The Building Act in 2026: what applies, what changes from January and what is still only a draft
The “new Building Act 2026” is the most common misconception in the enquiries we receive: it is not this year’s novelty at all. Act No. 283/2021 Coll., the Building Act (stavební zákon), took effect on 1 January 2024, and ordinary structures, including a residential building, have been handled under it since 1 July 2024. At that point the project permit (povolení záměru) replaced the pair of the zoning decision (územní rozhodnutí) and the building permit (stavební povolení), and the institute of notification (ohlášení) ceased to exist. What is actually being dealt with in 2026 are its amendments, one new obligation from January 2027 and one major reform that has the President’s signature but not yet a number in the Collection of Laws (Sbírka zákonů). This text separates the three layers and, for each, says what follows from it for the contract and for the advert (inzerát).
Layer one: what has applied since 1 July 2024
The Act took effect on 1 January 2024 (§ 335). Under § 334a(1) and (3), however, during the transitional period (přechodné období) from 1 January 2024 to 30 June 2024 projects were still handled under the previous regulations — with the exception of reserved structures (vyhrazené stavby) under Annex 3, which include motorways, railways, civil aviation structures and selected energy structures. For the purposes of the transitional provisions on the building code (stavební řád), 1 July 2024 is deemed the date of effectiveness. The separation of case files (spisová rozluka) corresponds to this: the previous authorities handed over pending files for reserved structures by 1 February 2024 and in other cases by 1 August 2024 (§ 314).
For two years, then, a residential building has been permitted in a single procedure, and its result is a single document — the project permit (§ 197). Notification has disappeared as a category: a project is either not reported to the authority at all, or it is permitted. The intermediate step on which the jargon “on notification” (na ohlášku) was based does not exist in the Building Act.
The older acts have not disappeared, though. Under § 330(7), a final building permit (pravomocné stavební povolení), a joint permit (společné povolení), a consent to carry out a notified building project (souhlas s provedením ohlášeného stavebního záměru) and a public-law contract (veřejnoprávní smlouva) replacing a building permit are deemed a project permit under the new Act. And under § 330(1), proceedings commenced before the effective date were completed under the previous regulations. That is why two regimes still run side by side in a single portfolio today.
The categories of structures are set by § 5(2): minor (drobné stavby, Annex 1), simple (jednoduché stavby, Annex 2), reserved (Annex 3) and other (ostatní stavby). Which one a Prague residential building falls into can be seen from two lines of the annexes. Residential structures are not minor (Annex 1(2)(a)). And simple structures are residential structures with at most two above-ground storeys (nadzemní podlaží) and one underground storey (podzemní podlaží) plus an attic (podkroví) or setback storey (ustoupené podlaží) (Annex 2(1)(a)). A typical tenement building (činžovní dům) is therefore an other structure, and that is the category on which the time limit depends.
One more thing we often hear wrongly: the application supposedly has to be filed electronically. It does not. Under § 172(2), it is filed on the prescribed form electronically via the Builder’s Portal (portál stavebníka) or on paper. The builder (stavebník) must, however, upload the project documentation (projektová dokumentace) to the register of electronic documentation (evidence elektronických dokumentací) no later than when filing the application (§ 172(4)).
Time limits, occupancy approval and permit validity: figures that can be documented
The building authority (stavební úřad) decides within 30 days for a simple structure and within 60 days in other cases, counted from the day the proceedings commence (§ 196(1)). Before the time limit expires, it may extend it by up to 30 days in particularly complex cases or if an oral hearing (ústní jednání) is ordered, and by up to 60 days in proceedings with a large number of parties, when serving by public notice (veřejná vyhláška) on persons who cannot be served, or when serving abroad (§ 196(2)).
What is decisive, though, is the fourth subsection, which overviews leave out. When the proceedings are suspended because of defects in the application, the time limit is interrupted and starts to run again from the beginning once they have been remedied (§ 196(4)). So it is not a pause followed by continuation, but a fresh start. Every request for additional documents resets the sixty days to zero — and this is exactly where the developer’s schedule parts ways with the file without the authority breaching anything.
The permit is valid for 2 years from the day it acquires legal force (nabytí právní moci); in justified cases the authority may set a longer period, at most 5 years. If execution began while the permit was valid, the period is extended to 10 years from legal force (§ 198(1)). So the contract should contain not only the date of legal force, but also the date by which execution is to begin.
