Due diligence when buying real estate in Romania: the checklist

1. The land book

Anyone can request an information extract from the land book online, showing the current position; the notary requests an extract for notarisation before signing, valid for 10 business days ^[1]. The land book has three parts ^[2]:

• part A: description of the property, address and areas;
• part B: the owner and the history of title;
• part C: mortgages, encumbrances, easements, litigation notes and enforcement notices.

The area in the land book is compared with the measured area and the site plan, and the buyer checks that all buildings are registered and whether any plots are still being registered.

2. Zoning

The urbanism certificate sets out the land's legal, economic and technical regime: permitted uses, site coverage and FAR, and whether a new zoning plan is required ^[2]. The buyer checks that the planning documents relied on are in force and whether infrastructure projects affect the land.

3. Buildings

• building permits for each structure;
• completion acceptance reports, signed by a lawfully constituted committee;
• registration of the buildings in the land book; a building without an acceptance report is in an irregular legal position ^[2];
• for buildings in use: fire-safety permits and, where applicable, environmental and health permits.

4. Local taxes and the energy certificate

Without the local-tax certificate the notary will not notarise the sale; since 1 March 2026 the buyer presents one too, and it is valid for about 30 days ^[3]. An energy performance certificate is mandatory on sale, is presented before signing and is valid for 10 years ^[4].

5. Environment and technical risks

• a check in the register of contaminated sites, especially for former industrial sites ^[2];
• a phase I environmental assessment where the site history justifies it ^[2];
• a geotechnical study and, for older buildings, a structural survey;
• in Bucharest, seismic risk for buildings erected before 1977 ^[2].

6. Third-party rights

The pre-emption right under Law 17/2014 concerns agricultural land outside town limits, not land within them ^[5]. Leases in force, easements and any restitution claims are still checked ^[2].

7. Additional checks in a share deal

• the Trade Register certificate and articles of association ^[6];
• the tax-compliance certificate from the tax authority ^[6];
• the beneficial owner, from the register of beneficial owners ^[2];
• financial statements for the last three years and any tax audits;
• litigation, on the courts portal;
• the company's ongoing contracts, employees and guarantees given.

The practical order

• before a non-binding offer: land book, urbanism certificate, site visit;
• after the letter of intent: the full document set, legal and technical checks and, in a share deal, tax checks;
• before signing: an updated land-book extract, tax certificate, energy certificate and conditions precedent satisfied.

This material is for information only and is not legal, tax or investment advice.