Documents for buying a house in Albania: the full checklist for buyer and seller

To buy a house in Albania you need the property documents from the State Cadastre Agency (ASHK, Agjencia Shtetërore e Kadastrës), the identity and family status documents of both parties, the tax certificates and, depending on the case, a power of attorney, translations and the bank's documents. The seller brings most of them. As the buyer, you check them before you pay the deposit, and the notary verifies them on the day of signing. Below are the two lists, the seller's and the buyer's, with the official fees checked on 1 October 2026.

1. Ownership certificate, record card and map

The ownership certificate is the document that shows who owns the property. Under Law no. 111/2018 “On the Cadastre” (Article 17), it always comes with a copy of the property record card and the cadastral map, and after every change a new certificate, record card and map are issued. The property record card (kartela e pasurisë) is the ASHK register page for that property, listing the owners, the area and any registered encumbrances, such as a mortgage, a seizure or a pending lawsuit. That is why it is the page to read most carefully.

Once you have picked a property from the apartments for sale in Albania, ask the seller for freshly issued documents, not old copies. The owner can also request a copy of the record card on e-Albania (the government services portal), through the service “Lëshim kopje kartele të pasurisë së paluajtshme” (issue of a copy of the immovable property record card). In areas where initial registration is not complete, an ownership confirmation is issued instead of the certificate (Article 19).

If the record card shows a mortgage, keep in mind that as long as it exists, no contract transferring ownership to third parties is registered (Article 56). The mortgage has to be paid off and removed; removal at ASHK costs 2,000 lek. The steps are explained in a mortgage on the property.

2. Identity, family status and co-owners

The notary verifies the identity, civil status and legal capacity of the parties (Law no. 110/2018 “On the Notary”, Article 105). For sales of real estate, the deed must state the marital property regime and the presumption of legal co-ownership when the property was acquired during the marriage. That is why the family certificate is not a formality: it shows whether the spouse also has to take part in the sale. If the record card lists several owners or heirs, all of them must take part or be represented.

3. Power of attorney and translations

When one of the parties cannot be present, a representative signs with a power of attorney. For a contract made by notarial deed, the power of attorney must also be notarial, otherwise it is invalid (Civil Code, Article 72). A power of attorney drawn up by a notary must state its date, purpose, validity and term (Law no. 110/2018, Article 99). At a notary in Albania, a special power of attorney costs 3,000 lek.

If a party does not speak Albanian, the notary translates the deed personally or through a translator accepted by the notary and the parties (Article 100). For powers of attorney signed abroad, the apostille and embassies, see the guide to buying property from abroad.

4. Tax certificates

Two payments must be made before the sale is registered:

• The seller's tax. The seller pays 15% of the profit from the sale, that is, the difference between the sale price and the purchase price. The sale price taken is the higher of the contract price and the reference price, and ASHK does not register the sale until the payment is confirmed (Law no. 29/2023, Articles 17 and 24). For inherited or gifted properties, the purchase price taken is the taxable value at the time of acquisition.
• Property tax. ASHK does not register the transfer unless the documents come with the municipality's certificate confirming payment of the property taxes (Law no. 9632/2006, Article 24). How this tax is calculated is explained in property tax 2026.

5. For off-plan apartments or flats in new buildings

The occupancy certificate (certifikata e përdorimit) is the act issued once the works are finished and have passed the final inspection, allowing the building to be used. Under the Cadastre Law (Article 51), ASHK registers the completed building and opens record cards for the buyers once it receives the occupancy certificate. According to the information sheet of the National Territory Development Agency (AZHT, Agjencia e Zhvillimit të Territorit), this certificate is requested online only, on e-Albania, it is issued within 30 days, and the application includes, among other things, the final inspection report and the report of the licensed works supervisor.

Until then, your main document is the contract with the developer. Ask for the notarial deed with the developer, whether a construction contract, an order contract or a promise of sale, to be registered at ASHK: under Article 50, registration makes the unit “reserved”, so it cannot be promised to anyone else, and ASHK issues a registration certificate. The ASHK fee for this registration is 4,000 lek. Before you pay for an off-plan apartment, read how to buy an off-plan apartment.

6. Mortgage and payment

If you buy with a mortgage, the bank has its own list of documents on your income and on the property, and it carries out the property valuation; ask for the list in writing from the start. The mortgage contract is signed at the notary and the mortgage is registered at ASHK. Compare the banks' terms on the Home loans page.

The notarial deed of sale must state how the price is paid (Law no. 110/2018, Article 105). Pay by bank transfer to the seller's account or to the notary's dedicated account, and keep every payment order. Banks, notaries and real estate agents are subject to the anti-money laundering law and, when necessary, may ask you for proof of the source of funds (Law no. 9917/2008, as amended).

What to keep after the purchase

• The new ownership certificate in your name, with the record card and the map.
• The final contract and the preliminary contract.
• The bank payment orders: they prove the purchase price when you sell, because the tax is calculated on the difference.
• The mortgage and loan contract, if you bought with a mortgage.

All nine steps of buying, from the budget to registration, are in how to buy a house in Albania, and the notary and ASHK fees, with a calculator, are in property buying costs.

Frequently asked questions