In brief
In Romania the plot and the house on it are two separate entries in the land register, and a finished house enters the register only through registration of the building (intabulare construcție). Under Article 37 of Law 7/1996, registration is made on the basis of a certificate from the local authority that issued the permit, confirming that the house was built according to the permit and that acceptance took place, and on the basis of a cadastral file prepared by an authorised surveyor. Without this registration a notary generally cannot sign a sale of the house, so a buyer from a developer should link the final contract to the registration.
Key takeaways
- 1A new house is registered on the basis of the construction certificate from the authority that issued the permit and a cadastral file prepared by an authorised surveyor (Law 7/1996, Article 37).
- 2A notarial deed transferring a property right is, as a rule, signed only for a property registered in the land register, with few exceptions (Article 36).
- 3An acceptance report without an attached energy performance certificate is void under Law 372/2005 (Article 23).
- 4The ANCPI fee for registering a building is 60 lei per building plus 0.05% of its tax value (code 2.6.1), as of October 2026.
- 5It is advisable to link the date of the final sale in the contract to the registration of the building, not to a calendar date.
An Israeli buyer who comes to visit their new house in Romania sees walls, a roof and a key. If they order an extract from the land register on the same day, they may see something else: a plot, perhaps a registered building permit as well, but not the house itself. This is not necessarily a sign of a problem. It is a stage every new house goes through, and it is important to know who is responsible for it and when it should be completed.
This guide deals with registering a new building in the land register, whether a private house or a small building. We wrote about the handover report and about reading the documents you receive from the developer in separate guides.
What is building registration, and why does a finished house not appear in the extract?
In the Romanian land register (Cartea Funciară), the land and the building are two entries. When construction ends, the extract still shows only the plot, or the plot and the building permit, until intabulare construcție, registration of the building itself, is carried out. Only from that moment does the house also exist on paper.
A notarial deed transferring a property right is, as a rule, signed only for a property registered in the land register, with few exceptions (Article 36).
Why is a house that was built but not registered a problem for the buyer?
- No notarial sale. Under Article 36 of Law 7/1996 on cadastre and land registration, notarial deeds transferring a property right are signed only for a property registered in the land register, with few exceptions. When buying from a developer, this means the final contract for a finished house comes after registration of the building.
- Financing. A bank lending on a finished house registers the mortgage on the property in the land register. Before construction is completed, a mortgage on a future building is possible only if the building permit was first registered in the land register (Article 37(5)).
- A future sale. When you sell, the notary and the buyer's bank will start from the extract. A house whose registration matches reality, with the correct area and use, sells without unnecessary delays.
- An existing house that was never registered. In a resale purchase too, a house standing on the ground that does not appear in the extract is a sign to stop and clarify before any payment.
On the basis of which documents is a building registered in the land register?
Article 37 of Law 7/1996 requires two things: a certificate from the local authority that issued the building permit, confirming that the house was built according to the permit and that there is an acceptance report on completion of the works, and a cadastral file. With both, the county registration office (OCPI) registers the building. Behind these two documents stands a chain:
| Document | What it establishes | Who is responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit (autorizație de construire) | What may be built; in off-plan construction for sale it should already be registered in the land register at the start | The local authority |
| Acceptance report on completion of the works (proces-verbal de recepție la terminarea lucrărilor) | That the works were completed and accepted | An acceptance committee organised by the developer |
| Energy performance certificate | Presented at acceptance and attached to the report | An authorised energy auditor |
| Construction certificate (certificat de atestare a edificării construcției) | That the house was built according to the permit and that there is an acceptance report | The mayor of the authority that issued the permit (Law 169/2026, Article 120) |
| Cadastral file (documentație cadastrală) | A survey and plan of the building on the plot, in the national system | A surveyor authorised by ANCPI |
| Application to OCPI and proof of payment of the fee | Opening the registration procedure | The registered owner, usually the developer, or the surveyor or notary on its behalf |
Under Article 23 of Law 372/2005 on the energy performance of buildings, an acceptance report to which no energy performance certificate is attached is void. A void report may delay everything that follows, so make sure the certificate is attached.
In addition, Law 169/2026 (the Planning and Construction Code) requires the developer to organise acceptance, prepare the building's technical book, register the building in the national register of buildings, and hand it over only after acceptance and after the final utility connections (Article 422(5)). That register is separate from the land register, but the documents come from the same file.
In what order does this happen when buying from a developer?
When the house is completed, the developer is still the registered owner, so registration of the building is usually made in its name, before the final sale. The customary order:
- Acceptance. The acceptance committee signs the report, and the energy certificate is attached to it.
