Preparation, NIF, reservation, notarial preliminary contract, payments, mortgage, final contract and land register registration.
Off-plan, a reservation with a developer lasts at most 60 days, and the payment cannot exceed 5% of the price (Law 169/2026, Art. 422(9)).
The notary files the preliminary contract and the final contract with the land register on the day of signing or the next working day.
The original notarial deed is signed in front of the notary, by you or by a representative with a special notarial power of attorney.
Without an explicit term, a mandate ends three years after it is given (Civil Code, Art. 2015). Better to set a short date.
Buying in Romania from abroad: the short answer
You can buy a home in Romania without living there, and without flying in for every step. The deal runs in a fixed order: preparation, a tax number (NIF), a reservation if you buy off-plan, a preliminary contract before a notary, payments, a mortgage if you need one, the final contract before a notary, and registration in the land register (Cartea Funciară).
A few deadlines are set by law. A developer's reservation lasts at most 60 days. The notary files the preliminary contract and the final contract with the land register on the day of signing or the next working day. Most other durations depend on documents, banks and appointments.
One rule shapes the whole timeline: Romania has no remote notarial signing. The contracts are signed before the notary in person, by you or by a representative holding a notarial power of attorney.
The timeline at a glance
| Step | Who does it | Where you need to be | Typical duration | Set by law? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Preparation: your lawyer, source-of-funds file, documents | You and an independent lawyer | Anywhere | 2 to 4 weeks (our estimate) | No |
| 2. Tax number (NIF) | You or a representative, at ANAF | Anywhere, if a representative files | Can run in parallel with step 1 | No |
| 3. Reservation (off-plan) | You and the developer | Anywhere | Up to 60 days, at most 5% of the price | Yes |
| 4. Notarial preliminary contract | You, the developer, the notary | At the notary, or by power of attorney | Filed with the land register the same or next working day | Yes, for the filing |
| 5. Payments | You | Anywhere | By the schedule in the contract | The account rules, yes |
| 6. Mortgage (if any) | You and the bank | Anywhere until signing | 3 to 6 weeks from a complete file (our estimate) | No |
| 7. Final contract | You, the seller, the notary | At the notary, or by power of attorney | One appointment | In-person signing, yes |
| 8. Registration in your name | The notary and the land register | Anywhere | Filed the same or next working day, then the land register's processing time | Yes, for the filing |
The estimates in the table come from our experience and are not guaranteed. The steps marked "yes" are explained below with their source.
The eight steps, one by one
Step 1: preparation, before you choose a property
Three things take the longest from abroad, so start them first:
- An independent lawyer. The notary is neutral and the developer's lawyer represents the developer. Our company lawyer, too, represents the company only. You need someone who works only for you. See how to choose a lawyer for a Romanian purchase.
- The source-of-funds file. Banks and notaries must check where the money comes from under Law 129/2019. We explain the document pack in our guide to source of funds.
- Documents from home. Passports, civil status documents where relevant, apostilles and certified translations. The list is in our apostille guide.
Step 2: the tax number (NIF)
A non-resident without a Romanian personal number registers with the tax authority, ANAF, and receives a tax identification number (NIF). It is requested on form 030, with a copy of the passport and a document showing why it is needed, such as the acquisition of property. Under ANAF's guidance, the form can be filed directly or through a representative, and foreign-language documents need a certified Romanian translation. More in our NIF guide.
Step 3: the reservation (off-plan only)
When you buy a home that is not yet built, the developer's rules now sit in Article 422 of Romania's Planning and Construction Code, Law 169/2026, in force since 25 August 2026:
- A reservation agreement lasts at most 60 days, and is followed by the notarial preliminary contract or the sale contract.
- The reservation payment is deducted from the price and cannot exceed 5%, or the reservation agreement is void.
- If the preliminary contract is not signed within the 60 days solely through the developer's fault, the developer refunds the reservation payment in full within 30 days.
Use these weeks for the legal check: the land register extract, the building permit and the draft contract. See what to check before signing.
Step 4: the preliminary contract before a notary
For a future unit, the preliminary contract (antecontract) may be signed only before a notary, and only after the building permit is noted in the land register and a land register extract exists for the future unit (Law 169/2026, Art. 422(7)). The notary must request its notation in the land register on the day it is signed, or at the latest the next working day (Art. 422(8)). From then on, anyone who checks the land register can see your contract.
For a resale or a finished home, a notary is not mandatory for the preliminary contract, but it is recommended. We compare the two in our preliminary contract guide.
Step 5: payments
Payment from abroad is a bank transfer from an account in your name. Leave a few days' margin, because large international transfers can be held for checks.
Off-plan, advances under the preliminary contract go into a separate bank account of the developer, dedicated to that project (Art. 422(10)). The developer may spend them only on that project, with the site supervisor's approval for each payment: up to 25% of the price for the structure and, once it is complete, up to 20% for the installations. Your own payment schedule is the one written in the contract.
Step 6: a mortgage, if you need one
A Romanian bank may finance up to 70% of the price, so plan for equity of at least 30%. From a complete file to signing usually takes three to six weeks, depending on the bank and the file. The bank values the property, and the mortgage contract is itself a notarial contract (Civil Code, Art. 2378), usually signed at the same appointment as the final contract. The full process is in our mortgage guide.
