Starting in 2026, property owners in Bucharest and throughout Romania will face property taxes calculated under entirely new rules, designed to better reflect the real market value of their homes. Authorities are preparing a major reform of the local taxation system, and for many Bucharest residents, the increases will be significant — in some cases even doubling current amounts.

These changes are part of the fiscal modernization plan under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with the main goal of making property taxes fairer and more transparent. However, the impact on personal budgets will be noticeable, especially in large cities where real estate values have risen sharply.

What is property tax and how it applies in Bucharest

Property tax is an annual local tax owed by all owners of apartments, houses, or other residential spaces. The funds collected go directly to the local budget and are used for public services such as:

• maintenance of roads and green spaces,
• modernization of neighborhoods,
• street lighting,
• social services and urban development projects.

In Bucharest, the tax is paid to the City Hall or the sector city halls, depending on the location of the property. Until now, the calculation was based on tables established by the Fiscal Code, which considered only the property’s area, type of building, and zone, without reflecting real transaction values. As a result, an apartment in central Bucharest could be taxed almost the same as one on the outskirts, even though the price difference could be several times higher.

How property taxes will be calculated from 2026

From January 1, 2026, property taxes — including those in Bucharest — will be recalculated based on the market value per square meter, estimated at 2,677 RON/m², nearly 80% higher than current values.

The new formula will take into account:

• the size of the property,
• its location (central, semi-central, peripheral),
• notarial valuations and reference values from the national database,
• cadastre information and recent transaction data.

This update will eliminate discrepancies between cities but will also lead to noticeable increases in large municipalities, especially in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Iași, and Timișoara, where real estate prices have steadily risen over the last decade.

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Examples of calculations: what Bucharest residents will pay in 2026

A two-room apartment of about 60 m² in Sector 3, currently taxed at around 270 RON/year, could rise to 460–500 RON depending on the rate applied by the city hall.

For a three-room apartment (approx. 75 m²), where the current tax is around 400 RON/year, the amount could increase to 700–800 RON.

In ultra-central areas such as Piața Victoriei, Aviatorilor, or Unirii, high-value properties could see taxes increase several times, especially after integration with the e-Proprietatea system, which will link market prices directly to the tax base.

In rural areas, increases will be smaller in absolute value but significant in percentage terms. A house currently taxed at 120 RON/year could reach 200 RON. In metropolitan areas surrounding Bucharest — Otopeni, Popești-Leordeni, Voluntari, or Bragadiru — property taxes will also rise considerably, as real estate values have approached those of the capital.

e-Proprietatea platform — the new digital system for property evaluation

An important novelty is the introduction of the e-Proprietatea platform, an IT system that will integrate data from cadastre records, real estate transactions, notarial valuations, and local databases. Each property will receive a unique code, and owners will be able to check online the reference value used for tax calculation.

Although the system was initially scheduled to become operational in 2026, authorities have acknowledged that full digitalization might be delayed until 2027. Until then, a transitional increase based on standard evaluations will apply.

Why taxes are increasing and the benefits for Bucharest

The increase in property taxes has two main objectives:

1. Fiscal fairness – expensive properties will be taxed proportionally more than modest ones.
2. Stable local financing – city halls will have additional resources for urban investments and infrastructure projects.

In Bucharest, where the local budget heavily depends on tax revenues, this reform could provide significant funds for modernizing neighborhoods, expanding transportation networks, and thermal rehabilitation of older apartment blocks.

What property owners in the capital should do

• Check current property taxes and follow sector city hall announcements for new rates.
• Keep property documents up to date (land registry extract, evaluation, cadastre).
• Monitor the launch of the e-Proprietatea platform to see the reference value assigned to your property.
• Plan your 2026 budget, as the amount due could be nearly double the current one.

The 2026 property tax reform will mark a major change for all owners, especially in Bucharest, where market values have increased rapidly. The new rules aim to align taxation with economic reality and ensure a fairer distribution of local taxes. While the financial impact will be noticeable, the reform promises a more transparent tax system and a stronger local budget, supporting the long-term development of the capital.