10 Steps to Buying Property in Romania as a Foreign National in 2026

Step 1. Confirm Your Right to Buy the Property

Before searching for property, before engaging an agent, and before visiting any listing, a foreign buyer must establish one fundamental fact: can they legally acquire the specific type of property they have in mind, in their own name, under Romanian law?

The answer depends on two variables: the buyer’s nationality and the type of property. For buildings — apartments, houses (the structure itself), and commercial units — there is no restriction. EU, EEA, and non-EU citizens alike can purchase buildings in Romania on the same terms as Romanian nationals. There is no foreign-buyer surcharge, no additional tax, and no special permit required.

The restriction concerns land. Under Romanian constitutional provisions, non-EU citizens generally cannot acquire land directly in their personal name. This restriction applies to the land underneath a house, to undeveloped plots intended for construction, and to agricultural and forestry land. The practical consequence is significant: a non-EU citizen who wishes to buy a house with its land parcel, or a plot for future construction, must acquire the land through a Romanian company (SRL). The SRL, as a Romanian-registered entity, acquires the land without restriction. The foreign individual owns the company.

EU and EEA citizens can purchase land directly, including agricultural land (subject to certain pre-emption and notification requirements). For standard residential and commercial property — apartments, houses, office units — EU citizens face no procedural barriers beyond those applicable to Romanian buyers.

Citizens of certain non-EU countries may have specific rights under bilateral treaties or reciprocity arrangements. However, the general rule is clear: non-EU citizens should assume they cannot buy land personally and plan accordingly. The SRL structure is well-established, entirely legal, and widely used.

It is essential to note that owning an apartment and owning a house are not necessarily the same legal question. An apartment purchase transfers ownership of the unit and a proportional share of the common parts of the building — including the land. This shared land ownership is accessory to the apartment and follows it automatically. A house purchase, by contrast, typically involves direct ownership of a specific land parcel — triggering the land restriction for non-EU buyers.

Step 2. Define Your Budget and Method of Financing

The price shown in a property listing is the starting point of the budget — not the total. Between the listed price and the actual amount leaving the buyer’s bank account lie transaction costs that typically add 6% to 12% above the purchase price for a standard transaction, and significantly more for new-build properties subject to VAT.

A realistic budget should account for: the purchase price itself; VAT if purchasing a new property from a developer (5% or 19% depending on the property’s characteristics and whether reduced-rate conditions are met); notary fees (€500–€1,500 for a standard residential transaction); land registry registration fees; legal due diligence (€500–€1,500); technical inspection (€200–€600); real estate agency commission (typically 2–3% plus VAT); translation, apostille, and procedural costs for foreign documents (€200–€500); international bank transfer fees and currency conversion costs; and — if applicable — mortgage-related costs including bank valuation, origination fee, mortgage notary fee, registration, and insurance.

Buyers should also reserve funds for post-purchase expenses: renovation and furnishing (potentially €5,000–€30,000 depending on the property’s condition and the buyer’s standard), utility contract transfers, mandatory and supplementary insurance, and initial homeowners’ association charges.

For buyers considering mortgage financing, a critical early step is obtaining a preliminary indication from a Romanian bank regarding eligibility, loan-to-value ratio, interest rate, and currency options. Non-resident mortgage availability varies between banks and changes over time. Confirming financing feasibility before committing to a property search avoids the risk of finding the perfect property and discovering at contract stage that financing is unavailable.

Step 3. Obtain a Romanian Tax Identification Number (NIF)

A foreign national without a Romanian personal numeric code (CNP) needs a Romanian tax identification number — Număr de Identificare Fiscală (NIF) — before completing a property transaction. The NIF is the fiscal identifier used by the Romanian tax authorities (ANAF — Agenția Națională de Administrare Fiscală) and by local tax offices for all tax-related matters, including property tax registration and income tax declarations on rental income.

The NIF is obtained by submitting an application to the relevant ANAF office. The applicant provides a valid identity document (passport), a completed registration form, and — if not applying in person — a notarial power of attorney authorising a representative to act on the applicant’s behalf. If the power of attorney was issued outside Romania, it must bear an apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or consular legalisation, and be accompanied by a certified Romanian translation.

Processing time varies but is typically a matter of days when documentation is complete. The NIF should be obtained early in the purchase process — ideally before a preliminary contract is signed — as it will be required at the notary signing and for subsequent tax registrations.

It is important to distinguish between: the NIF (for foreign individuals without a CNP); the CNP — Cod Numeric Personal — the 13-digit personal identification number assigned to Romanian citizens and residents; and the CUI/CIF — Cod Unic de Înregistrare / Cod de Identificare Fiscală — the tax identification number assigned to Romanian legal entities (companies). If purchasing through an SRL, the company’s CUI serves as the tax identifier for the transaction; the individual’s NIF may still be needed for personal tax declarations.

