en_GB
en_GB hr de_DE

Regulations and Laws

Kategorizacija kuće za odmor

Categorisation of apartments and holiday homes on Krk: requirements, forms and contacts, 2026

Categorisation (approval decision) is the basis for legally renting apartments, rooms, studio apartments and holiday homes. Below are the key regulations, Annex II, requirements, forms for Primorje Gorski Kotar County, contacts in Krk, and answers to the most frequently asked questions by accommodation owners.

Note: this content is informative; in practice, details are aligned with the competent office, as depending on the property, building or family house, legal status, co ownership, there may be additional documentation requirements.

What is categorisation and what do you receive at the end of the procedure?

Categorisation is an administrative procedure in which the competent county authority determines whether your property meets the minimum requirements for the type of accommodation and the requirements for its category, stars. In the regulation on hospitality in households, categorisation is explicitly defined as a procedure for determining the type and category of a property. 

The outcome of the procedure is an approval decision for providing hospitality services in a household (for natural persons, citizens) or a decision on classification and categorisation (for companies, trades and “other accommodation establishments”), depending on your status and the type of property. 

Without a decision you generally cannot:

  • legally register guests, eVisitor,
  • legally advertise accommodation as a tourist service,
  • nor legally provide accommodation services. 

Requirements for apartments and holiday homes: Annex II and “one document you need”

For apartments and holiday homes, the key requirement is Regulation on the classification and categorisation of facilities in which hospitality services are provided in households (NN 9/16 and amendments). The regulation clearly states that the category requirements are defined in annexes, and for apartments and holiday homes this is Annex II. 

Most practical: for “houses and apartments” this package is sufficient:

Form for citizens providing services in households, apartments, holiday homes

For natural persons, the PGŽ form is used:

“Request for issuing an approval decision for providing hospitality services in a household, FORM 17. 

The PGŽ form itself explicitly states what must be attached, including:

  • a copy of the identity card,
  • title deed, not older than 6 months, plus co owners consents if applicable,
  • proof of usability of the building in accordance with Article 175 of the Construction Act,
  • (for multi apartment or residential commercial buildings) proof of prior written consent for short term rental, through the building manager,
  • a graphical layout of the property with surface areas, can also be hand drawn,
  • payment details for the administrative fee. 

Form for legal entities and trades, other accommodation establishments

This form is also the best checklist for accommodation owners because it is issued by the competent authority and updated in euros. 

For companies, trades and “other accommodation establishments”, PGŽ uses:

“Request for classification and categorisation of accommodation establishments, FORM 12. 

Typical attachments, according to the form, include:

  • registration decision in the court register or trade register,
  • proof of the right to use the premises,
  • proof of usability of the building, Article 175 of the Construction Act,
  • consents of co owners for short term rental if the property is in a building,
  • in some cases also a positive fire safety opinion, when the residential space in a building exceeds 400 m² gross,
  • layouts, project documentation, surface areas, certificates and other proofs of requirements, depending on the property,
  • payment details for the administrative fee. 

Contacts of the competent office in Krk

For properties on the island of Krk, the competent authority is Primorje Gorski Kotar County, Administrative Department for Tourism, Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, office in Krk.

Address, Krk: Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 2, 51500 Krk
Office hours for clients: Monday and Wednesday 8:30–14:00, Friday 8:30–11:00
Phone: 051/354-350, 051/354-347
E-mail: gospodarstvo.krk@pgz.hr 

Do you need help with accommodation categorisation on the island of Krk?

If you are not sure which form you need, what requirements the property must meet or how to prepare the documentation for the categorisation procedure, for more information you can contact us via contact page.

If needed, we can also refer you to the partner tourist agency TA Krk Adria / Visit Krk, a leading tourist agency specialised in the rental of villas and holiday homes on the island of Krk, which also assists accommodation owners with property preparation and the start of renting.

Differences: natural persons, companies or trades and non residents

This is important because people often make mistakes right at the beginning, choosing the wrong form or incorrectly assuming their status.

Natural person, accommodation provider, household

According to the Hospitality Act, hospitality services in a household may be provided by a natural person, citizen, accommodation provider, and the law also precisely defines capacity limits, for example up to 10 rooms or 20 beds for accommodation in a room, apartment or holiday home. 

