Buying property

Entry into the land register (vklad do katastru)

In Czech: Vklad do katastru nemovitostí

Entry into the land register (vklad do katastru nemovitostí) is the registration of ownership or another property right in the land register based on a contract. Only this entry makes the buyer the owner, with effect from the day of filing.

Also called: cadastre registration, land registry entry, vklad, návrh na vklad

What it means

Entry into the land register (vklad do katastru nemovitostí) is how rights created by a contract are recorded in the Czech land register (katastr nemovitostí): ownership from a purchase or gift agreement, a lien securing a mortgage, an easement. Without the entry, the purchase agreement alone does not transfer ownership.

Under the Civil Code, ownership of real estate recorded in a public register is acquired by entry in that register (§ 1105). The Cadastral Act adds that the legal effects of the entry arise at the moment the application reached the cadastral office (§ 10).

How it works in the Czech Republic

After signing, an application for entry (návrh na vklad) is filed with the cadastral office (katastrální úřad) together with the contract. The form is on the website of the land survey office ČÚZK, and the application can be filed on paper or electronically. The administrative fee is CZK 2,000 (as of October 2026).

By the next working day at the latest, the office marks the affected properties to show that rights are subject to a change (§ 9(1)). In practice this is called a plomba and it is visible on nahlizenidokatastru.cz. The office informs the owner (§ 16(1)).

The entry may be permitted no earlier than 20 days after that notice was sent (§ 18(1)). This period gives the owner time to react if they did not know about the application. Once the entry is permitted, the office records the new owner and the plomba disappears.

Practical example

For example, a lawyer files the application for entry for a flat on 3 March. By the next working day at the latest a plomba appears on the title deed and the owner receives the office's notice. Once 20 days have passed since it was sent, the office can permit the entry; when it does, the buyer is the owner with effect from 3 March, and only then does the lawyer release the money from escrow as the contract says.

What to watch out for

  • Before signing, check on nahlizenidokatastru.cz that the property has no plomba from another proceeding.
  • Have the contract say who files the application, who pays the CZK 2,000 fee and what happens if the office suspends the proceeding or rejects the entry.
  • Make sure the property details in the contract match the land register exactly; an error can delay the entry.
  • Until the entry is made, do not treat the property as yours, for example by letting it out.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the land register entry take?

The entry can be permitted no earlier than 20 days after the notice to the owner was sent. The total time depends on the office and on whether the application is in order.

How much does the application cost?

The administrative fee for an application for entry is CZK 2,000.

From when am I the owner?

You acquire ownership by the entry, but it takes effect from the day the application reached the cadastral office.

What is a plomba?

A mark showing that rights to the property are subject to a change. The office adds it no later than the next working day after receiving the application.

  • Land register (katastr nemovitostí)The land register (katastr nemovitostí) is the Czech public register of land, buildings and units and of the rights attached to them, such as ownership, mortgages and easements. It is run by ČÚZK through regional cadastral offices.
  • Plomba in the land register (plomba v katastru)A plomba in the land register is the informal name for a note that proceedings affecting the registered rights are under way, typically an entry after a sale. The law calls it marking that the rights are affected by a change.
  • Title deed (list vlastnictví)A title deed (list vlastnictví, LV) is the land register sheet that shows, for one cadastral area, who owns which properties and what burdens them, such as mortgages, easements or a pending change of ownership.
  • Acquisition of ownership (nabytí vlastnického práva)Acquisition of ownership (nabytí vlastnického práva) is the moment a person becomes the owner of a property. When buying property recorded in the land register, it happens on entry in the register, not on signing or paying.
  • Purchase agreement (kupní smlouva)A purchase agreement (kupní smlouva) is the written contract in which the seller undertakes to transfer ownership of a property to the buyer and the buyer undertakes to pay the price. Ownership passes only on entry into the land register.

Sources

Laws and official pages this text is based on (in Czech).

This text is for information only and has not yet been checked by a legal or financial expert. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Verify important details in the listed sources or with a professional.

Updated 25 October 2026

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