Occupancy approval (kolaudace): a structure that requires a permit may be used only on the basis of an occupancy decision (kolaudační rozhodnutí) and only for the purpose defined in it (§ 230(1)). Simple structures do not require occupancy approval, with the exception of residential and family recreation structures (§ 230(2)). The final inspection (závěrečná kontrolní prohlídka) must take place within 30 days of filing a complete application (§ 234(1)), and the authority issues the occupancy decision within 15 days of carrying it out (§ 235(1)); if no inspection is carried out, within 15 days of filing the application (§ 235(4)).
Layer two: what changes from 1 January 2027
The version of the Building Act effective 11 June 2026 – 31 December 2026 is version 14. From 1 January 2027 version 15 applies, introduced by Act No. 465/2023 Coll. We compared the two versions line by line: they differ in two sentences in § 32b and § 226(3), and both merely extend the reference to reserved structures to cover carbon dioxide capture and storage. For a residential building this means nothing.
The second piece of legislation is Act No. 330/2025 Coll., on the Management of Information on Construction and the Built Environment (zákon o správě informací o stavbě a vystavěném prostředí) — valid (platnost) from 9 September 2025, effective (účinnost) from 1 January 2027, with staggered effectiveness (dělená účinnost). Its PART NINE does indeed amend the Building Act, but that part is already effective: points 1 to 3, 5 to 8, 10 and 11 since 1 October 2025 and points 4 and 9 since 1 January 2026 (§ 34). They concern, among other things, energy storage, photovoltaics and charging points.
From 1 January 2027 its PART ONE takes effect: the building information model (informační model stavby). It is a digital model of the structure supplemented with the construction schedule (harmonogram výstavby), the permit conditions, investment costs, documentation and information on use and maintenance (§ 6(1)). What matters, though, is whom the obligation concerns. Under § 3, the obliged persons (povinné osoby) are the state and its organisational units (organizační složky státu), state enterprises and organisations, regions, their funded organisations (příspěvkové organizace) and selected legal entities under the Public Procurement Act (zákon o zadávání veřejných zakázek). In addition, the obligation applies only to structures above the financial threshold for an above-threshold public contract (nadlimitní veřejná zakázka) for construction works (§ 4(1)). A private developer of a Prague residential building is not among the obliged persons, and the fine of up to CZK 400,000 (§ 16(2)) does not apply to them.
So what should they do in advance? Nothing in their own records — but keep an eye on two things. The construction data standard (datový standard stavby) is published by the Czech Office for Standards, Metrology and Testing (Úřad pro technickou normalizaci, metrologii a státní zkušebnictví) (§ 8) and will become the common language of documentation; anyone designing for an obliged person, or who will be handing works over to one, will find it in the brief. And from 1 January 2030 the title on the information model of the built environment (informační model vystavěného prostředí) takes effect, whose public part will be open to inspection by anyone (§ 15(2)). That will affect the presentation of projects.
Layer three: what is still only a draft
The “one office, one procedure, one stamp” reform is Chamber print (sněmovní tisk) 67 in the 10th electoral term. A group of deputies submitted it on 12 December 2025, the Chamber of Deputies approved it in the third reading on 10 July 2026, the Senate rejected the bill on 20 August 2026, the Chamber upheld its original bill on 9 September 2026 and the President signed the act on 17 September 2026. As at 28 September 2026 it has no number in the Collection of Laws. Until it is promulgated, it is not valid law.
In substance it is a big matter. It establishes the Territorial Development Office of the Czech Republic (Úřad rozvoje území České republiky) and 14 regional territorial development offices (úřady rozvoje území krajů) — for Prague and for the Central Bohemian Region, both seated in Prague. It repeals Act No. 148/2023 Coll., on the Single Environmental Opinion (jednotné environmentální stanovisko), as well as Decree No. 131/2024 Coll. (vyhláška), on the Documentation of Structures, Decree No. 146/2024 Coll., on Construction Requirements, and Decree No. 149/2024 Coll. Effectiveness is set for 1 January 2027, but some provisions take effect on the first day of the calendar month after promulgation and further points only from 1 January 2028 — including, notably, the repeal of the Single Environmental Opinion Act.
