Registration in the Real Estate Cadastre: New Regulations and the e-Cadastre

Real estate transactions in Serbia, whether you are buying, selling, gifting or inheriting, consist of two formal steps:

1) Contract certification before a public notary

Every contract transferring ownership of real estate must be in written form and certified by a notary public: a sale and purchase agreement, gift contract, exchange agreement, life-long support contract, inheritance decision, etc.

2) Registration of ownership rights in the real estate cadastre

Registration in the cadastre is not a mere formality; it is the crucial step through which you legally become the registered owner (the so-called “book owner”).
In the past, this step often caused problems: incomplete documentation, rejected requests, outdated records, incorrect registrations, technical errors and lapses.

Today, the procedure is formalized and largely automated. Mistakes are far less common, but numerous unresolved issues and omissions from previous years still exist. For this reason, the process is now handled by professional users: licensed surveyors and attorneys authorized to submit applications to the cadastre.

From counter to e-cadastre

In the past, citizens and legal representatives visited the physical service desk of the Republic Geodetic Authority (RGZ) to register real estate after certifying their contracts.

Regulatory changes introduced automated document submission. Since 1 July 2018, notaries are required to electronically submit all necessary documentation to the cadastre within 24 hours of certification, while the cadastre has 5 days to perform the registration.

But what happens with all properties transferred before this date?

Some apartments remained unregistered; some records contain technical errors; some plots merged later; some units received legalization permits after the fact.
If notaries are no longer responsible for this stage, who handles it now?

Since the traditional RGZ counter proved ineffective for decades, it has been replaced with a fully digital system. As of 4 November 2023, all applications to the RGZ are submitted exclusively online, via professional users.
Professional users of the e-counter include attorneys and licensed geodetic organizations.

What changed under the new regulations

The real estate cadastre operated by the Republic Geodetic Authority (RGZ) is now fully digitized, and all applications must be submitted electronically via the e-counter.

This means that you can no longer personally visit the RGZ or submit paper documents. Physical service counters no longer exist. You must engage a professional user with authorization and a qualified electronic signature. In practice, these are licensed surveyors and attorneys registered as authorized RGZ users.

Activities attorneys can perform through the e-counter include:

• change of ownership rights
• change of type of right (conversion)
• registration of other real or obligatory rights
• preliminary registration of buildings under construction
• mortgage registration
• mortgage deletion
• registration of annotations
• deletion of annotations
• deletion of other real or obligatory rights
• applications for change of legal entity indicators
• applications for change of personal indicators (physical persons)
• registration of personal ID numbers (JMBG)
• change of land use
• determination, change or termination of house numbers
• change of land use category/class
• correction of type/right holder
• correction of personal data
• correction of mortgage data
• correction of annotation data and other real/obligatory rights

 

How the procedure works when led by an attorney authorized for cadastre filings

The attorney in this process:

• reviews contracts, decisions, plans and accompanying documents
• verifies compliance with all legal requirements
• submits the application electronically (e-counter)
• monitors the case status and communicates with the RGZ
• responds to requests for amendments or to potential rejections

 

Every action involving real estate must comply with the Law on the Procedure of Registration in the Cadastre of Real Estate and Utility Lines and RGZ by-laws.

Only a properly prepared and electronically submitted application, filed by an authorized professional user, can result in a successful registration, amendment or correction in the cadastre.

In practice, the procedure looks like this:

1. Legal and technical review of documentation

The attorney checks:

• the legal basis (sale, gift, inheritance decision, life-long support, etc.)
• identity of parties and powers of attorney
• whether documents contain all mandatory elements
• existence of restrictions, encumbrances, annotations, litigation, mortgages
• consistency of documents with the current cadastre data

 

2. Verification of formal requirements

• fulfillment of legal conditions
• completeness of documentation (e.g., proof of tax payment)
• alignment with geodetic plans and address registers

 

3. Digital submission via e-counter

• electronic filing with qualified e-signature
• submission of documents in prescribed technical formats

 

4. Case monitoring and communication with RGZ

• monitoring status via the e-counter system
• receiving notifications on required amendments and deadlines
• acting promptly to avoid rejection or dismissal

 

5. Obtaining the decision and execution of registration

• after issuance of the RGZ decision, the registration is considered complete
• the client receives a digital Property Sheet as proof of ownership

 

The authorized attorney manages the process both legally and technically — from the initial analysis to the verification that the registration has been properly completed.

What if there is an error in the cadastre or unresolved historical data?

The modern system is more efficient, but many properties carry “historical baggage” from the pre-digital era:

• incorrectly registered owners
• inaccurate surface area
• apartments existing in reality but not in the cadastre
• merged or divided parcels with missing documentation
• objects undergoing legalization
• incomplete ownership transfers
• double registrations
• undocumented easements (e.g., necessary passage rights)

 

In such cases, the procedure may require:

• obtaining archival documentation
• preparation of a geodetic report
• legal rectification of data
• submission of preliminary registrations or annotations
• initiating administrative or judicial proceedings

 

The attorney authorized for cadastre filings identifies issues and conducts the appropriate procedure.

Why it matters to hire an authorized attorney

The electronic system was introduced to reduce errors and accelerate procedures, which is why citizens and companies can no longer independently submit requests to RGZ.

An authorized attorney:

• holds a qualified electronic certificate for e-counter
• is listed as an official professional user of the RGZ
• has professional responsibility and a duty of diligence
• ensures legal safety and accuracy of the registration

 

What clients gain by engaging an attorney for cadastre filings

• accurate assessment of the property’s legal status
• correct documentation for registration
• electronic submission of the application
• compliance with deadlines
• communication with RGZ
• legal protection and representation if needed

 

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure legal certainty in an area as significant as real estate.

Conclusion

Today, notaries certify real estate transfer contracts and automatically notify the cadastre. However, many additional procedures before the RGZ cannot be performed by citizens or companies independently.

Authorized attorneys or licensed geodetic organizations now submit applications and conduct the entire process before the cadastre.

The role of an attorney authorized for cadastre filings is not only legally required but essential for safeguarding property rights, ensuring legal certainty and enabling smooth real estate transactions.

 

Law Firm Petrović Mojsić & Partners