What is the Croatian “OIB” number?

Anyone who is considering the idea of buying a property in Croatia comes across the information that in order to buy a property in Croatia, the so-called “OIB” number must be obtained.

The abbreviation “OIB” stands for “osobni identifikacijski broj” in Croatian, which translated into English means “Personal Identification Number”. The OIB number consists of 11 numbers.

It is the permanent identification number of a person in Croatia, which is used for identification in official registers, everyday business, and data exchange. This number is assigned to a person or company by the Ministry of Finance or the tax office.

The OIB number was introduced in Croatia in 2009. It serves to computerize state administration, which contributes to its efficiency and at the same time reduces the administrative burden on citizens. The OIB number provides a better overview of the property of private and legal entities and of financial transactions. With the introduction of the OIB number, Croatian legislation was brought into line with European legislation.

Persons who are not Croatian citizens but who are or will be registered in official registers and are liable to pay taxes in Croatia must obtain an OIB number.

An OIB number must therefore be obtained in order to conclude the main contract for the purchase of a property in Croatia. After the purchase, you as the buyer must be registered as the new owner in the relevant registers (such as the land register and cadastral office). In addition, the purchase contract is immediately forwarded directly by the notary to the tax office to determine the tax obligations.

The application to obtain the OIB number must be submitted to the tax office in Croatia.

The application for the allocation of the Croatian personal identification number and the list of documents to be attached are available in English on the following links: OIB application, OIB documents.