Step 7: the final contract
A contract that transfers ownership of real estate must be made by notarial deed (Civil Code, Art. 1244). Off-plan, the developer may hand over the home only after acceptance at completion of the works and with permanent utility connections working (Law 169/2026, Art. 422(5)(k)), and the final contract follows that.
Buying in Romania from abroad is a sequence, not a gamble. What decides the pace is preparation.
Before the signing, the notary orders a land register extract for authentication. While it is valid, the land register makes no other entry on the property except the one for which it was issued (Law 7/1996, Art. 35(3)).
The deed is drawn up in Romanian. If you do not understand Romanian, an interpreter or translator authorised by the Ministry of Justice takes part and signs together with the notary (Law 36/1995, Art. 82(2)).
Step 8: registration in the land register
The notary must apply for registration on the day the deed is signed, or at the latest the next working day (Law 7/1996, Art. 35(1)). The land register then processes the application within the deadline set by the national cadastre agency, ANCPI, and you receive an extract showing you as the owner. Learn to read it in our land register extract guide.
Signing from abroad: in person or by power of attorney
Under the Notaries Law, the original of a notarial deed is signed in front of the notary by the parties or by their representatives (Law 36/1995, Art. 98(2)). There is no signing by video. If you cannot be there, a representative signs for you:
- The power of attorney must be notarial, because a mandate for an act that requires a form must take that same form (Civil Code, Art. 2013(2)).
- It must be express, because a general mandate covers only acts of administration; buying, selling and mortgaging need express authority (Civil Code, Art. 2016).
- The notary checks the national register of powers of attorney (RNNEPR) and refuses to proceed if it has been revoked (Law 36/1995, Art. 91(2)).
- From Israel, an apostille is enough. Israel and Romania are both parties to the 1961 Apostille Convention, in force for Israel since 1978 and for Romania since 2001.
- Set an end date. Without one, a mandate ends three years after it is given (Civil Code, Art. 2015).
The full guide, with what to write in it, is in our power of attorney article.
Where you physically need to be
With a good power of attorney, you do not have to be in Romania for any step. Our advice is still to come at least once before the preliminary contract: to see the home, the area and the people you will work with. One way to combine the two: sign the preliminary contract by power of attorney, and come in person for the final contract and the keys.
5 things that delay a purchase from abroad
- Apostilles and translations. A queue at home can add weeks. Order them first.
- A name spelled differently in the passport, the power of attorney and the contract.
- A transfer held for checks, because the source-of-funds file was not ready.
- A bank valuation below the price, which changes the mortgage amount.
- A power of attorney missing one act, such as paying, signing the mortgage or applying for registration.
From the field: the war and the apostille
Attorney Ilan Leibovitch recalls a client's purchase abroad:
She called right after Yom Kippur. She had found an apartment, a friend wanted to buy one too, and they had already signed a preliminary agreement with the agent and paid a deposit on each apartment, with the purchase contracts to be signed by the end of October.
Then the war broke out. It was clear the two women could not fly in to sign. It was not clear how long it would take to send a power of attorney with an apostille to my local partner: the courts in Israel had moved to an emergency format and were not providing apostille services. Their bank would not transfer the money without a signed contract. Every day brought a new difficulty, and every day the agent called her: when is the money coming, when are you coming to sign, if you do not sign by the end of the month you will lose the deposit.
At some point I told her to stop answering the agent's calls and to let us work. The deal was signed before the end of the month.
The lesson for any purchase from abroad: prepare the power of attorney and the documents before you commit to a date, and do not let a deadline someone else sets push you into signing unchecked.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a Romanian property contract by video?
No. Under the Notaries Law, the original deed is signed in front of the notary by the parties or their representatives. If you cannot attend, a representative with a special notarial power of attorney signs for you.
Do I have to travel to Romania to buy a home?
Not necessarily. With a notarial power of attorney, an apostille and a certified translation, a representative can sign the preliminary contract and the final contract for you. We still recommend at least one visit before you commit.
How long is a reservation with a developer valid?
At most 60 days under Article 422(9) of Law 169/2026, and the reservation payment cannot exceed 5% of the price. If the preliminary contract is not signed in time solely through the developer's fault, the payment is refunded within 30 days.
When is the property registered in my name?
The notary must apply for registration on the day the final contract is signed or the next working day. The land register then processes it within ANCPI's deadline, and you receive an extract showing you as the owner.
Can the developer's lawyer act for me?
No. The developer's lawyer represents the developer. Hire an independent lawyer who works only for you, and appoint as your representative someone who is not on the other side of the deal.
The bottom line
Buying in Romania from abroad is a sequence, not a gamble. Most of the steps can be done from home, and the few deadlines set by law protect the buyer.
What decides the pace is preparation: the documents, the source-of-funds file and the power of attorney, ready before you set a signing date.
If you are planning a purchase in Romania from abroad, with us or anywhere else, book a 30-minute call with me. We will build your timeline together, step by step.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: Law 169/2026, Planning and Construction Code, Art. 422 (Monitorul Oficial nr. 661, 10 August 2026) · Civil Code, consolidated form (legislatie.just.ro), Art. 1244, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2378 · Law 36/1995 on public notaries (legislatie.just.ro), Art. 82, 91 and 98 · Law 7/1996 on cadastre and land registration (legislatie.just.ro), Art. 35 · ANAF: tax registration of non-resident individuals (NIF) · Hague Conference: Apostille Convention status table · National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI)
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. The rules are correct as of 17 October 2026. Durations marked as estimates depend on banks, authorities and documents, and are not guaranteed.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