One difference from 2024 is worth remembering. Back then, pending proceedings were completed under the previous regulations (§ 330(1)). Under the transitional provisions of this bill, by contrast, proceedings commenced and not concluded before the effective date are to be completed under the new wording of the Act, unless provided otherwise. Anyone with proceedings under way in January 2027 will not finish them in the regime in which they started them.
This does not yet belong in schedules or contracts. A date that has no number in the Collection of Laws cannot be written into a suspensive condition (odkládací podmínka) — and nobody today can work out the first day of the calendar month after promulgation.
What this does to contracts and advertising
Two years after the effective date, documents still cling to a document that was never issued for a project permitted after 1 July 2024. Here are the four places where we see this most often, and the sentence we write there instead.
Reservation agreement (rezervační smlouva), the clause on the status of project preparation. Instead of “The project is at the stage of a final building permit dated …” we write “The project is permitted by the project permit decision ref. No. …, which acquired legal force on …”.
Future purchase agreement (smlouva o smlouvě budoucí kupní), suspensive condition. Instead of “within 60 days of the day the building permit acquires legal force”, the clause refers to the defined Permit and adds a second date: the day by which execution of the project is to begin, because under § 198(1) the extension of validity to 10 years depends on it.
The annex “List of Supporting Documents” (Seznam podkladů). The line “copy of the building permit” is replaced with the line “copy of the project permit including the legal force endorsement”.
Property presentation (expozé) and advert. Instead of “building permit issued”, the line “Permit status: project permit, legal force on …”. The unit sheet (karta jednotky) and the price list sheet (list ceníku) carry the same line, so that all three documents can be checked against one another.
In the definitions section of the contract we then include one provision that covers both regimes:
“For the purposes of this agreement, ‘Permit’ means the project permit under § 197 of Act No. 283/2021 Coll., the Building Act, or a building permit, joint permit or other act that is deemed a project permit under § 330(7) of the same Act. The decisive date is the day on which this act acquires legal force or, if the act does not acquire legal force, the day on which it becomes effective.”
The other clauses then refer only to the “Permit” with a capital P. How this milestone (milník) fits into the whole project timeline is described in selling a development project.
What to check before you sign
The buyer is not interested in the categorisation of structures. They are interested in what holds the completion date. Five checks that do not take long.
- Name and reference number (číslo jednací) of the document. A project permit, or an older act that is deemed one under § 330(7). Copy both into the reservation agreement.
- Legal force endorsement (doložka právní moci). Look for the sentence “This decision acquired legal force on …” with a date, a signature and a stamp impression. Without it, it is a piece of paper with a reference number, not a title to which a completion date can be tied.
- Validity of the permit. Two years from legal force, unless the authority set a longer period in the permit, at most five years (§ 198(1)). Ask when execution began — that changes the validity to ten years.
- Building identification number (identifikační číslo stavby). Under § 334b(2), the obligation to assign it without undue delay after the proceedings commence (§ 273(2)) does not apply until 31 December 2027, so it may still be missing from the documents. Where it is present, it identifies the structure across the building administration systems (§ 273(1)).
- Occupancy decision. Its operative part (výrok) contains the date and reference number of the building permit (§ 235(2)(c)). This pairs the two documents, and any discrepancy is visible at first glance.
Where to verify this is a question in itself. Neither the register of building procedures (evidence stavebních postupů) nor the register of electronic documentation is a public register: under § 272(1), access is held by whoever has the right to inspect the file under the Administrative Procedure Code (správní řád). A buyer without the status of a party to the proceedings (účastník řízení) cannot see into it. The practical approach is therefore the reverse — ask the seller for a copy of the permit with the endorsement and verify the reference number by enquiring at the competent building authority.
Where our own approach has a weak spot
Three places where our approach pays a price.
A general definition of the Permit buys resilience at the cost of precision. A provision that covers both the project permit and the acts under § 330(7) survives a change of regime as well as a change of name. At the same time it is broader than a reference to one specific document with a reference number, and a broader provision can be interpreted in more ways. For a project that sits entirely within one regime, we put a precise reference into the contract.
