Of course. Here is the translation in a natural, casual English style, with the original formatting preserved.
Montenegro Notaries Halt Deals on Properties with "nema dozvole" Status
🇲🇪 A new property legalization law came into effect in Montenegro in 2025. However, its rollout has hit some immediate practical snags: the necessary bylaws and official clarifications haven't been issued yet, creating uncertainty for government agencies and notaries.
What's Happening Now
According to several sources, all notaries in Montenegro have temporarily suspended transactions for properties that have a "nema dozvole" ("no building permit") note on their property deed (List nepokretnosti).
This means that these properties:
- Cannot be sold or gifted.
- Cannot have a lease officially notarized.
- Cannot be used in any official transactions.
In effect, a huge portion of the housing market has been "frozen."
The Scale of the Problem
The "nema dozvole" note is common for a large number of properties—especially houses and apartments built before strict construction controls were introduced. This affects a significant part of the country's older housing stock.
This has left tens of thousands of owners in a situation where they formally own their property but can't fully manage or dispose of it.
Deadlines and Requirements
Owners of these properties have been given a six-month window to submit their legalization documents. After filing a protective application (zaštitna prijava), the property gets a "protected status," which will allow legal transactions to resume.
The provisions for owners include:
- The ability to file documents even with unresolved land ownership issues.
- The option to pay the urban rehabilitation fee (naknada za urbanu sanaciju) in installments over 30 years, or get a ~20% discount for a one-time lump sum payment.
What This Means for Owners
- Property transactions are blocked — you can't sell or gift your property without filing the application.
- You must apply for legalization in the coming months. Otherwise, owners face fines, restrictions, and even demolition.
- Documents need to be prepared in advance — this includes technical passports, geodesic surveys, an architectural "as-built" package, and power of attorney for representation.
The Takeaway
This situation requires property owners to act fast. There isn't much time to legalize, and the process involves preparing a large set of documents and dealing with government authorities.