Last chance for homes without permits: Romanians have one year to legalize them or risk demolition

Romania is implementing a new Urbanism Code that offers a one-year transition period for property owners with constructions lacking proper authorization or built in violation of existing permits. This grace period, starting from the code's enactment, allows individuals to bring their buildings into legal compliance. Failure to do so could result in demolition at the owner's expense.

The new code introduces an "authorization of regularization." This mechanism enables certain existing constructions to be legalized if they meet specific legal requirements. However, it's not a blanket approval for all unauthorized structures. To qualify, properties must adhere to urban planning regulations, construction quality standards, environmental protection requirements, and other legal obligations. Owners may need to provide technical expert reports assessing structural stability, fire safety, hygiene, energy efficiency, and more.

If issues are identified, local authorities may require remediation work or even partial demolition. Constructions that cannot meet the legal standards face the ultimate consequence of being dismantled. The regularization process is designed to be more limited after the one-year transition. Specifically, only certain types of constructions will remain eligible, such as single-family homes up to 150 square meters of built area and certain agricultural or household annexes of similar size.

Further restrictions apply to constructions like balcony enclosures, which must not encroach on public space. Homes must also be situated outside protected historical monument zones and cannot be historical monuments themselves. The new code aims to address widespread illegal construction while providing a structured, albeit time-limited, path toward compliance for many existing structures.