Legal Information
Are foreign citizens allowed to purchase real estate properties in Croatia?
EU CITIZENS: The citizens of the European Union are allowed to purchase real estate properties in Croatia under the same conditions as Croatian citizens and Croatian companies, with the exception of agricultural land and areas protected under the Environmental Protection Act.
NON-EU CITIZENS: Non-EU citizens may acquire real estate properties in Croatia provided that there is reciprocity between the Republic of Croatia and a foreign citizen’s country and provided that the foreign buyer obtains prior consent from the Croatian Ministry of Justice.
Foreigners (especially non-EU citizens) frequently opt for establishing a Croatian limited liability company and acquiring land on behalf of such a company.
How to establish a Croatian limited liability company (Društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću- d.o.o.)?
Limited liability company is a legal entity whose basic capital is divided into shares owned by shareholders (shareholder can be foreign or domestic physical or legal persons), and whose status is established by entry into a Commercial Court Register.
This is incorporated in the Deed of Incorporation (when a company has one (1) founder) or by Articles of Association (when a company has two (2) or more founders). The documents are signed before the notary public. Notary’s fees are in the range of EUR 500-1000, depending on the circumstances.
Number of founders: minimum one (1).
Minimum initial capital is HRK 20.000,00 (approximately EUR 2.800,00).
Bodies of a LLC are: Management Board (minimum one (1) member) and Shareholders' Meeting.
Owners (founders) of the company are not liable for the company debts. Exceptionally, they may be held liable for company debts if they abuse the principle of their non-liability.
The procedure of company establishment (from the beginning until the registration at the Commercial Court) usually lasts 3 days (for companies with one founder) to 10 days (for companies with two or more founders).Skiper is happy to recommend interpreters, notary and lawyers who can provide you with the required support.
What is OIB (Osobni identifikacijski broj)?
OIB (Osobni identifikacijski broj) is a Personal Identification Number and a permanent identification mark for each Croatian citizen and legal entity residing in Croatia. In certain cases, it is also assigned to the foreigners. Foreigners who acquire real estate in Croatia register their ownership in the Land Registry at a land registration court. Due to the manner of registration of ownership in official records, a foreigner must obtain the OIB (abbreviation for personal identification number). Similarly to that, OIB is also required in case of founding a company in Croatia.
The procedure of obtaining OIB is simple and quick (one day) and we shall be happy to assist you.