Wills & Succession · Czech Republic
Speak to wills lawyers in Czech Republic about your estate
Czech succession law limits how far a will can go, and property held here passes through a public register. Tell us what you are facing and we will match you with an advokát who handles wills, probate and inheritance matters in the Czech Republic.
- Wills, probate and reserved-share questions
- Advokáti registered with the Czech Bar Association
- Cross-border estates with Czech property
Free matching · No obligation · You agree fees directly with the lawyer
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Wills in Czech Republic
Czech succession law, explained for clients
If you own property in the Czech Republic, or if a relative has died leaving assets there, the succession rules you meet may be unfamiliar. Since 1 January 2014 the whole of Czech private law has been governed by a single Civil Code, Act No. 89/2012 Coll., which consolidated inheritance law into one code. That matters because Czech law restricts testamentary freedom: children, and failing them their descendants, are forced heirs entitled to a reserved share. Drafting a will, renouncing a succession or dealing with land recorded in the Cadastre of Real Estate all call for care. Wills lawyers in Czech Republic work with these rules daily. Tell us your situation and we will match you, free of charge, with an advokát registered with the Czech Bar Association who handles succession and estate matters.
Country guide
How wills and succession work in Czech Republic
Czech succession sits inside a continental civil-law system built on statutory codes rather than judicial precedent, so the text of the Civil Code drives the outcome. Two features shape most estate planning here: the reserved share protected for forced heirs, and the community property regime that decides what actually belongs to the deceased.
Forced heirship limits what a will can achieve
Czech law protects the nepominutelný dědic, the forced heir. Under Section 1643 of the Civil Code the testator’s children, and if they do not inherit then their descendants, are entitled to a povinný díl. A minor forced heir must receive at least three-quarters of their statutory share and an adult at least one-quarter. Disinheritance is possible only on the legal grounds the Code sets out, so the reserved share must be planned for.
One recodified Civil Code since 2014
Since 1 January 2014 Czech private law has been governed by a single Civil Code, Act No. 89/2012 Coll., which repealed the separate Commercial Code and absorbed commercial, family and inheritance law into one text of more than 3,000 sections. Because the recodification restructured succession and property institutions, older case law and literature should not be relied on without checking whether it still holds.
Community property decides what the estate contains
Unless spouses agree otherwise in a marriage contract, their assets follow the statutory regime of společné jmění manželů. Property with a monetary value acquired during the marriage forms part of the community, but personal-use items, gifts, inheritances received by one spouse and compensation for non-material harm do not. Settling the community property is therefore usually the first step before any will is interpreted.
Real estate passes through the Cadastre of Real Estate
Rights in immovable property are recorded in the katastr nemovitostí, administered by the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre under Act No. 256/2013 Coll. Ownership and other property rights are created, changed and extinguished by entry (vklad), and the registered title enjoys a presumption of correctness. A cadastral extract is essential due diligence before a Czech property is accepted, sold or distributed.
Only a registered advokát may act for you
Only a person admitted to the Czech Bar Association (Česká advokátní komora) may practise as an advokát and provide legal services as a lawyer. Admission requires a master’s degree in law, three years of practice as an articled clerk and the bar examination, and members are subject to the Bar’s professional and disciplinary rules. A client can verify registration in the Bar’s public register.
Where disputes about an estate are heard
Civil procedure is regulated by Act No. 99/1963 Coll. District courts (okresní soudy) and regional courts act as courts of first instance depending on the value and nature of the matter, with regional courts hearing appeals from district courts. Representation by an advokát is compulsory in extraordinary appeal proceedings before the Supreme Court and in constitutional complaints to the Constitutional Court.
Key time limit — Inheritance, Probate & Wills
Renunciation of succession (inheritance) — 1 month (3 months if sole residence abroad). The declaration is made to the court dealing with the estate.
