Application for land register entry

What it means

An application for land register entry asks the cadastral department of the district office to register, on the basis of a contract, ownership, a lien or an easement in the land register. Without approval of the entry, the right to the property does not arise, even if the contract has been signed.

When buying property, ownership does not pass on signing the purchase contract or paying the price, but only when the cadastral department approves the entry. Until then the seller remains the registered owner, which matters for risk, taxes and financing.

Any party to the contract may file the application, usually with original copies of the contract bearing officially certified signatures. It can also be filed electronically through the cadastral portal with a qualified electronic signature. An administrative fee is charged, higher for expedited proceedings.

How it works in practice

The cadastral department usually decides within 30 days, and faster proceedings are available for a higher fee. While the application is pending, the title deed extract shows a marker indicating a change in progress. For a mortgage, banks often require proof that the lien application has been filed before releasing the loan.

In a purchase, the price is often placed in notarial escrow or a blocked account and paid to the seller only after the entry is approved. This protects both sides: the buyer does not lose money if the entry is refused, and the seller knows the money is ready.

For companies, the approval date also matters for accounting and tax. From that date the property is recognised as an asset, depreciation starts and the obligation to file property tax arises. On a sale, it determines when income arises and is relevant for VAT on the sale of buildings.

What to watch out for

If the contract contains errors, such as incorrect parcel numbers, missing spousal consent or an imprecise description, the cadastral department will suspend the proceedings or refuse the entry. It is therefore advisable to have the contract drafted or checked by a professional and to verify the land register data before signing.

Beware of multiple applications for the same property. The register decides them in the order received, so a fraudster could sell a property twice. The buyer should file the application as soon as possible after signing and pay the price only through a secure mechanism after the entry is approved.