- Construction certificate. The developer applies to the authority that issued the permit and obtains the construction certificate from it.
- Survey. An authorised surveyor prepares the cadastral file for the building.
- Registration of the building. The file is submitted to OCPI, and the extract is updated: the house appears on the plot.
- Final sale. You sign before a notary, who sends the contract for registration of your ownership.
- An extract in your name. After registration, you order an updated extract showing you as the owners.
A buyer living abroad does not need to be present at the stages before the final sale, because the developer carries them out. For signing the final contract you can attend before the notary, or act through an attorney-in-fact holding a notarial power of attorney.
What should you require from the developer, already in the contract?
- Responsibility and cost. A clause stating who handles registration of the building and who pays for it.
- A date that depends on registration. The date of the final sale should be linked to registration of the building, and not only to a calendar date.
- A preliminary contract for a future house. Under Law 169/2026 (Article 422(6) and (7)), a developer may sign one only after the building permit has been registered in the land register and a land register file has been opened for the future house. Check this in the extract before you pay.
- Separation between units. In a semi-detached house or a building with several units, your unit should be clearly separated in the land register from the neighbour's.
- Encumbrances. Mortgages or notations registered on the plot should be removed before the sale or at the time of the sale, under a written mechanism.
How much does registration cost, and how long does it take?
| ANCPI service | Fee, as of October 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Registration of a building (code 2.6.1) | 60 lei per building plus 0.05% of its tax value | Includes updating the property details, such as use, area and address, when done at the same time |
| Copy of the land register | 25 lei | Under the same fee order |
| Registration of the sale | A separate fee based on value | Paid on the sale, usually through the notary |
The fees were set by ANCPI Order 16/2019, as amended by Order 1498/2024 published in Monitorul Oficial (Romania's official gazette) 726 of 24 July 2024. Some services have an urgent track, and it is worth asking the registration office whether it applies. The surveyor's fee and the local authority's fees are separate and vary from place to place.
As for time: there is no single binding deadline covering the whole chain. It depends on the local authority, the surveyor and the workload at the registration office. What shortens it in practice is requesting the construction certificate immediately after acceptance rather than after the keys are handed over, and obtaining from the surveyor a written estimate for the cadastral file and the submission stage.
What do you check in the extract before the final contract?
- That the building permit is registered in the plot's land register file.
- That there is a signed acceptance report, with an energy certificate attached to it.
- That the authority issued a construction certificate.
- That the building appears in the extract, with the area and use promised to you in the contract.
- That there is no mortgage or notation where it is unclear how it will be removed.
- That the contract states who bears the registration costs.
The notary checks the extract before signing, but a lawyer representing you can check it earlier, before you pay. The developer's lawyer represents the developer.
What should you do before signing?
Before the preliminary contract, check that the permit is registered and that a land register file has been opened for the future unit, and make sure the contract links the final sale to registration of the building. Before the final contract, check in the extract that the house is registered and that there are no open encumbrances on it. We accompany Israeli buyers through these checks, together with licensed lawyers and notaries in Romania, who sign the documents and submit them for registration.
This article is general information, current as of October 2026, and is not legal advice for a specific case. ANCPI fees and the authorities' procedures change from time to time, and the new planning code entered into force in August 2026; the documents of the specific property must be checked.
Frequently asked questions
What is intabulare construcție?
Registration of a building in the land register. Under Article 37 of Law 7/1996, it is made on the basis of a certificate from the authority that issued the permit, confirming that the building conforms to the permit and that there is an acceptance report, and on the basis of a cadastral file prepared by an authorised surveyor.
Who issues the construction certificate?
The mayor of the commune or city that issued the building permit. Law 169/2026 lists it among the mayor's powers, alongside urban planning certificates and building permits (Article 120).
How much does it cost to register a new house in the land register?
The ANCPI fee is 60 lei per building plus 0.05% of its tax value (code 2.6.1), as of October 2026. The surveyor's fee and the fee for registering the sale are separate.
Can a notary sign the sale of a house that is not registered in the land register?
As a rule, no. Article 36 of Law 7/1996 permits notarial deeds transferring property rights only for registered properties, with few exceptions. Therefore the final contract for a new house is signed after registration of the building.
Can you get a mortgage before the house is registered?
A bank can register a mortgage on a future building only after the building permit has been registered in the land register (Article 37(5) of Law 7/1996). For a finished house the bank will want the building to be registered, so it is worth asking it in advance at which stage it requires registration.
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The information in this guide is general in nature and does not constitute legal or tax advice on any specific transaction. Every transaction is assessed on its own facts.