Building, land and car taxes are paid in two equal instalments, by 31 March and 30 September (Fiscal Code, Art. 462, 467, 472).
The local council sets a discount of up to 10% for paying the whole year by 31 March. Bucharest kept 10% for 2026.
For local taxes, late payment adds 1% of the unpaid amount for each month or part of a month (Fiscal Procedure Code, Art. 183).
Paying local taxes online in Romania: the short answer
Romanian property tax is a local tax, paid to the town hall or, in Bucharest, to the sector where the property is. The Fiscal Code sets two deadlines: half by 31 March and half by 30 September. If you pay the whole year by 31 March, the local council can give you a discount of up to 10%. Bucharest's General Council kept the full 10% for 2026.
Most local authorities can be paid online through Ghișeul.ro, the national payment platform, with a bank card. Some also have their own portals, and every one accepts a bank transfer or payment at the counter. From abroad, the practical routes are a card payment online, a transfer from a Romanian account, or a representative on the ground.
In plain words: one login, one card payment before 31 March, and you have paid the year and taken the discount where your town gives it.
How the tax itself is calculated, and what changed in 2026, is in our guide to annual property tax in Romania. This article is about the payment: where, when and how, when you do not live in Romania.
The calendar: two dates and one discount
| Rule | What the Fiscal Code says | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Building tax | Paid yearly, in two equal instalments, by 31 March and 30 September inclusive | Art. 462(1) |
| Land tax | Same two dates | Art. 467(1) |
| Car tax | Same two dates | Art. 472(1) |
| Early-payment discount | Up to 10% for paying the whole year by 31 March, set by the local council; in Bucharest, by the General Council | Art. 462(2), 467(2), 472(2) |
| Small amounts | A building or land tax of up to 50 lei owed to one local budget is paid in full by the first deadline | Art. 462(3), 467(3) |
| Several properties | In the same town, the discount and the 50-lei rule apply to the total | Art. 462(4), 467(4) |
Source: Fiscal Code, Law 227/2015, consolidated.
Two points people miss. The discount is not automatic everywhere: the law says "up to 10%", and each council decides the figure, including whether to give one. And the discount needs the whole year paid by 31 March. Paying the first half on time and the second in September is legal, but it earns no discount.
For Bucharest, HotNews reported on 23 December 2025 that the General Council kept a 10% discount for paying building, land and vehicle taxes in advance by 31 March 2026. Outside Bucharest, check your town hall's decision on local taxes for the year.
What late payment costs
For taxes owed to local budgets, the Fiscal Procedure Code charges late-payment increases of 1% of the unpaid amount for each month or part of a month, from the day after the deadline until the day you pay (Art. 183).
An example: 600 lei due on 30 September and paid on 2 November is late in October and in part of November. That is two months or parts of a month, so 2% of 600 lei, or 12 lei. Small sums, but they add up over years if nobody is watching, and an unpaid local tax blocks a sale: the notary asks for a fiscal certificate (certificat de atestare fiscală) from the local tax office showing taxes are paid.
Three ways to pay
| Route | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ghișeul.ro | National platform. Log in, see what you owe to the enrolled authority, pay by card | Owners abroad with a card that supports 3D Secure |
| A local portal | Some cities and Bucharest sectors run their own online payment pages | Owners whose authority is not on Ghișeul.ro or prefers its own portal |
| Bank transfer or counter | Transfer in lei to the authority's treasury account, with your personal or tax ID; or pay in person | A Romanian bank account, or someone on the ground |
Ghișeul.ro, step by step
A guide published in January 2026 by Alba24 describes three ways to get a Ghișeul.ro login:
One login, one card payment before 31 March, and you have paid the year.
- A personal card from a Romanian bank enrolled in the system, where the cardholder is the same person as the taxpayer.
- Through the local tax office, which can generate login details on request, based on an identity document and a valid email address.
- Through the ROeID mobile app, the state's single sign-on for online public services, after identity validation.