Step 4. Search for a Suitable Property and Verify the Agent

With the legal structure confirmed, the budget defined, and the NIF in process, the buyer can begin the property search. The search should be guided by a clear investment objective: personal residence, long-term rental, short-term tourist rental, capital appreciation, or commercial use. The objective determines the city, the neighbourhood, the property type, and the price range — and should be defined before the search begins, not during it.

Property searches in Romania typically begin on online portals (Imobiliare.ro, OLX, Storia.ro) and through real estate agencies. For foreign buyers searching remotely, the accuracy of listings deserves particular scrutiny. Listing prices may or may not include VAT. Photographs may not reflect the current condition. Stated areas may differ from cadastral records. A property ‘near the metro’ may be a thirty-minute walk from the nearest station. Physical inspection — ideally accompanied by an independent technical consultant — is essential before any commitment.

If engaging a real estate agent, verify: that the agency is a registered Romanian company (check the Trade Register at portal.onrc.ro); that a written agency contract exists, clearly defining the commission rate, when it becomes payable, and the services provided; that the agent can demonstrate a legitimate relationship with the property owner; and that the commission is payable to the agency’s corporate bank account. Warning signs include: a price substantially below market value, refusal to disclose the property owner’s identity, pressure to pay a reservation fee immediately, requests for payment to personal accounts, and — perhaps the most telling red flag — any suggestion that the buyer does not need their own independent lawyer.

Step 5. Carry Out Legal and Technical Due Diligence

This is the most important step in the entire purchase process. Legal and technical due diligence — conducted by the buyer’s own independent professionals, not by the seller’s representatives — determines whether the property is legally safe to buy, physically sound, and worth the asking price.

Legal Due Diligence

The buyer’s lawyer should investigate: the seller’s identity and authority to sell, matched against the Land Book (Cartea Funciară) registration; the complete chain of ownership, tracing each prior transfer for legal validity; the current Land Book extract — obtained independently, not from the seller — checking for mortgages, attachments, court orders, easements, rights of habitation, usufruct, and registered preliminary contracts; the building permit (autorizație de construire) and completion certificate (proces verbal de recepție la terminarea lucrărilor); compliance of any renovations or modifications with building permits and cadastral records; the homeowners’ association records for outstanding debts, pending assessments, or disputes; the seller’s fiscal certificate confirming no outstanding property tax debts; and, for new-build purchases, the developer’s registration, financial health, land ownership, and Nordis Law (2025) compliance.

Technical Inspection

A qualified construction engineer should assess: the structural condition of the building, including seismic risk classification (critical for Bucharest properties); the state of electrical and plumbing installations; thermal insulation quality and window specification; waterproofing integrity (top-floor and ground-floor apartments); evidence of moisture, mould, or water damage; the quality and legality of any renovations; and the estimated cost of any necessary repairs. For new-build apartments, the inspection should be conducted before formal acceptance (recepție), comparing the delivered property against the building specification.

Combined legal and technical due diligence typically costs €700 to €2,500 — a small fraction of the property value and the single highest-return expenditure in the entire transaction. The cost of not performing due diligence — discovering an unregistered mortgage, an illegal extension, a structural defect, or a developer without a completion certificate — is measured in tens of thousands of euros.

Step 6. Negotiate the Price and Main Transaction Terms

With due diligence complete — or at least sufficiently advanced to identify major issues — the buyer can negotiate from a position of knowledge rather than assumption.

The negotiation should cover: the final purchase price and whether it includes or excludes VAT; the currency of the contract (EUR or RON) and the applicable exchange rate mechanism; the deposit amount, its legal characterisation (avans versus arvună), and the conditions for its return; the deadline for signing the final notarial contract; what is included in the sale (furniture, appliances, parking space, storage room); the date of physical handover and key transfer; the mechanism for discharging any existing mortgage on the property; the seller’s obligation to resolve any legal or cadastral issues identified during due diligence; and the consequences of breach by either party.

For new-build or off-plan purchases, additional terms include: the construction completion date, penalties for delay, the technical specification of finishes and installations, permissible variation in the delivered area, the payment schedule linked to construction milestones, warranty obligations, and the conditions under which the buyer can terminate if the developer fails to deliver.

Step 7. Sign a Reservation Agreement or Preliminary Contract

Most Romanian property transactions proceed in two stages: a preliminary agreement (antecontract or promisiune de vânzare-cumpărare) followed by the final notarial sale-purchase contract. The preliminary agreement is the point at which the buyer commits money — and it is therefore the point at which the buyer’s financial exposure begins.

