Garage without a permit in Czechia: what changes from December 2026

From December, it will be possible in Czechia to build a garage on a plot with a house or a holiday cottage without a building permit. This is part of the new Building Act, which is being phased in gradually: garages will join the category of small structures alongside sheds and gazebos.

Previously, a garage fell into a different category for which the state required a permit. Now the building office's stamp will not be needed if certain conditions are met. According to Veronika Lukašová, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Regional Development, the garage must stand at least two metres from the plot boundary, and after construction at least half of the plot must still be able to absorb rainwater.

Which garages will be allowed without paperwork

The key parameter is size. Small structures of up to 60 square metres will be allowed without a permit, up from the previous limit of 40. The garage may not be taller than five metres and may have one above-ground storey, as well as an attic and a cellar up to three metres deep.

If a structure meets these conditions, it does not even need to be reported to the building office. But it must still comply with the zoning plan, building requirements and other laws, Lukašová stressed.

Insulation and retaining walls

It will be possible to build a retaining wall of up to 1.5 metres without a permit, instead of the current one metre. In a number of cases, no permit will be required for insulating a family house or an apartment building either, even if its appearance changes slightly. Previously, it was precisely the change in a building's look that required approval, and the work was not allowed to affect load-bearing structures.

Now insulation can be done without a stamp as long as it does not affect the strength and stability of the building, does not worsen fire safety and does not change the building's purpose. The law does not specify how much the facade may be altered. If in doubt, you can describe your plan to the building office and request preliminary information: the answer should arrive within 30 days.

Deadlines will be shortened, the dispute continues

From December, the deadline for objections will also be shortened: instead of the current 15 days from receipt of the summons, it will be 10 days. An objection to the bias of an official who is to decide on a permit can be filed within a week of the moment the doubts arose.

Lawmakers finally passed the Building Act in September, overriding the Senate's veto. According to the ministry, it will speed up the issuing of permits and make housing more affordable. Critics argue that large developers will benefit most. Anna Vinklárková of the environmental organisation Arnika said: “While the public's rights are being restricted, investors' rights are being strengthened.”

The next changes to the law will take effect in January. That is when the most talked-about institution will appear, the Office for Territorial Development, that is, the central building office, to which officials from municipalities will gradually transfer.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz