Can a foreigner buy property in Romania?

Foreigners may buy, but with permission, zones or type limits

Romania lets EU citizens buy land and buildings on the same terms as Romanians. A buyer from outside the EU may buy buildings, but land is more limited and is often bought through a Romanian company.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

EU citizens may buy land. Non-EU citizens may own land only under the conditions the law sets, which include treaties and reciprocity. Farmland has extra rules for every buyer, such as pre-emption rights for neighbours and the state.

Houses and flats

Non-EU foreigners may buy houses and flats.

Buying through a company

A company registered in Romania is a Romanian legal entity. Non-EU foreigners often use one to hold land, but farmland has its own conditions.

Limits and closed zones

Farmland is controlled for everyone, and the state and neighbours may have a right to buy first.

What to watch for

A notarial deed is needed, and the land register entry should be checked for charges. A Romanian lawyer should advise on the route for land.

Understand the legal system first

Romania belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Romania legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Romania with another country →

Official sources

National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI)

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.