Real Estate Transfer Tax (PR-OPPN)
https://eporezi.me/en/vodici/porez-na-promet-nepokretnosti
Real estate transfer tax in Montenegro. Progressive rates 3/5/6%, PR-OPPN return filed with the municipal tax office within 15 days, tax paid with the return, exemptions (first home 20 m² per household member, inheritance), 90-day rescission rule.
You are reading: the one-off tax on purchase / inheritance / gift.
Looking for the annual tax owners pay every year? (deadlines 30 June and 31 October)
Open the other guide →Key facts
- Progressive rates: 3 % up to €150,000, 5 % up to €500,000, 6 % above.
- File and pay within 15 days of the contract — tax is due with the return.
- The buyer is liable; the return goes to the municipality, not the Tax Administration.
- A first home up to 20 m² per household member is exempt (form PR-OPPN).
Procedure
The purchase agreement for real estate must be executed as a notarial act. The notary certifies the agreement and registers it. The tax obligation arises on the date the contract is concluded (for a future property — on handover, for a court decision — when it becomes final, for a lifetime-support contract — on the death of the supported person).
The PR-OPPN form (Return for the Assessment of Real Estate Transfer Tax — Rulebook, Off. Gazette 54/2013 and 116/2023) is completed by the buyer (acquirer) with data about the property, seller, buyer and agreed price, and the buyer self-assesses the tax in it: up to €150,000 = 3%, €150,000–500,000 = 5%, over €500,000 = 6%. The old 2004 PR-PPN form is no longer used.
The return is filed within 15 days of the tax obligation arising with the tax authority of the local self-government unit (municipality) where the property is located (e.g. in Podgorica — the Local Public Revenue Administration), not with the Tax Administration. The tax you assessed in the return is paid at the same time as filing (Art. 16(4) of the Law) — you do not wait for a decision.
The municipal tax office checks whether the agreed price is in line with the market value. If the price is below market value, or if no return was filed, the office issues a decision assessing the base and the tax (or the difference to be paid).
With the proof of tax payment and the contract, ownership is registered in the real estate cadastre. If the contract is rescinded within 90 days of conclusion, before the right is registered in the cadastre, the tax procedure can be reopened and the tax reassessed.
Progressive transfer tax rates (2026)
| Property value | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to €150,000 | 3% |
| €150,000 — €500,000 | 5% |
| Over €500,000 | 6% |
Exemptions and deadlines
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| First home (housing need) | Exempt up to 20 m² per household member — for adult Montenegrin citizens with permanent residence in Montenegro who own no other dwelling |
| Inheritance / gift | First-order heirs, spouse and parents are exempt; second-order heirs for one flat if they lived in the same household with the deceased for at least 1 year (farmers — 3 years); ex-spouses on division of property |
| PR-OPPN return | 15 days from the tax obligation arising; the tax is paid with the return |
| Rescission of the contract | Within 90 days of conclusion, before cadastre registration — the tax is reassessed |
| Fine for an individual | €100–1,000 (failure to file / pay on time) |
Additional notes
Since 1 Jan 2024 the transfer tax is administered by municipal tax offices (local public revenue administrations), not the Tax Administration — the revenue is split 80% to the municipality and 20% to the Equalisation Fund.
First-home exemption: up to 20 m² per household member, only for adult Montenegrin citizens with permanent residence in Montenegro who own no other dwelling. Inheritance and gifts: first-order heirs, spouse and parents are exempt.
The annual property tax is a separate tax (0.25–1.00% of market value, secondary residence 0.3–1.5%) paid in two instalments — by 30 June and 31 October — see the guide "Annual Property Tax".
From 1 Apr 2026: the transfer-tax base now also excludes building/construction land on which VAT was charged (not just newly-built structures as before) — this closes a double-taxation gap between VAT and transfer tax on the same transaction.
Required Documents
- PR-OPPN form (real estate transfer tax return)
- Purchase agreement (notarial act)
- Property certificate / seller's title deed (cadastre extract)
- Proof of household members (for the first-home exemption)
- Personal documents of buyer and seller
Legal Basis
- Law on Real Estate Transfer Tax (Zakon o porezu na promet nepokretnosti) — consolidated text (Off. Gazette 36/13, 3/23, 28/23, 33/26)
- Rulebook on the content of the transfer-tax return — PR-OPPN form (Off. Gazette 54/2013, 116/2023)
- Law on Real Estate Tax (Zakon o porezu na nepokretnosti) — annual tax, separate guide
- Law on Cadastre (Zakon o katastru)
Competent Institutions
- Municipal tax office (local public revenue administration)
Receives the PR-OPPN return, checks market value, collects the tax
- Local Public Revenue Administration of the Capital City Podgorica
Competent for property in Podgorica (PR-OPPN form and instructions)
- Cadastre Administration
Ownership registration