Who owns what in a marriage in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Property acquired during the marriage is joint by default

In Bosnia and Herzegovina the family laws of the entities make property acquired by work during the marriage joint, but each entity has its own law.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

The default, not your case. This page describes what applies when a couple sign no contract. Family law changes, and a court can decide differently on the facts of a case. For a couple with a foreign spouse, take advice in each country involved. This is general information, not legal advice.

What applies by default

Property acquired by work during the marriage is joint, and personal property stays personal. The Federation and Republika Srpska each have their own family law, and Brčko District has another.

When the marriage ends in divorce

The joint property is divided, in principle equally, and the rules differ by entity.

A marriage contract

A marriage contract can be made, and the form depends on the entity.

What stays your own, and gifts

Property from before the marriage, gifts and inheritances stay personal.

If one spouse is a foreigner

Which entity's law applies can matter, so get local advice.

Understand the legal system first

Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Bosnia and Herzegovina legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →

Official sources

Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina

TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide 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.