1. An overview by five themes
| Theme | What changed |
|---|---|
| Duration and validity of procedures | the validity of the building right obtained on a building notice rises from 2 years to 4 years |
| Taking into use | for houses with one or two dwellings the occupancy permit is replaced by an occupancy notice, and several buildings can be handled in one procedure |
| Small structures | erecting, extending and demolishing non-residential buildings of up to 20 m² built-up area and up to 5 m high becomes free construction |
| Legalisation | buildings erected before 22.07.1995 are deemed lawful, and safety is the precondition for those built before 01.07.2015 |
| State fees | some rates fall and one disappears |
The third row is the most visible to a homeowner: a shed, garage or greenhouse of those dimensions no longer requires a procedure, although the requirements continue to apply. Their procedure became simpler.
2. What became simpler
Four concrete reliefs which together reduce the number of procedures and their cost. The substantive requirements nonetheless remain.
| Relief | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Less repeat notification | building notice validity rose from 2 years to 4 |
| Fewer procedures on a larger project | one occupancy permit can cover several buildings |
| Faster occupancy for houses | an occupancy notice is a shorter procedure than a permit |
| Cheaper registration of old buildings | the €500 state fee is gone |
According to institutional sources the focus remains on safety, even though fewer permits and occupancy permits will be required. The simplification therefore concerns the volume of procedure rather than the substance of the requirements, which is the thread running through this reform.
3. What became stricter
Here is the part rarely mentioned in commentary, and ignoring it leads to the opposite situation. It concerns the transitional provisions.
For more complex buildings the permit requirement widened, as covered by the article on requirements that became stricter. For residential buildings with three or more dwellings, the requirements for reconstruction and extension changed.
The reform is therefore not a one-way simplification, and this has to be spelled out to the client. Anyone assuming everything became easier may find the opposite precisely where the project is largest.
4. What concerns the building register
Three changes in the register, the last of which alters the practice of checking. They make checking the data easier.
| Change | Content |
|---|---|
| Classifiers extended | agricultural structures, flagpoles, swimming pools |
| Rules on publishing personal data clarified | a name, personal identification code, date of birth and contact details may be published only where necessary to evidence the building's conformity or to conduct a procedure |
| Some documents may not be publicly available | connection agreements, for example |
The last row affects anyone who checks the register: some information previously visible may no longer be publicly available. This does not make checking impossible, but it changes what a single public query yields and what has to be requested from the owner or the local authority.
5. What it means in practice
Three recommendations for the second half of 2026, applying until practice converges. They are cautious rather than final.
Do not rely on earlier experience, because the table and the requirements changed; a case you resolved in spring may now give a different answer. The current text is the only one that counts.
Check the text in force for every case rather than commentary, this article included. Commentary is not a source of law.
Use the changes as the occasion to resolve old cases, because legalisation became cheaper and clearer at the same time, and that combination will not necessarily recur. Later legalisation costs more.
Summary and four practical rules
The Building Code amendments were adopted on 17 June 2026 and entered into force on 1 August, covering five themes: the validity of procedures, taking into use, small structures, legalisation and state fees. Building notice validity rose from 2 years to 4, non-residential buildings of up to 20 m² and up to 5 m high became free construction, and the €500 legalisation fee disappeared.
The reform is not one-way, however: the permit requirement widened for more complex buildings and for residential buildings with three or more dwellings. Four rules: do not rely on earlier experience, check the text in force for every case, tell the client about the stricter side as well, and use cheaper legalisation as the occasion to resolve old cases.
This article offers professional orientation as at the date of verification. It does not replace the assessment of the local authority.