Our time estimates rest on statutory time limits, not on measured practice. Because of § 196(4), every request for additional documents is a fresh start of the sixty-day time limit, and how many there will be in the proceedings cannot be read from anything in advance. We do not yet have a median from our own projects permitted after 1 July 2024. A developer who needs a date for the contract does not enjoy hearing such an answer; but it is better than a number we would have made up and that would end up in a suspensive condition.
We are not yet factoring the reform signed on 17 September 2026 into anything. It may rewrite the whole table below. Until it is in the Collection of Laws, for us it is information to monitor, not an input to the plan — and a client who saw it in a headline has to be told this again every time.
Annex: permitting and time limits — before, now and from January 2027
The table compares three states. The “Before” column describes the situation until 30 June 2024, the “Now” column the law in force as at 28 September 2026, and the “From 1 January 2027” column only what has already been promulgated — the reform from print 67 is not in it.
| What | Before (until 30 June 2024) | Now (as at 28 September 2026) | From 1 January 2027 | Impact on sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siting and permitting of a structure | Zoning decision and building permit | A single project permit (§ 197) | No change | One legal force instead of two |
| Notification | A separate, lighter regime | Abolished | No change | Drop the term “on notification” from communication |
| Categories of structures | No comprehensive categorisation | Minor, simple, reserved, other (§ 5(2)) | Change only for CO₂ storage structures | A residential building is an other structure |
| Time limit for the decision | Under the Administrative Procedure Code | 30 days for a simple, 60 days for an other structure (§ 196(1)) | No change | Baseline figure for the schedule |
| Extension of the time limit | Various | By up to 30 or 60 days respectively (§ 196(2)) | No change | Plan with the upper limit |
| Suspension of proceedings | Under the Administrative Procedure Code | The time limit runs again from the beginning (§ 196(4)) | No change | Tie the date to legal force, not to the time limit |
| Validity of the permit | Under the old Act | 2 years, at most 5; after commencement 10 years (§ 198) | No change | A second date in the contract |
| Occupancy approval | Consent or decision | Inspection within 30 days, decision within 15 days (§ 234, § 235) | No change | 45 days as a sum, not a single time limit |
| Form of filing | On paper and electronically | Form electronically or on paper (§ 172(2)) | No change | Filing on paper is not a mistake |
| Older permits | — | Deemed a project permit (§ 330(7)) | No change | No re-permitting |
| Digital model of the structure | — | No obligation | Obligation for the state, regions and selected public entities (330/2025 Coll.) | Does not concern a private developer |
| Name in the contract | “final building permit” | A definition covering both regimes | No change | One provision instead of rewriting |
Frequently asked questions
Since when has the new Building Act applied? Act No. 283/2021 Coll. took effect on 1 January 2024 (§ 335). Reserved structures under Annex 3 have been handled under it since 1 January 2024, other structures including residential buildings since 1 July 2024 (§ 334a(3)). The year 2026 plays no part in this.
What is a project permit? The single decision by which the building authority permits a project in one procedure (§ 197). It replaced the pair of the zoning decision and the building permit. In contracts, what you look for on it is the reference number and the legal force endorsement.
Is an old building permit still valid? Yes. A final building permit, a joint permit, a consent to carry out a notified building project and a public-law contract replacing a building permit are deemed a project permit under § 330(7). The project does not need to be permitted again.
How long does it take to get a building permitted? The statutory time limit is 30 days for a simple structure and 60 days for other structures, with a possible extension by up to 30 or 60 days respectively (§ 196(1) and (2)). The actual time tends to be longer, because suspending the proceedings over defects in the application sends the time limit back to the beginning (§ 196(4)).
When will the Territorial Development Office be established? The act establishing it has passed the Chamber of Deputies and the President, but as at 28 September 2026 it had not been promulgated in the Collection of Laws. The proposed effective date is 1 January 2027, with exceptions; until promulgation it is a draft, not valid law.
Key takeaways
The new Building Act did not come into being in 2026 — residential buildings have been permitted under it since 1 July 2024, and most of what is presented as news today is either two years old or not yet in the Collection of Laws. From January 2027 a digital obligation is added that applies to the state, regions and selected public entities, not to a private developer. The reform with one office and one stamp has the President’s signature and nothing more; it therefore does not belong in suspensive conditions. The costliest mistake remains the smallest one: a reference to a “final building permit” in a contract for a project where no such document was ever issued. When to enter the market with all this is discussed in the text when to launch sales of a project.