The country information on this page is drawn from official sources — the Czech official legal database (zakonyprolidi.cz) and the European e-Justice Portal — as consulted at the time of writing.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Czech Republic
- Act No. 89/2012 Coll., the Civil Code (inheritance, community property)
- Act No. 85/1996 Coll. on the Legal Profession
- Act No. 549/1991 Coll. on Court Fees
- Act No. 256/2013 Coll., the Cadastral Act
- Act No. 182/1993 Coll. on the Constitutional Court
- Act No. 500/2004 Coll., the Administrative Procedure Code
- Act No. 262/2006 Coll., the Labour Code
Common situations
Why Czech estates catch families out
These are the situations clients bring to us most often when a will, an inheritance or a Czech property is involved.
A will that may not do what you intended
Czech law reserves a share for forced heirs, so a will leaving everything to one person can be challenged. Understanding the povinný díl before the document is drafted changes the whole plan.
Property here, family living abroad
You live outside the Czech Republic but own a flat or land there. Succession rules, the community property regime and cadastral entry all have to be reconciled in one coherent process.
Deadlines you were never told about
Renunciation of a succession must be declared within one month, or three months if your sole residence is abroad, and the consequences of missing that window are difficult to undo afterwards.
How we help
Matched with the right Czech succession lawyer
We are not a law firm. We listen to your situation and introduce you to a specialist who can take it forward.
Specialists in Czech succession
We match you with an advokát who works with Act No. 89/2012 Coll. and the rules on reserved shares, community property and the Cadastre of Real Estate as part of everyday practice.
Free and without obligation
Describing your situation costs nothing. You decide whether to instruct the lawyer we introduce, and you agree the fee arrangement directly with them.
Registration you can check
Every lawyer we introduce practises as an advokát and can be verified in the public register of lawyers maintained by the Czech Bar Association.
Matters dealt with locally
Whether the estate sits in Prague, Brno, Ostrava or Plzeň, we look for a lawyer who is used to dealing with the court and cadastral office that will handle your file.
Other jurisdictions
Wills lawyers across Europe
If your estate or your family touches more than one country, you can start from any of these pages.
Questions and answers
Wills and inheritance in Czech Republic: FAQs
Who are wills lawyers in Czech Republic and how are they regulated?
Wills lawyers in Czech Republic are advokáti admitted to the Czech Bar Association (Česká advokátní komora). Only a registered advokát may provide legal services as a lawyer. Admission requires a master’s degree in law, three years of practice as an articled clerk and the bar examination, and members are subject to the Bar’s professional and disciplinary regime.
Can I leave my Czech property to whoever I want?
Not entirely. Czech succession law recognises the forced heir (nepominutelný dědic): the testator’s children, and if they do not inherit then their descendants, are entitled to a reserved share under Section 1643 of the Civil Code. A minor forced heir must receive at least three-quarters of their statutory share and an adult at least one-quarter. Disinheritance is possible only on the grounds the Code sets out.
How does community property affect a Czech estate?
Unless the spouses have agreed otherwise in a marriage contract, the statutory regime of společné jmění manželů applies. Assets with a monetary value acquired during the marriage form part of the community, while personal-use items, gifts, inheritances received by one spouse and compensation for non-material harm do not. Settling the community property is usually the first step.
Do I need a Czech lawyer to deal with the estate?
In civil proceedings you may generally act in person at first instance, where representation by an advokát is not compulsory. It is compulsory, however, in extraordinary appeal proceedings before the Supreme Court and in constitutional complaints to the Constitutional Court. A court may also appoint a lawyer where a party qualifies for exemption from court fees.
What will a Czech lawyer cost?
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client, and there is no binding official tariff. Decree No. 177/1996 Coll. sets non-binding reference rates used mainly to calculate the costs a losing party reimburses. Court fees are regulated by Act No. 549/1991 Coll., and a court may exempt a party in whole or in part on grounds of personal circumstances.
How quickly must an heir act?
It depends on the step. Renunciation of a succession must be declared within one month, or three months if the heir’s sole residence is abroad. A constitutional complaint must be filed within two months of delivery of the final decision. General contractual and property claims are limited after three years, with a ten-year long-stop for property rights.
Next step
Tell us about the estate and we will find your lawyer
Describe your situation in a few lines — what you own in the Czech Republic, who is involved and what you want to achieve. We will match you with a wills lawyer in Czech Republic who handles matters of this kind, free of charge and without any obligation on your side.