In August we wrote about the first draft amendments to the Energy Efficiency Act, which would put the energy class into property listings. Since then a second version of the draft has appeared, and the European Commission has opened infringement proceedings against every member state over the delay. The law has still not been adopted. So this guide answers the practical question: what do you need to do as a seller or landlord today, and what should you expect?
An energy performance certificate shows how much primary energy a building uses per square metre each year (kWh/m²) and which class it falls into. It is issued after an energy audit by a firm listed in the register of the Sustainable Energy Development Agency (SEDA) and is valid for up to 10 years (Art. 47 of the Energy Efficiency Act).
The key detail: a certificate is normally issued for the whole building, not for an individual flat. A part of a building is certified separately only if it has a different use and forms a separate thermal zone. So the owner of a flat in a block usually holds a copy of the building's certificate — if one exists at all.
Under the Energy Efficiency Act in force (last amended in November 2025):
In practice these rules are rarely applied. The wording is unclear on whether all residential buildings must be audited, and the penalties target owners of public-service buildings. According to the EnEffect association (August 2026), only about 6.4% of multi-family and about 0.1% of single-family buildings have a certificate.
The notary does not ask for a certificate. Neither the current law nor the draft makes it a condition of the notarial deed — the sale is valid without one.
The Ministry of Energy published the draft on 24 July 2026 and a second version on 28 August. The second version adds the merger of SEDA into the ministry and converts fines into euro, but the provisions on sales, lettings and listings are unchanged. The main changes:
Public consultation on the second version closed on 11 September, and the report on comments is dated 22 October. As of early November we found no sign that the Council of Ministers has approved the bill or sent it to parliament. The deadline for transposing the EU directive (2024/1275) passed on 29 May 2026, and on 15 July the Commission opened proceedings against all 27 member states, so adoption is a matter of time.
The directive sets a common A to G scale, where A is a zero-emission building and G covers the worst-performing buildings in the national stock. A certificate is issued on construction, major renovation, sale, letting to a new tenant and renewal of a lease. The class and the indicator must appear in all listings, including on property portals. The renovation passport stays voluntary unless a country decides otherwise.
The price depends on the building. According to an expert estimate reported in August 2026, an audit of a residential building costs from about €2,000–3,000, shared among the owners in the block. There is no official price list — get at least two quotes and check the firm in the register.
Buildings commissioned before 1990 (or before 2005) and certified in class B, C or D can be exempt from property tax for 3 to 10 years, provided the measures were not paid for with public money. The exemption is claimed by declaration at the municipality. Details are in our guide to property tax and the waste fee.
If you are selling or letting:
If you are buying or renting:
Information as of November 2026. We will update this guide once the Energy Efficiency Act amendments are adopted.
If you are wondering how an energy certificate affects the sale or letting of your home, call us or visit our office — we will tell you what to prepare and how to present it in your listing.
