positive decision, the property is registered in the cadastre, land registry, and you receive the “papers” you need.
05
Komunalni i vodni doprinosi
If it is a building with an illegal part – make sure that the utility and water contributions are paid if they are prescribed.
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