How do I check that the seller owns the property in Romania?

Order a land register excerpt for information and look at Part II: it lists the owners and each owner's share.

How do I find out whether a property in Romania has a mortgage or a seizure?

From Part III of the land register excerpt, which lists mortgages, prohibitions, seizures and recorded litigation.

Can I request the land register excerpt for a property that isn't mine?

Yes. Anyone can request an excerpt for information, without the owner's consent.

How to check a property before buying it in Romania

Updated 30 October 2026

Before paying a deposit or signing a preliminary contract for a property in Romania, it's worth seeing for yourself what its land register (Cartea Funciară) says. An excerpt for information is inexpensive, arrives within minutes and shows exactly what you need to know — and you can order it from abroad.

1. Get a recent land register excerpt

You need the land register (CF) number and the locality — they are in the seller's title deed (see how to find the CF number). Order the excerpt yourself rather than relying on an older copy from the seller: things can change.

2. Check in the excerpt

The owner (Part II). The seller must be recorded as the owner. If there are several owners (for example spouses or heirs), all of them must sign the sale.
The share. 1/1 means full ownership; a smaller share means there are co-owners.
Charges (Part III). Look for mortgages (ipotecă), prohibitions on sale (interdicție de înstrăinare), seizures (sechestru) and recorded litigation (litigiu). A mortgage doesn't necessarily prevent the sale, but it must be cleared (usually from the purchase price) — agree this early with the bank and the notary.
The description (Part I). The land and building areas should match what you see and what is being sold.
Buildings. The house, outbuildings or extensions should be recorded in the land register. Unregistered buildings complicate both the sale and a mortgage.

3. Other documents to ask for

the seller's title deed (contract, certificate of inheritance, etc.);
the tax certificate (certificat de atestare fiscală) from the town hall, showing no unpaid property tax — the notary requires it;
for flats, a certificate from the owners' association that there are no unpaid service charges;
the energy performance certificate;
for land, an urban planning certificate (certificat de urbanism) if you plan to build.

4. At the notary

When the sale is signed, the notary orders a land register excerpt for authentication, which protects your transaction while the deed is being registered (see the difference between excerpts). The excerpt for information is what you use before that — to decide whether to go ahead.

This guide is for information only and is not a substitute for advice from a Romanian notary or lawyer, especially in complicated cases (inheritance, litigation, unregistered buildings).

Frequently asked questions

How do I check that the seller owns the property in Romania?: Order a land register excerpt for information and look at Part II: it lists the owners and each owner's share.
How do I find out whether a property in Romania has a mortgage or a seizure?: From Part III of the land register excerpt, which lists mortgages, prohibitions, seizures and recorded litigation.
Can I request the land register excerpt for a property that isn't mine?: Yes. Anyone can request an excerpt for information, without the owner's consent.