Czech Land Registry extract online: how to get it and what to check before a sale

Why a Land Registry extract is the foundation of every sale

The Czech Land Registry (katastr nemovitostí) is a public register which, under the Cadastral Act No. 256/2013 Coll., records real property, its owners and the rights attached to it. Because it is public, anyone can look up the data without showing a legal interest. A buyer therefore need not rely solely on what the seller says, and a seller can spot obstacles in advance that would delay a sale.

For a quick sale this is essential. A mortgage, an enforcement order or a discrepancy in ownership determines how long the sale will take and whether it can be completed at all without first being resolved. For a general overview of the register, see our guide Katastr nemovitostí: průvodce pro vlastníky. This article focuses on the checks to make before signing a purchase contract.

How to get an extract online, step by step

The fastest route is the Nahlížení do katastru nemovitostí application (nahlizenidokn.cuzk.gov.cz), run by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre (Český úřad zeměměřický a katastrální). The process is simple:

1. Open the application and choose to search for a property. Depending on the type, you search by parcel, building or unit (flat).
2. Enter the cadastral area and number of the parcel, or the building (descriptive) number or unit number. An address can be used for buildings and flats.
3. Display the title deed (list vlastnictví). The overview shows the owners, the list of properties and any registered restrictions.
4. Save or print the displayed data for your own use and for dealings with the other party.

Simply viewing the data is for information only. If you need an officially certified extract, for example for a bank or a court, request it in the way the cadastral office prescribes for such extracts. Please check any administrative fees with the Land Registry; we deliberately do not state them here.

If you want to search by the owner's name, note that searching by person is restricted. Searching by property is always more reliable.

How to read a title deed

The title deed (list vlastnictví) is divided into parts. For a sale, these are the most important:

• Part A – owners and other entitled persons. Check the name (or company name) and the shares. If there are several owners, selling the whole property requires the consent of all of them, or else only a person's own share can be sold.
• Part B – properties. Verify the type of land, its use, the area, and whether the building stands on land owned by the same owner. A difference between the actual state and the register entry can complicate financing and valuation.
• Part B1 – other rights. This records, for example, rights that are not part of the property as such.
• Part C – restrictions on ownership. The key part: mortgages (zástavní práva), easements (věcná břemena), bans on disposal, enforcement orders and the like.
• Part D – other entries. Informative notes attached to the property.
• Part E – acquisition titles. Shows on what basis the owner acquired the property, for example by purchase or inheritance.

The top of the extract also shows any plomby (literally 'seals'), that is, warnings that proceedings are under way at the Land Registry which may change the entry.

What affects a quick sale most

The owner matches the seller

Only a person entitled to dispose of the property can conclude the contract. Compare the name on the extract with the seller's ID. For married couples, check whether the property falls within the community property of spouses (společné jmění manželů), where the Civil Code No. 89/2012 Coll. in some cases requires the consent of both spouses.

Mortgage (zástavní právo)

A mortgage or other pledge does not in itself prevent a sale, but you must settle how the debt will be repaid and the pledge deleted. That is why payment is commonly handled through a lawyer's escrow account (advokátní úschova), from which the creditor is paid first.

Enforcement and insolvency

An enforcement order (exekuční příkaz) registered against the property under the Enforcement Code No. 120/2001 Coll. complicates a sale considerably and requires dealing with the enforcement officer (exekutor). An insolvency entry is governed by the Insolvency Act No. 182/2006 Coll., and you can also check the status of proceedings in the insolvency register. See our page Výkup nemovitostí v exekuci for how we handle such situations.

Easements (věcná břemena)

A right of residence, right of way or right to run utilities passes to the buyer together with the property and reduces its usability. You need to know whether the easement lasts for the lifetime of the beneficiary or is unlimited in time.

Co-ownership and inheritance

The general pre-emption right of co-owners was abolished earlier. Where a share arose through inheritance, the pre-emption right lasts only six months from the creation of co-ownership (Section 1124 of the Civil Code No. 89/2012 Coll.). When selling a share, therefore, verify when and how it arose; see also Výkup podílů nemovitostí.

Plomby and registration: why to check even just before signing

Rights to real property change by registration (vklad). The buyer's ownership arises only on registration in the Land Registry, with effect from the day the application reached the cadastral office. Under the Cadastral Act No. 256/2013 Coll., the office may not decide earlier than 20 days after notifying the owner. The average registration time is about 22 days.

A plomba shows that other proceedings are pending at the Land Registry, for example another application for registration or a note. If you see one before signing, find out what it concerns. It may be a harmless change, but it could also be a transfer or mortgage that would be registered before your application and affect the order of rights.

It is therefore sensible to check the title deed:

1. at the first offer and viewing of the property,
2. immediately before signing the purchase contract,
3. during the registration proceedings, to see whether the position has changed.

Payment and protection for buyer and seller

Even a clean extract is only part of the security. Cash payments are limited to CZK 270,000 per day (Act No. 254/2004 Coll.), so a reputable purchase is paid by bank transfer through a lawyer's escrow account. The money is released only once the conditions are met, that is, after registration is entered. With us, legal service including escrow is included in the price, with no fees; details are on the page Kompletní právní servis.

When you sell to us, we look at the Land Registry extract already at the first assessment. You receive a written offer with a breakdown of the calculation within 24 hours; it is non-binding and you can withdraw until the contract is signed. On signing the purchase contract, a deposit of up to CZK 1,000,000 is possible. The whole process is explained on Jak funguje výkup nemovitosti, and the fast option is described at Výkup nemovitostí ihned.

Income tax on the sale of property, for example the time test and housing conditions, is governed by the Income Tax Act No. 586/1992 Coll. Discuss your specific situation with the Financial Administration or a tax adviser. Real estate acquisition tax was abolished by Act No. 386/2020 Coll.