CZECH REPUBLIC Trends and Developments Contributed by: Matěj Manderla, Jan Wagner, Ivo Hartmann and Aleš Malach, Tenacta, advokátní kancelář, s.r.o.
analysis, commercial insight and practical, solution- oriented advice. He is also a member of the Czech Bar Association.
Tenacta, advokátní kancelář, s.r.o. Rohanské nábřeží 671/15 Karlín Prague 8 186 00 Czech Republic
Tel: +420 226 886 566 Email: legal@tenacta.cz Web: www.tenacta.cz
Introduction The Czech real estate market in 2026 is shaped by ongoing legislative reform and shifting investment dynamics. From a legal perspective, the most sig - nificant development remains the continued imple - mentation and refinement of the Building Act (Act No 283/2021 Coll), which has fundamentally restructured the permitting process. At the same time, macroeconomic conditions, par - ticularly higher financing costs for retail buyers, have contributed to a shift in investment strategies. Insti - tutional investors are increasingly focusing on large- scale residential rental projects, requiring more com - plex contractual structures than those traditionally used in the market. This article outlines the key legal and commercial trends relevant to investors, with a particular focus on permitting procedures, residential investment models, ESG requirements and anticipated legislative develop - ments. The Building Act (2024–25) Historically, the Czech permitting process was widely regarded as time-consuming and procedurally com - plex. The new Building Act seeks to address these inefficiencies, most notably by merging the previously separate zoning and building permit procedures into a single proceeding.
As a result, developers now obtain a single decision – the permit of intent. In practice, this reduces proce - dural fragmentation, although it requires applicants to prepare comprehensive documentation at an early stage of the process. The Act also introduced a revised categorisation of structures into minor, simple, reserved and other structures. This classification has practical implica - tions, particularly for minor structures, which may now be exempt from permitting and occupancy approval requirements under certain conditions. Recent amendments have further simplified permit - ting for selected infrastructure, including wells and domestic wastewater treatment systems, and have expanded the regulatory thresholds for renewable energy installations, particularly rooftop photovoltaic systems. Environmental Reviews and Strict Deadlines Environmental considerations are currently addressed through the Single Environmental Statement, which consolidates multiple sectoral opinions into a single administrative output. This has improved co-ordina - tion between authorities and increased predictability for applicants. The legislation also introduces stricter procedural dis - cipline. Statutory deadlines have been set at 30 days
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