Wills & succession · Croatia
Wills lawyers in Croatia for probate, inheritance and property
Tell us about the estate, the will or the property, and we introduce you to a Croatian legal professional who handles succession work. The first introduction is free, and you decide whether to go further.
- Specialists in Croatian succession and probate
- Help with nužni dio and land-register entries
- Clear fees under the Croatian Bar tariff
Free matching, no obligation to instruct anyone.
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Wills & succession
Wills and inheritance in Croatia, explained
If a will, a family estate or a property in Croatia is part of your life, the rules that apply are Croatian ones. Croatia follows the continental civil-law tradition, and succession is governed principally by the Inheritance Act, with probate conducted before the municipal courts through notaries public acting as court commissioners. A will that ignores the protected share of necessary heirs, or a property that is never entered in the land register, can create years of uncertainty for the people you meant to protect. We match you with wills lawyers in Croatia who work with succession matters every day, explain the procedure in plain language and handle the paperwork — including the electronic filings that have been mandatory for land-register applications since 10 February 2023.
Croatia in practice
How wills, probate and inherited property work in Croatia
Croatian succession law is codified, and the practical steps — probate, the protected shares of close family, and the registration of inherited property — are handled by courts, notaries and lawyers working together. Here is how the framework looks in practice, and where a specialist can help.
Who may practise as a wills lawyer in Croatia
Practising as a lawyer (odvjetnik) in Croatia requires membership of the Croatian Bar Association (Hrvatska odvjetnička komora), a university law degree (mag. iur.), completion of the prescribed lawyer-trainee period and the bar examination before entry in the Register of Attorneys. The Bar is both the professional organisation and the regulator, and its registers also cover law firms and EU lawyers.
Probate is handled by the municipal court through a notary
Notaries public (javni bilježnici) conduct probate — ostavinski — proceedings as commissioners of the municipal courts. Municipal courts are also the courts that keep the land registers (zemljišne knjige). If the estate includes immovable property, succession and registration therefore run along two connected tracks, and the probate file and the register entry have to be kept consistent.
Forced heirship limits what a will can achieve
Croatian inheritance law protects a circle of necessary heirs (nužni nasljednici) entitled to a compulsory portion regardless of the will. Under Article 70 of the Inheritance Act, the necessary portion of descendants, adopted children and their descendants, and of the spouse is one half, and that of other necessary heirs one third, of the statutory share. Where testamentary gifts infringe it, the necessary heir may claim it in the probate proceedings.
Real estate in an estate and the land register
In Croatia ownership of immovable property is acquired not by the contract itself but by registration in the land register (zemljišna knjiga), kept by the municipal court; a land-register extract proves ownership. Since 10 February 2023 applications for registration must be filed electronically through a notary public or a lawyer, who are mandatory users of the shared land-register and cadastre system (ZIS).
Court fees and the 50% electronic-filing reduction
Court fees in probate and registration matters follow the Court Fees Act and the Court Fee Tariff. For example, an application to register or deregister a land-register entry carries a fee of EUR 6.50, and a decision on registration of ownership or another right in rem EUR 26.54. A submission filed electronically through the court’s information system is charged at half the prescribed fee.
What legal work costs, and who can get free legal aid
Lawyers’ fees are governed by the Tariff on Remuneration and Reimbursement of Costs for Lawyers’ Work (NN 138/2023), calculated in tariff points whose value the Croatian Bar Association publishes, plus VAT and out-of-pocket expenses, and are borne by the client. Where litigation follows, the losing party may be ordered to reimburse the other side’s costs. The Free Legal Aid Act offers primary and secondary aid to those who qualify.
All country information on this page comes from official sources — Croatian state bodies and the Official Gazette, the Croatian Bar Association, the courts portal, gov.hr and the European e-Justice Portal, together with CEPEJ data on the number of lawyers.
