Slovenia: A Real Estate Overview
Recent Legislative Developments
In recent years, there have been substantial developments in the real estate sector in Slovenia and in the legal framework governing it. The development of Slovenian legislation concerning this sector has followed the role of the property market, particularly rising rental and purchase prices. A considerable number of the most recent legislative reforms are aimed at positively influencing the real estate sector; however, the actual effects of these reforms are yet to be seen.
New legislation continually alters how properties are registered, constructed, valued and taxed, reflecting the modernisation of this sector. Among such important legislative changes come amendments to the Real Estate Cadastre Act (“ZKN-A”) and the Building Act (“GZ-1B”). In 2025, an Act on Financing and Promotion of Public Rental Housing (“ZFSGJNS”), was adopted, introducing an annual budget of EUR100 million from 2025 to 2035. The newly adopted Hospitality Industry Act (“ZGos-1”) also regulates short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com.
Amendment to the Real Estate Cadastre Act (ZKN-A)
In September 2025, the Slovenian National Assembly adopted the Amendment to the Real Estate Cadastre Act (ZKN-A). According to the government, the main aims of the amendment are the reduction of bureaucracy (which still characterises much of Slovenian legislation), the simplification of procedures for clients and administrative units, the improvement of cadastral processes, the facilitation of access to data and the harmonisation of public records and institutions.
The amendment also defines clearer land-quality determination rules, more effective procedures for issuing land valuation authorisations, and better alignment with related legislation. Such changes will guarantee faster, more transparent and legally secure procedures for all stakeholders, further strengthening the cadastre’s central position as the official register of real estate in the Republic of Slovenia.
While such improvements have taken place in data accessibility and inter-institutional co-ordination, regarding the updating and supplementation of information on holders of building rights and limited real servitudes, the following is extracted from the Central Population Register: name, address, and personal identification number; and from the Business Register: name of the legal entity, its registered office, and registration number.
The cadastral information system now also provides the Land Register with data on new and altered parcel numbers, buildings, and condominium units. The Surveying and Mapping Authority informs the Land Register when parcel boundaries change as a result of subdivision. If the new parcel is not covered by a registered building right or servitude area, this is also reported.
Amendment to the Building Act (GZ-1B)
Recently, a new revision of the Building Act GZ-1B was adopted. It includes the digital system eGraditev, a novelty that facilitates administrative procedures. Given Slovenia’s recent experience with natural disasters, another important novelty in this revision concerns the new definition of temporary buildings in such situations.
One of the novelties introduced by the revision is the provision that aims to make procedures more straightforward and ensure that formal opinions are provided to investors within 30 days. If such an opinion has not been issued within this period, investors may continue with the application for a building permit. It is a sort of legal fiction that unburdens the opinion-givers from simple, straightforward cases and leaves them to deal with complicated ones, while investors draw comfort from predictable, timely procedures. The amendment also provides more transparency and legal certainty, especially for older buildings. It does not legalise illegal constructions, which may still be demolished at any time. The amendment also raises the requirements for professional safety assessments.
The Act on Financing and Promotion of Public Rental Housing (ZFSGJNS)
In 2025 the Slovenian National Assembly also adopted the Act on Financing and Promotion of Public Rental Housing (ZFSGJNS), in response to the continuing social and economic challenges. It offers a total of EUR1 billion, with annual allocations of EUR100 million from 2025 to 2034, for the construction, reconstruction and renovation of public rental housing and public rental-assisted housing.
Public rental housing will be available to a wide range of residents, from young people and families to vital workers and older adults needing adapted assisted housing. The rentals will remain considerably below market levels, while the state continues to fund rent subsidies for the most vulnerable social groups.
The Hospitality Industry Act (ZGos-1)
One of the most publicly debated reforms is the regulation of short-term rentals governed by the newly adopted Hospitality Industry Act. The Act uniformly regulates the conditions under which hospitality activities may be conducted, including food service, accommodation, farm tourism, and short-term apartment rentals.
Key changes include short-term rental regulations, increased flexibility for hospitality businesses and professional quality assessment of tourist accommodation.
One such short-term rent regulation would include time limits of up to 60 days per year in municipalities with high housing pressure, mandatory co-owner consent, registration in the accommodation register, and greater transparency. In its endeavour, the Act tries to balance tourism development with access to housing for locals.
Hospitality operators will enjoy greater flexibility in opening hours, without needing to declare fixed hours, although they will still be free to extend their opening hours in accordance with municipal regulations.
Categorisation under the Act aims to enhance the quality of tourist accommodation, with professional categorisation applied to facilities with four and five stars, and a new top category introduced for tourist farms.
In Conclusion
The above-mentioned changes in the real estate sector are among the efforts of the government and the Slovenian legislature to ease investors’ access to the Slovenian real estate market and facilitate the relevant processes. The intention is also to ease the rising cost of rental apartments for the general population, and make it possible to buy a new place in which to live. These changes and many more in the pipeline are designed to make the Slovenian property market more welcoming and affordable, and more modern. However, only time will tell if these changes will make a real difference in practice.