Homebly
Registering a new house in Romania in 2026: from the reception to the land book
To be entered in the land book, a new house needs the reception report, the town hall’s certificate that it was built, and a cadastral survey. The steps in order, what changes for a house built on notification, and what you still have to do afterwards.
Published: October 26, 20264 min read
The short answer: a new house is entered in the land book (intabulare) on two documents, the certificate attesting the building (certificat de atestare a edificării) from the town hall that issued the permit, and a cadastral survey (art. 37 of Law 7/1996). The certificate confirms that you built to the permit and that a reception report exists, so everything starts with the reception. A house built on a notification takes a different route, described below.
Until it is registered, the land book shows the plot but not the house; in practice, selling or mortgaging the house requires it to be entered. Below are the steps in order, under Law 169/2026, the new planning and construction code.
Step 1: report the end of works
When the builder finishes, they notify you, and you, as the permit holder, notify the town hall that the works are complete (art. 280(10) of the code). This notice also starts the clock for the reception: it is organised and completed within 30 days of the builder’s notice (art. 423(7)).
Step 2: settle the permit fee
The permit fee paid at the start was based on the estimated value of the works. At the end it is recalculated on the real value: within 15 days of completing the works you file a statement of their value at the town hall, and the difference is paid or refunded (art. 474(7) of the Fiscal Code). This is settled before the reception (art. 280(9)).
Step 3: the reception at the end of works
A house built under a permit counts as finished only after the reception at the end of works (recepția la terminarea lucrărilor, the official completion inspection); without it the works are not complete, even if you already live there (art. 280(1) and (8)). The reception is mandatory even when you build it yourself (art. 280(2)), and a town hall representative must attend (art. 280(3)). At the reception the site supervisor hands you the building’s technical book (cartea tehnică) and the maintenance manual (art. 528(2)).
The house may be used lawfully only once the reception has been admitted (art. 527(4)). The town hall’s certificate rests on the reception report, and its date matters for the tax.
Catalogue: 19 projects with prices (PDF)
All barnhouse and A-frame projects with shell and turnkey prices — free, straight to your inbox.
We’ll reply on WhatsApp at this number. By submitting this form, you agree to our privacy policy.
Step 4: the certificate attesting the building
The certificate attesting the building is issued by the mayor (art. 120(1) of the planning code). The code does not say which documents you file for it or how long it takes, and the order with the official forms has no template for it, so ask the town hall what to submit.
Step 5: the cadastral survey and the application to OCPI
| Document | Who issues it | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Reception report at the end of works | The reception committee, with the town hall representative | Shows the works are finished; the certificate rests on it, and its date matters for the tax |
| Certificate attesting the building | The town hall that issued the permit | Confirms the house was built to the permit |
| Cadastral survey | A surveyor authorised by ANCPI | Measurement of the house for the land book |
| Technical book of the building | The site supervisor, at the reception | The house’s record; you keep it and hand it over on sale |
The cadastral survey for the house is drawn up by a surveyor authorised by ANCPI, the national cadastre agency, after measuring the building on site. With it and the certificate you apply to the local cadastre and land registry office (OCPI) to enter the house in the land book, and you pay the ANCPI fee.
The law sets no deadline for registering the house, but entering it in the land book is a duty of the beneficiary, the person the house is built for (art. 420(8)(i)). If you want to sell or take a loan before the end, the house can also be registered by construction stages (art. 37(3) of Law 7/1996).
If you built on a notification
For a house of up to 150 m² built on a notification the route is different. The reception is held between the builder, you and a town hall representative, and the report is entered in the National Register of Constructions; until that register runs, a copy goes to the State Construction Inspectorate. The house is registered on proof that you sent the notification and of that registration (art. 298(6) and (7)). The fee for works on a notification is half the permit fee (art. 313(4)).
Cadastre practice for this route is still new and the national register is not running yet, so ask OCPI which documents they want before you apply.
After the reception: the tax and the technical book
You declare the new house at the town hall for building tax within 30 days of acquiring it (art. 461(2) of the Fiscal Code). For a house finished before the term in the permit, the acquisition date is the date of the reception report, but no later than 15 days after the works actually ended (art. 461(3)(a)). The deadline runs from the reception, not from the registration.
You keep the technical book and add later works to it; on sale you hand it to the new owner (art. 530(4) and (8)). Not keeping or updating it is fined 20,000–50,000 lei (art. 570). For a single-family house with a ground floor or a ground floor and one storey, the minimum warranty is one year from the reception, and after it you hold the final reception within 10 days (art. 531 and 532).
Before you sign with a builder, ask who prepares the papers for the reception and the technical book; more questions for a manufacturer are in our checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what people ask most about registering a new house.
Can I register the house before it is finished?
Yes, by construction stages, on the town hall’s certificate of the stage reached, a report of that stage and the cadastral survey (art. 37(3) of Law 7/1996). It can help when a bank wants a mortgage on a house still under construction.
Is there a deadline for registering the house?
For the registration itself the law sets none. The deadline is for declaring the house for tax: 30 days from the acquisition date, which for a house finished before the term in the permit is the reception.
What about a house built without a permit?
A house with neither a permit nor a notification cannot pass the reception (art. 280(8)), so it lacks the documents registration rests on. What the new code allows, including the regularisation permit, is in [[/blog/constructii-fara-autorizatie-2026|our guide to building without a permit]].
Related articles
Published: September 30, 2026
A house of up to 150 m² in a Romanian village without a building permit: how the notification works
Published: August 31, 2026
Building Permit for a Holiday House in Romania: Documents, Steps and Timelines in 2026
Published: October 2, 2026
Romania’s urban planning certificate in 2026: which one to request and what it tells you before you buy a plot
Want a fixed price for your project?
Fill in the form and get a personalized estimate based on your land, project, and options.