- European e-Justice Portal — Judicial systems in the European Union: Croatia
- Croatian Bar Association (Hrvatska odvjetnička komora) — Information about the Bar
- Inheritance Act (Zakon o nasljeđivanju), NN 48/03 — official text
- gov.hr — Purchase of real property in Croatia
- e-Justice — Matrimonial property regimes: Croatia
- Croatian courts portal — Court fees and certificates
- Ministry of Justice and Public Administration — Free legal aid
- Civil Obligations Act (Zakon o obveznim odnosima) — official text
- Labour Act (Zakon o radu) — official text
- Administrative Disputes Act, NN 36/24 — official text
- e-Justice — Divorce and legal separation: Croatia
Common situations
What brings clients to us
Three situations we see most often in Croatian succession matters.
The will may not cover everyone
Croatian law reserves a compulsory portion for necessary heirs, so a will that leaves everything to one person can still be challenged. You need to know where you stand before the estate is divided.
Probate and the land register are separate tracks
Inheriting a house is not the same as owning it on paper. Until the succession is registered in the land register through an electronic filing, dealing with the property remains difficult.
The estate is cross-border
If you live abroad, or the deceased held accounts or property in more than one country, Croatian procedure still governs the Croatian assets — and the proceedings are conducted in Croatian.
How it works
How the matching works
Four things you get when you use our service.
Matched with a succession specialist
We look at your situation and introduce you to a Croatian legal professional whose practice covers wills, probate and inheritance disputes, rather than a generalist.
One contact for the whole file
The same professional can advise on the will, act in the probate proceedings before the municipal court and see the land-register entry through the electronic system.
Fees you can check in advance
Remuneration follows the Croatian Bar Association tariff of 2023, so you can ask for a clear estimate of the work, the VAT and the expenses before you commit.
A free first introduction
Describing your case costs nothing and carries no obligation. We explain how the matching works, and you decide whether to instruct the professional we introduce to you.
Cross-border estates
A Croatian estate with a European dimension
We work with lawyers across Europe, so a Croatian estate with a foreign element is not a problem. Clients often come to us from:
FAQ
Questions clients ask
What does a wills lawyer in Croatia actually do?
A Croatian lawyer who handles succession can advise on the content and form of your will, identify who counts as a necessary heir, act for you in the probate proceedings that notaries conduct as commissioners of the municipal court, and deal with the land-register entry for inherited property.
Who is entitled to a forced share (nužni dio)?
Under Article 70 of the Inheritance Act, descendants, adopted children and their descendants, and the spouse are entitled to one half of the share they would have received under the statutory order of succession; other necessary heirs are entitled to one third. If a will or a lifetime gift infringes that portion, the heir may claim protection in the probate proceedings.
Where does probate take place in Croatia?
Probate proceedings are conducted before the municipal courts, with notaries public acting as commissioners of the court. Municipal courts also keep the land registers, which is why inheritance and property registration so often have to be coordinated within the same file.
How much does a Croatian inheritance lawyer cost?
Fees follow the Tariff on Remuneration and Reimbursement of Costs for Lawyers’ Work (NN 138/2023), calculated in tariff points plus VAT and expenses, and are paid by the client; in litigation the losing party may be ordered to reimburse the other side’s costs. Free legal aid is available to those who qualify.
I live abroad — can a lawyer in Croatia act for me?
Yes. Croatian courts conduct proceedings in Croatian, and since 10 February 2023 land-register applications must be filed electronically through a notary public or a lawyer who is a mandatory user of the ZIS system. Instructing a professional in Croatia is therefore usually the practical route.
What time limits should I keep in mind?
Croatian law sets different periods for different claims: five years for general civil claims, three years for periodic payments, rent arrears and most damages claims, fifteen days for dismissal challenges and administrative appeals, thirty days for an administrative action, and one year after the breakdown of the marital union for that divorce ground.
Free matching
Tell us about the estate
Describe the will, the property or the family situation in a few lines. We will introduce you to a Croatian legal professional who handles succession work, free of charge and with no obligation.