For an owner abroad without a Romanian card, the second route is usually the one to ask about. Once logged in, the same guide says you can pay with any bank card that its issuer has enrolled in 3D Secure. The platform covers more than 1,600 public institutions, but not every one. Check that your town hall is on the list before you count on it.
A practical tip: make the first payment while you are in Romania, or with someone who can help, so that a login problem does not land on 31 March.
Paying from abroad without Ghișeul.ro
- From a Romanian account. Ask the local tax office for the treasury account (IBAN) for property tax. In the payment order, enter your personal identification number or Romanian tax number, so the payment is matched to you. Romanian banks ask for it when the beneficiary is a treasury account, as BRD's payment guide shows. See a Romanian bank account as a non-resident.
- Through a representative. A relative, an accountant or a property manager can pay at the counter. For declarations and certificates on your behalf, the office will usually want a power of attorney; see power of attorney in Romania.
- From a foreign account. The amount is due in lei. Ask the tax office in writing whether it accepts transfers from foreign banks to its treasury account, and keep proof of payment.
Whichever route you use, keep every receipt. They are your record when you ask for a fiscal certificate before a sale.
Before your first payment: the declaration
You cannot pay what the town hall does not know about. Under Art. 461(2) of the Fiscal Code, a new owner files a declaration with the local tax office within 30 days of acquiring the building, and the tax is due from 1 January of the following year. Until that is done, nothing will appear online.
Checklist for owners who live abroad
- File the declaration within 30 days of the purchase, and keep the stamped copy.
- Ask the tax office whether it is on Ghișeul.ro and how to get your login.
- Note your taxpayer ID for the property: your personal number or Romanian tax number.
- Set reminders for 15 March and 15 September, two weeks before each deadline.
- Pay the whole year by 31 March if your council gives the discount.
- Keep the receipts in one folder with the purchase documents.
- Before any sale, request the fiscal certificate early; it shows any arrears.
For the full list of yearly costs of a property, see holding costs in Romania.
Frequently asked questions
When is property tax due in Romania?
In two equal instalments, by 31 March and by 30 September inclusive (Fiscal Code, Art. 462). Land tax and car tax follow the same dates. A tax of up to 50 lei is paid in full by 31 March.
How much is the early-payment discount?
Up to 10% for paying the whole year by 31 March, as set by each local council. Bucharest's General Council kept 10% for 2026. Some councils may set less, or none, so check the decision for your town.
Can I pay Romanian local taxes online from abroad?
Yes, where your local authority is on Ghișeul.ro or has its own portal. You need a login, which the local tax office can generate on request, and a card that supports 3D Secure. Otherwise, pay by transfer in lei or through a representative.
What happens if I pay late?
For local taxes, late-payment increases are 1% of the unpaid amount for each month or part of a month, from the day after the deadline (Fiscal Procedure Code, Art. 183). Arrears also block the fiscal certificate the notary needs for a sale.
Do I need to declare the property before I can pay?
Yes. A new owner files a declaration with the local tax office within 30 days of acquiring the building. Tax is due from 1 January of the next year.
The bottom line
Paying Romanian property tax from abroad is simple once it is set up: a declaration after the purchase, a login, and one payment a year before 31 March.
Set it up in your first month as an owner, not in your first March.
If you want to go through the yearly payments and paperwork for a specific property, book a 30-minute call with me.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: Fiscal Code, Law 227/2015, consolidated form (legislatie.just.ro), Art. 461, 462, 467 and 472 · Fiscal Procedure Code, Law 207/2015, consolidated form (legislatie.just.ro), Art. 183 · Ghișeul.ro · HotNews: Bucharest 2026 local taxes (23.12.2025) · Alba24: how to create a Ghișeul.ro account (07.01.2026) · BRD: domestic payments guide
This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. The rules are correct as of 22 October 2026. Discounts, payment channels and procedures are set by each local authority; check with your local tax office.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