A reservation agreement (used primarily by developers) is a simpler document: the buyer pays a reservation fee (typically €1,000–€5,000) to take the property off the market while preparing the full preliminary contract. Reservation fees may or may not be refundable — the terms of the specific agreement control. A preliminary contract (antecontract) is a binding agreement: the seller promises to sell and the buyer promises to buy, subject to agreed conditions, with a deposit — typically 10% to 30% of the purchase price — paid by the buyer.

The preliminary contract should specify: the deposit amount and whether it is an avans (returnable if the sale fails) or an arvună (forfeited by the withdrawing party, or returned in double if the seller withdraws); the deadline for the final notarial contract; conditions precedent — including a mortgage condition if the buyer needs bank financing, and a condition that the due diligence results are satisfactory; the mechanism for resolving any issues identified during due diligence; and the consequences if either party fails to perform.

Notarial authentication of the preliminary contract is not legally mandatory — a private-form contract is valid — but it is strongly recommended. A notarially authenticated preliminary contract can be registered in the Land Book (notare antecontract), which creates a public record of the buyer’s contractual right and prevents the seller from selling to a competing buyer. This registration is one of the most effective protections available to a buyer — particularly for off-plan purchases where the final transfer may be months or years away.

Step 8. Prepare the Documents and Arrange the Funds

Between signing the preliminary contract and the final notarial sale, both parties prepare for completion. For the foreign buyer, this means assembling the required documents and arranging the transfer of purchase funds.

Buyer’s Documents

Individual buyers need: a valid passport; the Romanian NIF; a marital status certificate or declaration (Romanian property law requires confirmation of whether the buyer is purchasing individually or as part of a marital community); if not attending in person — a notarial power of attorney, apostilled and translated into Romanian, specifically authorising the representative to sign the sale-purchase contract for this property at this price; and, if purchasing with a mortgage — the bank’s loan approval documentation.

Company buyers need: a current Trade Register extract; the company’s articles of association; a shareholder or board resolution authorising the purchase (specifying the property and the price); identification of ultimate beneficial owners; a power of attorney for the signatory if different from the registered administrator; and the company’s fiscal certificate. All foreign-issued documents must be apostilled (Hague Convention countries) or consularly legalised, and accompanied by certified Romanian translations.

Arranging Payment

The buyer should: confirm the exact amount due at completion, including all fees and taxes; notify their bank in advance of the planned international transfer — large transfers without prior notification can trigger anti-money-laundering delays; prepare documentation of the source of funds (bank statements, employment records, investment records, sale proceeds) as Romanian banks and notaries may request this under AML regulations; verify the seller’s bank account details through an independent channel (phone call, in-person confirmation) — never relying solely on emailed instructions; and arrange the transfer so that funds arrive in Romania before the signing date, allowing time for any banking delays.

For mortgaged properties, the buyer’s lawyer should coordinate with the seller’s bank to ensure simultaneous discharge of the existing mortgage at completion — with the relevant portion of the purchase price paid directly to the creditor bank, not to the seller.

Step 9. Sign the Final Sale-Purchase Agreement Before a Notary

The transfer of property ownership in Romania requires a notarially authenticated sale-purchase agreement (contract de vânzare-cumpărare). This is the culminating legal act of the transaction.

At the signing, the notary: verifies the identity and legal capacity of all parties (or their authorised representatives); obtains a fresh notarial Land Book extract (extras de carte funciară pentru autentificare), which freezes the Land Book against competing registrations for its validity period; verifies the seller’s fiscal certificate confirming no outstanding property tax debts; confirms that all legally required documents are present; reads the contract to both parties — or, if a party does not speak Romanian, to the party through an authorised interpreter (traducător autorizat), whose presence is mandatory by law; collects the applicable notary fee and registration charges; authenticates the contract; and submits the transfer documentation to the local Land Book office (OCPI) for registration.

The buyer has the right to receive a draft of the contract in advance of the signing — and should insist on reviewing it with their own lawyer before the signing date. The signing should not be the first time the buyer sees the contract.

Payment of the remaining purchase price (the balance after any deposits already paid) is typically made by bank transfer either immediately before or at the time of signing. The method and timing of payment should be specified in the contract. The seller hands over the property keys and signs a handover protocol (proces verbal de predare-primire) recording the condition of the property, meter readings for utilities, and the inventory of any included items.

Notary fees and Land Book registration fees are typically paid by the buyer at the time of signing. The exact amounts depend on the property value and the transaction structure. Registration fees for individuals are generally lower than those applicable to legal entities.

