Residential lease agreement in Croatia: what it must contain and how to register it

The lease agreement is the foundation of every long-term let. Your tax, your exemption from property tax, the deposit and what you can do if the tenant does not pay all depend on it. Below are the rules of the current Zakon o najmu stanova (Residential Lease Act, ZNS).

The law may change soon. On 31 July 2026 the Government presented a draft of a new Residential Lease Act. The draft provides for mandatory notarial certification of all new agreements, a deposit of one month's rent, rent increases no more than once a year and longer deadlines for moving out. As of this guide's review the new law has not been passed, so the current one applies.

It must be in writing

A residential lease agreement must be in writing (ZNS Art. 4). A verbal agreement is not enough, either under the law or for the Porezna uprava (Tax Administration).

What the agreement must contain

The law sets out nine mandatory elements (ZNS Art. 5):

1. the parties (landlord and tenant),
2. a description of the flat,
3. the amount of rent and how it is paid,
4. the types of costs and how they are paid (utility bills, building reserve fund…),
5. the people who will live in the flat with the tenant,
6. the duration of the lease (fixed or indefinite term),
7. maintenance of the flat,
8. use of the common parts of the building,
9. provisions on the handover of the flat.

Agreements usually also cover the deposit, keys, pets and smoking. Read the guide to the deposit and the guide to utility bills and the reserve fund.

Registering the agreement

The landlord sends the agreement to the Tax Administration and to the city or municipal office responsible for housing (ZNS Art. 26). The lease is reported to the Tax Administration on obrazac RPO (form RPO) within 8 days of when you start receiving rent. The details are in the guide to tax on rent.

A registered agreement is also the proof you need for the exemption from property tax.

Notarial certification

You can have the agreement certified by a javni bilježnik (notary public) — this is called solemnizacija (notarial certification). With a direct enforcement clause (klauzula o izravnoj ovrsi), such an agreement becomes an enforceable instrument (ovršna isprava). If the tenant does not pay or does not move out when the agreement expires, you can apply for enforcement without lengthy court proceedings. The notary also sends the agreement to the Tax Administration, so your tax registration is done as well.

Certification is charged according to the notaries' fee schedule. For most landlords it is the most cost-effective protection.

Duration and termination

A fixed-term agreement ends when its term expires. If neither party gives written notice at least 30 days before it expires, it is tacitly renewed for the same period (ZNS Art. 25).

An indefinite-term agreement:

• the tenant can terminate it with at least 3 months' notice (Art. 23);
• the landlord can terminate it only on the grounds set out in the law (Art. 19): non-payment of rent or of agreed costs, subletting without permission, disturbing the neighbours, an unregistered person living in the flat for more than 30 days, or using the flat for another purpose.

Before terminating, the landlord must warn the tenant in writing and give them 30 days to remedy the breach. The notice must be in writing and give reasons, and it is delivered in person or by registered post. The notice period is 3 months and runs from the first day of the following month (Art. 22). If the tenant does not move out, the landlord files an eviction lawsuit, which the court handles as urgent.

Raising the rent

Rent is freely agreed. With a fixed-term agreement, the amount in the agreement applies.

With an indefinite-term agreement, the rent cannot be changed for one year. After that, either party can propose a change in writing, up to no more than 20% above the average freely agreed rent in the same place or county (ZNS Art. 10). The tenant can go to court within 30 days.

A change in rent must also be reported to the Tax Administration, within 8 days.

Sources

• Zakon o najmu stanova (Residential Lease Act) (NN 91/96 … 36/24)
• Vlada RH (Croatian Government): Novi zakon o najmu stanova (new Residential Lease Act) (draft, 31 July 2026)
• Porezna uprava: Najmodavac stambenog prostora (Landlords of residential property)