Buying a home in Slovakia is simpler on paper than in most European countries, and the tax bill at purchase is, remarkably, zero. The less obvious points are the registry, the farmland rules and a local tax return that nobody reminds you about.
This guide explains buying property in Slovakia as a foreigner, with the official fees.
Can foreigners buy property in Slovakia?
Yes. A citizen of the EU, the EEA or Switzerland buys on the same terms as a Slovak, including agricultural land. For other nationalities, Slovak law lets any foreigner acquire real estate, except property that special laws restrict: agricultural land, forests, protected heritage property and protected natural areas (Act no. 202/1995, section 19a).
On farmland, Act no. 140/2014 forbids buying by a state or a person from a country that itself forbids Slovaks from buying farmland. The ban does not target the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, and it does not apply to gardens, plots inside built-up areas or parcels under 2,000 square metres.
How does buying property in Slovakia work, step by step?
- Search on portals such as byty.sk and nehnutelnosti.sk or with an agency, which takes a commission.
- Check the ownership extract (list vlastníctva) at the land registry for charges and co-owners.
- Sign the sale contract, often with a lawyer or notary.
- File the registration application (návrh na vklad). The land registry office decides within 30 days. You are the owner from the registration.
- Declare your local property tax to the municipality by 31 January of the following year.
Before you sign, a contract in Slovak can hide charges or a co-owner you did not expect. Moovy can help you build a checklist for your purchase, explain terms of the ownership extract in plain English and draft questions for the seller in Slovak with a translation. A Slovak lawyer should review the contract itself.
What does buying property in Slovakia cost?
There is no transfer tax: Act no. 554/2003 stopped applying to transfers whose obligation arose after 31 December 2004. What you pay:
- Land registry fee: 100 euros per application, 50 euros online (2026 schedule, Act no. 145/1995, item 11). The fee is due for each legal act registered, so a sale and a mortgage are charged separately.
- Faster decision: 300 euros instead of 100, or 150 euros online, for a decision in 15 days. If the office is late, it refunds the difference.
- Notary or lawyer who drafts the contract, and any agency commission.
An older fee list on the surveyor's authority website still shows 66 and 33 euros. The law is what counts.
For prices, EURES reports that asking prices rose by 12 to 12.8% in 2025 and that apartments averaged 3,262 euros per square metre. We do not have official prices by city. For a view of affordability, see cost of living in Slovakia.
What local taxes follow the purchase?
Local taxes are run by your municipality (obec, or the borough in Bratislava and Košice), not the state tax office. The property tax is calculated on the situation on 1 January. If you buy in 2026, file your return (priznanie k dani z nehnuteľností) by 31 January 2027. Later you file again only if something changes, using a partial return, again before 31 January.
The same return covers the dog tax. A dog over six months arriving during the year is declared within 30 days. Inheritance or a property bought at auction must be declared within 30 days.
The poplatok za komunálny odpad, the waste charge, is owed by everyone with permanent or temporary residence in the municipality or using a dwelling there. Rates are set by each municipality's local regulation (VZN), published on its website.
A foreign owner stays liable for the property tax. The municipality sends decisions to your address abroad, and you can appoint a representative for service. A returned letter is deemed received on the day it returns to the municipality (Act no. 563/2009, section 34).
What are the traps?
- Waiting for a letter from the town hall. You must declare.
- Confusing local tax with income tax. Renting out your flat creates a separate duty to the Finančná správa; see rodné číslo and DIČ.
- Thinking the deadline runs from the purchase. For an ordinary purchase it is 31 January of the next year.
- Buying farmland without checking reciprocity if you are not from the EU, EEA or Switzerland.
What about the mortgage?
Each bank sets its own conditions for foreigners: income, length of stay, down payment. Get several offers in writing before signing a purchase contract; see bank account in Slovakia. If you rent first and buy later, our guide to renting in Slovakia covers the other route.
Is buying property in Slovakia a good idea for a newcomer?
That depends on how long you plan to stay. With no transfer tax, the purchase costs are low, but asking prices rose by 12 to 12.8% in 2025 (EURES), so you buy into a rising market, and you carry the local taxes and maintenance. Many newcomers rent for the first year to learn the neighbourhoods before buying. See renting in Slovakia.
What should you check in the land registry?
The ownership extract (list vlastníctva) tells you who owns the property, whether there are co-owners, and whether there are charges such as a mortgage or easements. A Slovak lawyer or notary can check it for you. Do not pay a deposit before you have seen it. If the property is still under construction, ask what guarantees the developer gives.
How long does the land registry take to register a transfer?
The land registry office decides within 30 days of the application. An accelerated decision in 15 days costs 300 euros (150 euros online); if the office misses the deadline it refunds the difference, but if the procedure is stopped or the application is rejected, nothing is refunded. The deadline is suspended while a procedure is interrupted.
Can you buy a house or flat as a non-EU foreigner?
Yes for homes and building land, except property restricted by special laws: farmland, forests, protected heritage property and protected natural areas (Act no. 202/1995, section 19a). For farmland, reciprocity of your country applies (Act no. 140/2014, section 7). Because of this, a British buyer can buy an apartment, but a plot of agricultural land needs a closer look.
How should you pay and protect your money?
Use a lawyer or notary to hold the money until registration, and make sure the contract states the price, the payment dates and who bears the fees. Ask for written offers from several banks if you take a mortgage, since each bank sets its own conditions for foreigners: income, length of stay and down payment. See bank account in Slovakia.