Step 10. Register Ownership and Complete Post-Purchase Formalities

Signing the contract at the notary is not the final step — it is the penultimate one. The buyer’s ownership must be registered in the Land Book, and several administrative and fiscal formalities must be completed to fully protect the investment.

Land Book Registration

The notary submits the transfer documentation to OCPI for registration. The buyer should verify, once registration is complete, that the Land Book accurately reflects their name, the property description, and any mortgage (if the purchase was bank-financed). An updated Land Book extract confirming the buyer’s ownership is the definitive proof that the transaction is complete and opposable to third parties.

Tax Registration

The new owner must declare the property at the local tax authority (Direcția de Taxe și Impozite Locale) within 30 days of the transaction. This declaration registers the property for annual building tax (impozit pe clădire) and, if applicable, land tax (impozit pe teren). Failure to declare within the deadline can result in penalties. Property tax rates are modest for residential property owned by individuals — typically 0.08% to 0.2% of the fiscal value annually — but properties owned by companies are taxed at higher rates (0.2% to 1.3%).

Insurance

Romanian law requires all residential property owners to hold a mandatory home insurance policy (PAD) covering earthquake, flood, and landslide. The premium is low (approximately €10–€20 per year) but the policy is legally mandatory. Supplementary homeowner’s insurance covering broader risks (fire, theft, water damage, civil liability) is strongly recommended, with annual premiums typically ranging from €100 to €400.

Utility Contracts and Homeowners’ Association

All utility contracts (electricity, gas, water, internet) must be transferred into the new owner’s name. The homeowners’ association (asociația de proprietari) must be notified of the change of ownership. Both processes are administrative rather than complex, but they require Romanian-language interaction and presentation of the notarial contract and Land Book extract. A local representative or property management company can handle these on the buyer’s behalf.

For Investment Properties

Buyers acquiring property for rental should additionally: prepare a compliant lease agreement (contract de închiriere); understand the tax regime for rental income — individuals pay income tax on rental proceeds, with specific deduction and reporting rules; engage a property management company if not resident in Romania; arrange landlord insurance; and, for short-term rental (Airbnb-type), verify local registration and reporting requirements. If the property is held through an SRL, the company requires ongoing accounting, tax filing, and corporate compliance — costs that should be factored into the investment calculation.

Buying Personally or Through a Romanian SRL

The choice between personal and company ownership is not automatic — it depends on the buyer’s nationality, the property type, the investment strategy, and the tax implications.

The SRL should not be created automatically simply because the buyer is a foreigner. For an EU citizen buying an apartment for personal use or simple long-term rental, personal ownership is usually simpler, cheaper, and more tax-efficient. For a non-EU citizen buying a house with land, the SRL is a necessity. For a serious investor acquiring multiple properties for rental, the SRL may offer meaningful tax advantages. The decision should be made with a Romanian tax adviser before the first deposit is paid.

Special Considerations

New-Build and Off-Plan Purchases

Buying from a developer introduces risks that do not exist in resale transactions. The buyer is paying for a property that may not yet be built, from a company whose financial stability may not be guaranteed, on land that may be mortgaged to a bank. Specific additional checks include: verifying the developer’s ownership of the land and the validity of the building permit; confirming Nordis Law compliance — the 2025 requirement for pre-registration of apartments in the Land Book before sale; examining the developer’s financial condition and litigation history; reviewing the payment schedule to ensure payments are linked to verifiable construction milestones; and conducting a technical inspection at handover, before signing the acceptance protocol.

Buying a House with Land

A house purchase involves both a building and a land parcel — each requiring separate verification. The cadastral documentation must cover both the house and the land. Boundaries must be confirmed against the cadastral plan. Legal access to a public road must be verified. Utility connections (electricity, gas, water, sewage) must be confirmed as lawfully connected and contracted. Any extensions, outbuildings, or structures must be checked against the building permit. The land’s classification — intravilan (within the built-up area) or extravilan (outside) — determines what further construction is permitted. And, for non-EU buyers, the land must be acquired through an SRL.

Buying with a Mortgage

Mortgage-financed purchases add a parallel process: bank approval must be obtained alongside legal due diligence, and the timelines must align. The preliminary contract should contain a mortgage condition (condiție suspensivă) providing that if the bank does not approve the loan within a specified period, the buyer can withdraw and recover the deposit. Without this condition, a buyer who is refused financing loses the deposit. Non-resident borrowers face additional requirements — higher down payments (25–35%), documentation of foreign income, and a narrower choice of lending banks. Currency risk is real: a buyer earning in a non-EUR currency who borrows in RON or EUR is exposed to exchange-rate movements over the entire loan term.

Common Mistakes by Foreign Buyers

Frequently Asked Questions