The law also defines who is considered an accommodation provider: citizens of Croatia as well as citizens of the EEA and Switzerland. 

For tax obligations, flat rate, VAT thresholds and similar, the official website of the Tax Administration is useful; for example, it states a VAT threshold of 60,000 euros from 1 January 2025, which is often a source of confusion. 

Company or trade

Companies and trades do not operate “as a household”, but as registered hospitality businesses with a different administrative and tax regime. In practice, PGŽ will provide FORM 12 for this, and the documentation is more extensive, registers, fire safety opinion in some cases, certificates, etc. 

Non Residents

For 2026 it is important to clearly distinguish this without myths:

  • If you are a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, the law may treat you as an accommodation provider in the sense of a household. 
  • If you are a citizen of a third country, you generally do not fall under the definition of an “accommodation provider” in a household, so the process usually goes through a business entity, company or trade, and the hospitality regime, with additional tax and administrative steps. This is not advice, but a consequence of the legal definition. 

Blue sign, standardised label, and assistance with categorisation of a holiday home

The blue sign is not “decoration” but an obligation: the accommodation provider must visibly display the designation of type and category at the entrance or in its immediate vicinity. 

The Ministry provides clear instructions: standardised signs can be produced by manufacturers with approval, and the sign is ordered directly from the manufacturer, with a copy of the decision, proof of payment and delivery address. The Ministry also publishes a list of approved manufacturers with contact details. 

If you need help with the categorisation of a holiday home on the island of Krk (checking requirements before the inspection, preparing documentation, surface areas and layouts, logic of Annex II), contact us , this is the most common point where new accommodation owners lose weeks due to incorrect documentation or misunderstood requirements.

FAQ – frequently asked questions

How long does the categorisation procedure take?

There is no single deadline that applies to everyone. It mostly depends on whether the documentation is complete and whether the property is ready for inspection. In the guidelines for accommodation owners in Krk, it is emphasised that the application should be submitted when the property is fully prepared and ready to receive guests. 
Realistically, expect it to take from a few weeks to several months, depending on the workload of the office and the specifics of the property, building, co ownership, fire safety opinion and similar.

Is it possible to obtain categorisation without a use permit (uporabna dozvola)?

In practice, proof of usability of the building, and this does not always have to be a “use permit”, uporabna dozvola, as people commonly imagine, but it must be an appropriate document in accordance with construction regulations. PGŽ forms explicitly require proof of usability in accordance with Article 175 of the Construction Act. 
If such proof is missing or the property is disputed, the procedure generally cannot be completed without resolving its legal status.

Am I allowed to advertise the property before I receive the decision?

The legal logic is: providing services in a household requires an approval decision, and in advertising and promotion only the designations of type and category defined in the decision may be used. 
In practice, you can have a website “under preparation”, but advertising and selling accommodation as a tourist service before obtaining the decision carries a real risk of inspection and problems with guest registration.

Can the number of stars be changed, recategorisation?

Yes. However, a change of category is not “just a change on a website or with an agency”, it is a change in the factual situation that requires a procedure and a new decision. The regulation states that for any change in the established conditions, the accommodation provider must obtain a decision reflecting the new situation. 

Do I need the consent of co owners in the building?

PGŽ forms explicitly require proof of prior written consent for short term rental, through the building manager, in the case of multi apartment and residential commercial buildings. 
This is also related to amendments to the law, NN 152/2024, which further emphasised the obligation of consent in the context of short term rental in buildings. 

Useful links:

REGULATIONS, official

Primorje Gorski Kotar County – forms

CONTACTS (Primorje Gorski Kotar County - Krk)

USEFUL, taxes

Tax Administration, “Accommodation provider for tourists” https://porezna-uprava.gov.hr/hr/iznajmljivac-turistima/4446

Do you have additional questions about accommodation categorisation?

For more information and enquiries, you can contact us via the contact page.

KRKdanas is an information portal offering practical guides, tips and useful resources for private accommodation owners on Krk.

KRKdanas
Regulations and Laws
Promocije smještaja
  • Prednosti i mane
  • Kako promovirati?
  • Zašto odabrati agenciju?
  • Kako bez agencije?
Services
Copyright ©2023. Krk danas - Dizajn i izrada: APLIKACIJE.HR